Winnicott’s Legacy: Maturational Processes, Foundations of Self, and Psychopathology: Treatment Implications

Donald Winnicott is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential figures in the history of psychotherapy. Trained initially as a pediatrician before becoming a psychoanalyst, Winnicott brought a distinctive perspective to psychoanalytic theory by conceptualizing the analytic relationship as analogous to the early mother-infant bond. Diverging from the views of Melanie Klein, he placed particular emphasis on the role of the mother in providing a sufficiently reliable and responsive environment to support the infant’s growth and development. Winnicott’s contributions have had a lasting impact on clinical practice and theory, with many of his key concepts—such as primary maternal preoccupation, the holding environment, the good-enough mother, transitional objects and space, the true and false self, spontaneous gesture, the role of play, and the fear of breakdown—now part of the everyday vocabulary of psychotherapy.

In this webinar series, we will explore Winnicott’s theory of maturational processes and examine how disruptions in early developmental contexts contribute to the emergence of psychopathology.

Session One (20.09.25) : Foundations of the Self: Winnicott’s Maternal-Environment and the Therapeutic Relationship

This session will explore Winnicott’s concept of the “maternal-environment-individual set-up” as the foundational context for early psychological development. Emphasizing the infant dependence on the mother as the central developmental axis, we will examine how “good-enough” maternal care fosters the infant’s emerging sense of “going on being” (continuity), integration, personalization, and realization. The discussion will also consider how these early relational experiences shape the development of a cohesive and differentiated sense of self, and how their echoes may surface within the therapeutic relationship.

Session Two (01.11.25): Transitional Phenomena and Creativity:  Winnicott on Play, Symbols, and the Self

This session will explore Winnicott’s concept of transitional phenomena as the vital third area that bridges inner and outer reality, beginning in early infancy through the use of transitional objects. We will examine how this space supports the development of illusion, symbol use, and object relating, ultimately giving rise to play, creativity, and cultural experience. Emphasis will be placed on how transitional space fosters a sense of aliveness and authentic selfhood, and how, within the therapeutic relationship, the capacity to play becomes a transformative achievement that enables deeper self-discovery and psychological integration.

Session Three (13.12.25): The Effects of Maternal Failure (The 'Not-Good-Enough Mother): Psychopathology and Treatment.

This session will explore Winnicott’s view that psychopathology originates from a failure in the early caregiving environment. When a parent or caregiver does not provide sufficient support—what Winnicott called a “facilitating environment”—the infant is left vulnerable to overwhelming experiences, or “environmental impingements,” which interrupt the natural maturational process. As a result, the development of the self is impaired. Central to Winnicott’s theory are the concepts of primitive agonies or unthinkable anxieties—deep, pre-verbal fears that arise before the infant has the capacity to think or use language. These include feelings of falling forever, going to pieces, having no connection to the body, and lacking orientation. Such anxieties stem from the absence of reliable care and are often at the core of serious psychological disturbances, including trauma and psychosis.

Venue: Online on Zoom. Includes access to video recording for 60 days.

Dates: Saturday, 20th of March, 2025, 1st November, 2025 & 13th December 2025 (Three Saturday Sessions)

Time: 0900hrs to 1100hrs (Sydney/Melbourne Time)

Cost: 199.99 For all the three sessions  

CPD Certificate: 6 hours. 

About Dr Lynda Chassler: Dr. Lynda Chassler is a Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst at the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis (ICP) in Los Angeles. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work. Dr. Chassler maintains a private practice in Beverly Hills, California, where she specializes in treating complex clinical presentations rooted in early developmental failures. Her clinical focus includes primitive mental states, eating disorders, and borderline and narcissistic personality structures. Dr. Chassler is particularly known for her work on the psychological underpinnings of disordered eating and has published in the area of eating disorders, contributing to the psychoanalytic understanding of these challenging conditions.

About eiseEducation: eiseEducation delivers exceptional webinars, short courses, and professional development training to the mental health, social services & community services sector across Australia & New Zealand.  Find out more at eiseeducation.com.

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