The ‘Replacement Child’: work to reclaim the self
Book ticketsOrganised by:
Brighton Therapy Partnership
Description
“The ‘Replacement Child’: Clinical work to reclaim the self
(Evening seminar, 6-9pm, Monday 19th February 2024, via Zoom, with catch-up available for those unable to attend on the day or for re-watching).
Families face intense psychic pain when a child has deceased or goes missing. For complex reasons, the effects of loss and trauma can remain unresolved and unconscious across one or more generations. The impact can be especially powerful for the child born after the loss, but also affect surviving siblings of children born years later.
During this evening seminar, we will discuss how ‘the replacement child’ dynamics create a fragmented identity, relational difficulties and a sense of existential insecurity. Through clinical material, our speakers will discuss how these unconscious themes can be sensitively considered within the therapeutic relationship and how we can accompany replacement children to find their true self.
There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion throughout the evening.
Definition of Replacement Child:
The definition of the term ‘replacement child’ is complex and depends on the particular person and their family psychodynamics. The richness of the concept will be addressed by both speakers through theoretical and clinical vignettes, but for the purposes of this workshop we are using the definition of ‘Replacement Child’ offered by the Replacement Child Forum which we have replicated below from their website):
A person can be a replacement child if:
* Conceived or born to replace a child or other member of the family who has died;
* Born shortly after a death, stillbirth, miscarriage or abortion: a so-called subsequent child;
* Born as a surviving twin or multiple;
* Replacing a sibling or another member of the family later on, due to death or disability;
* In the context of the adoption of a child, replacing or being replaced by a conceived child; or
* Being assigned the role to replace a missing person or self-identifying with such a role.
Important Note: Children born or adopted after a death or loss are not automatically replacement children.
