Play and Impersonation: Finding the Right Intersubjective Rhythm

The following paper examines a client's developmental process through transference, play, and the client's impersonation of the therapist. Winnicott's notion of the intermediate space, current infant research studies, and Jessica Benjamin's concept of thirdness are the organizing framework for the treatment. The author uses a clinical vignette to illustrate a relational perspective in which play and creativity become important developmental processes for both patient and therapist.