The sound-hand

Abstract

Through clinical vignettes taken from the analytic treatment of an autistic child, the paper explores Bion' s notion of selected fact in relation to the post-Jungian theoretical speculation on the emergent mind. The issue of the subjectivity of the analyst is considered and explored in this light. A review of some neuroscience research contributions to a possible understanding of dialogue, empathy and rhythm is briefly described, particularly in terms of its potential usefulness for the psychoanalytic mind when working with autistic children. In general, the notions of 'temporal shapes' (Alvarez) and 'sound-object' (Maiello) provide support for the theoretical and clinical explorations of the issue of rhythmic interactions. Rhythmic sounds are distinguished from stereotypical and meaningless sounds produced by the analysand, whether or not they are accompanied by body movements, and their function of activating representations and amplifications in the analyst's mind is explored in the stage of treatment when the child does not yet speak. The Jungian concept of amplification is considered and revisited in this context.

Delusional development in child autism at the onset of puberty: vicissitudes of psychic dimensionality between disintegration and development

“…This makes it extremely wearying for anyone to be live company in relation with such children. Therefore, any approach to the issue of autism needs to place the rhythmic quality of the interaction and the distinctive rhythm of the presence and absence of the object at the centre of the project of building the foundations of a sense of self (Bisagni, 2009a; Bisagni, 2010).…”