Abstract
Our friendships are a way to think about meaning in life. Friendships are like protein, a psychological essential for growth and development. When we see two three-year-olds playing together at the park running, holding hands, laughing, we cannot help but be filled with a sense of joy and warmth We can view making friendships as a developmental process in itself. In this discussion, I will explore the use of toys as a means of making friends. I will also explore the psychological meaning of toys and how they are a developmental precursor to friendship. Two clinical examples will be given in which friendship was the predominant theme in the therapy.
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The author would like to thank the late Gary Davis for his enthusiasm and friendship. Also: Mary Louise Denardo, Emily Halstead and Marilyn Silin.
Lynn Borenstein MSW is on the faculty of the Institute for Clinical Social Work, and the faculty of the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Training Program, Institute for Psychoanalysis.
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Borenstein, L. The development of friendship in childhood: A clinical conversation. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 13, 213–224 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01875788
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01875788