This commentary is a response to a series of articles published in The ADHD Report Special Issues... more This commentary is a response to a series of articles published in The ADHD Report Special Issues of February and March, 2018. The Special Issues presented several important discussions of potential adverse effects of psychosocial treatments for children and teens with ADHD. In this commentary, I will offer some thoughts and recommendations on this topic that I hope will be helpful to therapists working with these challenging families.
This article considers the nature of empathy and the importance of empathy in many forms of human... more This article considers the nature of empathy and the importance of empathy in many forms of human interaction. The impetus for this discussion is a recent book by Paul Bloom, Against Empathy: The Case For Rational Compassion (2016). Bloom presents a controversial and provocative thesis. Although he acknowledges some benefits of empathy, Bloom challenges the conventional wisdom that many problems of modern society are due to a lack of empathy. He argues that reasoned compassion is a more reliable guide than empathy to moral decision-making.
Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 2023
In this article, I will discuss how affective neuroscience can help us be better
child therapists... more In this article, I will discuss how affective neuroscience can help us be better child therapists. I will highlight several important contributions of affective neuroscience, especially theory and research on SEEKING, PLAY, separation distress, and the role of positive emotion systems in child mental health. I will describe how these ideas deepen our understanding of healthy and pathological emotional development in childhood and inform our therapeutic work with both children and parents. I will also discuss the importance of feelings of pride and shame – vital aspects of children’s emotional lives that have not yet been extensively studied by affective neuroscience. I will briefly describe an integrative model for child therapy, informed by both psychodynamic theory and affective neuroscience. Our most successful interventions with children and families set in motion positive cycles of healthy emotional and interpersonal experiences – increased confidence and engagement in life and more affirming interactions between parents and children. In this way, we help troubled children and families reclaim some of the joyousness and wonder of childhood.
Medical Research Archives, European Society of Medicine, 2023
In this article, I will present a contemporary understanding of the nature of empathy and the imp... more In this article, I will present a contemporary understanding of the nature of empathy and the importance of empathy in successful psychotherapy with children. This perspective highlights the intrinsic relationship of empathy and affect. I will consider how the child therapist's empathy is expressed and offer a specific hypothesis on the therapeutic efficacy of empathic understanding in clinical work with children. Finally, I will discuss how the experience of empathic understanding is beneficial in the emotional life of the child and in all human relationships, throughout life.
Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 2006
This article continues my discussion of the process of therapeutic change in psychodynamic child ... more This article continues my discussion of the process of therapeutic change in psychodynamic child therapy. In a previous essay (Barish, 2004), I stressed the therapeutic benefit of enhancing the child's positive affects as well as developing his or her capacity to tolerate painful affects. I now propose an extension of these ideas, a perspective on the nature of psychopathology in childhood and the implications of this perspective for our understanding of the therapeutic process, based on the clinical concepts of emotional injury and normal reparative processes. Every emotional injury evokes in the child a complex affective experience, comprised of painful emotions as well as an intensification of the child's instinctive self-protective responses—some form of withdrawal and/or retaliatory response. In normal psychological development, as in healthy biological systems, reparative processes function to heal injuries. Failure of these normal reparative processes sets in motion m...
... beginning with Freud's (1911/ 1957) Formulations of the Two Principles of M... more ... beginning with Freud's (1911/ 1957) Formulations of the Two Principles of Mental Functioning and the momentous step in a child's emotional development ... have been presented by Zetzel (1965) on the capacity to bear or master anxiety and depression and by Krystal (1976 ...
Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 2004
The therapist's use of self, much debated in psychotherapy with adult patients,
has received lit... more The therapist's use of self, much debated in psychotherapy with adult patients,
has received little explicit consideration in discussions of clinical work with
children. In this clinical essay, I describe a style of working with children and
early adolescents in psychotherapy that makes liberal use of the therapist's
“self,” both in the narrow sense of the therapist's self-disclosure and in the
broader sense of the use of the therapist's personality, intuition, and affective
expressiveness. My discussion focuses on two facets of therapeutic work with
children: (a) the use of self in the engagement of children in the treatment
process and (b) the child therapist as a source of emotional support. Although
not without some risks and limitations, and always accompanied by a necessary
appreciation of the unique temperament and character of each child, talking
personally to children fosters the child's openness in talking with us. At
moments of acute distress, many children also derive immediate, visible
emotional support—and, one hopes, some lasting increment of self-acceptance
—from the child therapist's generative and humanizing expressions of self.
This commentary is a response to a series of articles published in The ADHD Report Special Issues... more This commentary is a response to a series of articles published in The ADHD Report Special Issues of February and March, 2018. The Special Issues presented several important discussions of potential adverse effects of psychosocial treatments for children and teens with ADHD. In this commentary, I will offer some thoughts and recommendations on this topic that I hope will be helpful to therapists working with these challenging families.
This article considers the nature of empathy and the importance of empathy in many forms of human... more This article considers the nature of empathy and the importance of empathy in many forms of human interaction. The impetus for this discussion is a recent book by Paul Bloom, Against Empathy: The Case For Rational Compassion (2016). Bloom presents a controversial and provocative thesis. Although he acknowledges some benefits of empathy, Bloom challenges the conventional wisdom that many problems of modern society are due to a lack of empathy. He argues that reasoned compassion is a more reliable guide than empathy to moral decision-making.
Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 2023
In this article, I will discuss how affective neuroscience can help us be better
child therapists... more In this article, I will discuss how affective neuroscience can help us be better child therapists. I will highlight several important contributions of affective neuroscience, especially theory and research on SEEKING, PLAY, separation distress, and the role of positive emotion systems in child mental health. I will describe how these ideas deepen our understanding of healthy and pathological emotional development in childhood and inform our therapeutic work with both children and parents. I will also discuss the importance of feelings of pride and shame – vital aspects of children’s emotional lives that have not yet been extensively studied by affective neuroscience. I will briefly describe an integrative model for child therapy, informed by both psychodynamic theory and affective neuroscience. Our most successful interventions with children and families set in motion positive cycles of healthy emotional and interpersonal experiences – increased confidence and engagement in life and more affirming interactions between parents and children. In this way, we help troubled children and families reclaim some of the joyousness and wonder of childhood.
Medical Research Archives, European Society of Medicine, 2023
In this article, I will present a contemporary understanding of the nature of empathy and the imp... more In this article, I will present a contemporary understanding of the nature of empathy and the importance of empathy in successful psychotherapy with children. This perspective highlights the intrinsic relationship of empathy and affect. I will consider how the child therapist's empathy is expressed and offer a specific hypothesis on the therapeutic efficacy of empathic understanding in clinical work with children. Finally, I will discuss how the experience of empathic understanding is beneficial in the emotional life of the child and in all human relationships, throughout life.
Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 2006
This article continues my discussion of the process of therapeutic change in psychodynamic child ... more This article continues my discussion of the process of therapeutic change in psychodynamic child therapy. In a previous essay (Barish, 2004), I stressed the therapeutic benefit of enhancing the child's positive affects as well as developing his or her capacity to tolerate painful affects. I now propose an extension of these ideas, a perspective on the nature of psychopathology in childhood and the implications of this perspective for our understanding of the therapeutic process, based on the clinical concepts of emotional injury and normal reparative processes. Every emotional injury evokes in the child a complex affective experience, comprised of painful emotions as well as an intensification of the child's instinctive self-protective responses—some form of withdrawal and/or retaliatory response. In normal psychological development, as in healthy biological systems, reparative processes function to heal injuries. Failure of these normal reparative processes sets in motion m...
... beginning with Freud's (1911/ 1957) Formulations of the Two Principles of M... more ... beginning with Freud's (1911/ 1957) Formulations of the Two Principles of Mental Functioning and the momentous step in a child's emotional development ... have been presented by Zetzel (1965) on the capacity to bear or master anxiety and depression and by Krystal (1976 ...
Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 2004
The therapist's use of self, much debated in psychotherapy with adult patients,
has received lit... more The therapist's use of self, much debated in psychotherapy with adult patients,
has received little explicit consideration in discussions of clinical work with
children. In this clinical essay, I describe a style of working with children and
early adolescents in psychotherapy that makes liberal use of the therapist's
“self,” both in the narrow sense of the therapist's self-disclosure and in the
broader sense of the use of the therapist's personality, intuition, and affective
expressiveness. My discussion focuses on two facets of therapeutic work with
children: (a) the use of self in the engagement of children in the treatment
process and (b) the child therapist as a source of emotional support. Although
not without some risks and limitations, and always accompanied by a necessary
appreciation of the unique temperament and character of each child, talking
personally to children fosters the child's openness in talking with us. At
moments of acute distress, many children also derive immediate, visible
emotional support—and, one hopes, some lasting increment of self-acceptance
—from the child therapist's generative and humanizing expressions of self.
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Papers by Kenneth Barish
presented several important discussions of potential adverse effects of psychosocial treatments for children and teens with ADHD. In this commentary, I will offer some thoughts and recommendations on this
topic that I hope will be helpful to therapists working with these challenging
families.
child therapists. I will highlight several important contributions of affective
neuroscience, especially theory and research on SEEKING, PLAY, separation
distress, and the role of positive emotion systems in child mental health. I will describe how these ideas deepen our understanding of healthy and pathological emotional development in childhood and inform our therapeutic
work with both children and parents. I will also discuss the importance of
feelings of pride and shame – vital aspects of children’s emotional lives that
have not yet been extensively studied by affective neuroscience. I will briefly
describe an integrative model for child therapy, informed by both psychodynamic theory and affective neuroscience. Our most successful interventions with children and families set in motion positive cycles of healthy emotional and interpersonal experiences – increased confidence and
engagement in life and more affirming interactions between parents and
children. In this way, we help troubled children and families reclaim some of
the joyousness and wonder of childhood.
has received little explicit consideration in discussions of clinical work with
children. In this clinical essay, I describe a style of working with children and
early adolescents in psychotherapy that makes liberal use of the therapist's
“self,” both in the narrow sense of the therapist's self-disclosure and in the
broader sense of the use of the therapist's personality, intuition, and affective
expressiveness. My discussion focuses on two facets of therapeutic work with
children: (a) the use of self in the engagement of children in the treatment
process and (b) the child therapist as a source of emotional support. Although
not without some risks and limitations, and always accompanied by a necessary
appreciation of the unique temperament and character of each child, talking
personally to children fosters the child's openness in talking with us. At
moments of acute distress, many children also derive immediate, visible
emotional support—and, one hopes, some lasting increment of self-acceptance
—from the child therapist's generative and humanizing expressions of self.
presented several important discussions of potential adverse effects of psychosocial treatments for children and teens with ADHD. In this commentary, I will offer some thoughts and recommendations on this
topic that I hope will be helpful to therapists working with these challenging
families.
child therapists. I will highlight several important contributions of affective
neuroscience, especially theory and research on SEEKING, PLAY, separation
distress, and the role of positive emotion systems in child mental health. I will describe how these ideas deepen our understanding of healthy and pathological emotional development in childhood and inform our therapeutic
work with both children and parents. I will also discuss the importance of
feelings of pride and shame – vital aspects of children’s emotional lives that
have not yet been extensively studied by affective neuroscience. I will briefly
describe an integrative model for child therapy, informed by both psychodynamic theory and affective neuroscience. Our most successful interventions with children and families set in motion positive cycles of healthy emotional and interpersonal experiences – increased confidence and
engagement in life and more affirming interactions between parents and
children. In this way, we help troubled children and families reclaim some of
the joyousness and wonder of childhood.
has received little explicit consideration in discussions of clinical work with
children. In this clinical essay, I describe a style of working with children and
early adolescents in psychotherapy that makes liberal use of the therapist's
“self,” both in the narrow sense of the therapist's self-disclosure and in the
broader sense of the use of the therapist's personality, intuition, and affective
expressiveness. My discussion focuses on two facets of therapeutic work with
children: (a) the use of self in the engagement of children in the treatment
process and (b) the child therapist as a source of emotional support. Although
not without some risks and limitations, and always accompanied by a necessary
appreciation of the unique temperament and character of each child, talking
personally to children fosters the child's openness in talking with us. At
moments of acute distress, many children also derive immediate, visible
emotional support—and, one hopes, some lasting increment of self-acceptance
—from the child therapist's generative and humanizing expressions of self.