Work discussion: thoughts on an application of the Bick infant observation method

I recently had the opportunity to re-visit the task of Work Discussion when I was invited to lead a study day for the first and second-year students of a Psychoanalytic Observational Studies Course. Sadly, because of the resurgence of Covid-19, the whole day, like so many in the past two years, had to take place on Zoom. The invitation and the preparatory reading stimulated the enthusiasm I have always felt for this application of Esther Bick’s infant observation method. It led me to re-read a number of other things, including initially, re-visiting the description of the aims and scope of this journal (https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/riob), the first chapter of the book, Work discussion: learning from reflective practice in work with children and families written by Jonathan Bradley and Margaret Rustin (2018), a paper on consultation in schools written by Martha Harris in 1967, and a paper of my own about using observation in the work setting written for a special issue of this Journal (Klauber, 1999). I want here just to pause to remind readers of the aims and scope of this journal, according to our website: