From Reverie to Play: Applying Psychoanalytic Principles in Work with Underserved Families

This presentation describes a community-based psychoanalytic outreach program developed by the Anni Bergman Parent-Infant Program, which offers dyadic therapy to mothers and infants living in poverty. Drawing from two detailed clinical vignettes, the talk will illustrate how psychoanalytic principles—particularly those related to containment, maternal reverie, and the internal setting—can be applied flexibly beyond the traditional consulting room. The presentation will explore how therapists can maintain a stable internal frame amid chaotic external realities, allowing the therapeutic relationship itself to become a transitional space where emotional growth can occur. Special attention will be given to the intersubjective nature of the therapeutic process, with an emphasis on the analyst’s receptivity and the use of play, reverie, and dream life as clinical tools in work with vulnerable families.