Table Of Content‘This is a very kind book. It is kind to the reader because it is so clear,
informative, and hopeful; it is eminently kind to the mothers, babies, and
toddlers. The way in which a mother’s critical observation of her baby or
herself can be turned into a more generous view and thereby change mother-
child interactions is stunning. May this methodology spread, as it will change
many lives.’
Anne Alvarez, consultant Child and Adolescent psychotherapist,
Tavistock Clinic, London; author, The Thinking Heart
‘This thoughtful guide embodies the author’s profound understanding of
mother- child relationships in the critical first three years of a child’s life. The
specific support, educational, and psychodynamic intervention components
that create a reflective space are carefully described and richly illustrated.
This book is so readable and informative, it can enrich a broad range of
practitioners, and parents themselves.’
Tessa Baradon, Parent- Infant Project, Anna Freud Centre; co- director,
International Training School for Infancy and Early Years
‘This wonderful book fills an important gap in the current literature on
parenting interventions. The Guide derives much of its power from the wealth
of narratives describing the way the group-l eader recruits mothers’ memories
from their own childhoods to give meaning to current problems with their
babies and toddlers thereby offering insight to all group members.’
Alexandra Harrison, training and supervising analyst, Boston
Psychoanalytic Society and Institute; assistant professor of Psychiatry,
Harvard Medical School; founder, Supporting Child Caregivers - Infant-
parent mental health training non- profit throughout the world
‘This wonderfully valuable book is an eminently practical guide. Its
distinctiveness is in the detailed vignettes that describe the complex challenges
at each age and the unique way developmental information is integrated with
psychodynamic intervention. This book is for experienced clinicians and early
career professionals.’
Wendy Olesker, training and supervising adult and child analyst,
New York Psychoanalytic Institute; editorial board,
Psychoanalytic Study of the Child
‘The Mother- Baby- Toddler Group Guide is straightforward in its outline, yet at
the same time is a multilayered and intricate template that offers depth and
nuance as it powerfully weaves together many ideas about fostering resilience
in mothers, babies, and toddlers. The many vignettes provide vivid illustration
of the intense emotions mothers experience and how the integrated educational
and psychodynamic group- process provides understanding and time to reflect.’
Rita Reiswig, co- director, The Anni Bergman Parent- Infant
Program, Contemporary Freudian Society and IPTAR;
psychoanalyst for adults, adolescents, and children
Mother- Baby- Toddler Group Guide
This book is a comprehensive guide for leading mother-b aby- toddler groups,
a text for teaching child development, and a handbook for early intervention.
The guidelines provide a detailed psychodynamic approach to resolve typ-
ical developmental and mothering difficulties that arise during the first three
years of life. As mothers’ thoughts about their babies and toddlers ricochet
between the past, the present, and the future, mothers’ childhood memories
are activated and out of awareness influence mother-c hild interactions. Specific
interventions that generate mothers’ self-r eflection and insight are delineated.
Group questions are organized by age and psychodynamic theme. Compelling
vignettes illustrate synergies between the supportive and educational group-
process, and the psychodynamic interventions with each mother- child dyad.
Difficulties are resolved before they escalate into disorders. This is the first
psychodynamic group guide to extend the infant mental health focus on
treatment, to include prevention.
Experienced clinicians, students, psychologists, psychiatrists, social
workers, and others interested in infant mental health and mothers’ well-
being will find the specific guidelines practical, informative, and illuminating.
Ilene S. Lefcourt established the Sackler Lefcourt Center for Child
Development in 1982. She was the director, led the mother- baby- toddler
groups, and provided developmental consultation to parents for over 35 years.
She taught child psychiatry residents and parent-i nfant psychotherapy trainees
about her work. She has been a faculty member at the Columbia University
Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research Parent- Infant Program since
1995. Ms. Lefcourt is currently in private practice in NYC. She is the author
of Parenting and Childhood Memories: A Psychoanalytic Approach to Reverberating
Ghosts and Magic.
Mother- Baby- Toddler
Group Guide
A Psychodynamic Approach
Ilene S. Lefcourt
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Ilene S. Lefcourt
The right of Ilene S. Lefcourt to be identified as author of this work has been asserted
in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Lefcourt, Ilene S., 1946– author.
Title: Mother-baby-toddler group guide : a psychodynamic approach / Ilene S. Lefcourt.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2023. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022019738 (print) | LCCN 2022019739 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781032351384 (hbk) | ISBN 9781032351391 (pbk) |
ISBN 9781003325482 (ebk)
Subjects: LCSH: Mother and child. | Child development.
Classification: LCC HQ759 .L435 2023 (print) |
LCC HQ759 (ebook) | DDC 155.6/463–dc23/eng/20220714
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022019738
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022019739
ISBN: 9781032351384 (hbk)
ISBN: 9781032351391 (pbk)
ISBN: 9781003325482 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ b23150
Typeset in Garamond
by Newgen Publishing UK
Contents
About the author ix
Foreword by Daniel Schechter, MD x
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xiv
SECTION I
Guideline principles 1
Introduction 3
Part 1: Mothers’ childhood memories 3
Psychodynamics of everyday life 5
Group- leader approach 9
Part 2: Group goals and group- process 12
Child development information and group questions 17
1 Psychodynamic themes 22
2 Mother- child proximity 57
Vignette 63
SECTION II
Mother- baby- toddler beginning groups 67
3 Beginning groups 69
Pre- enrollment visits 69
Group composition and group schedules 70
Pre- group mother- child visits 71
Vignettes 72
First three group sessions 80
Child development information and group questions 82
viii Contents
SECTION III
Child development information and group questions 85
4 2 to 10- months 87
Child development information and group questions 87
Vignettes 100
5 11 to 19- months 109
Child development information and group questions 109
Vignettes 121
6 20 to 28- months 128
Child development information and group questions 128
Vignettes 140
7 29 to 36- months 148
Child development information and group questions 148
Vignettes 161
SECTION IV
In conclusion 177
8 Individual sessions with a group mother 179
Vignette 180
9 Ending groups 184
Glossary 185
Suggested reading 189
Index 192
About the author
Ilene S. Lefcourt established the Sackler Lefcourt Center for Child
Development in 1982. She was the director, led the mother- baby- toddler
groups, and provided developmental consultation to parents for over 35 years.
She taught child psychiatry residents and parent-i nfant psychotherapy trainees
about her work. She has been a faculty member at the Columbia University
Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research Parent- Infant Program since
1995. Ms. Lefcourt is currently in private practice in NYC. She is the author
of Parenting and Childhood Memories: A Psychoanalytic Approach to Reverberating
Ghosts and Magic.
