This collection from Oxford University Press is due to be published in February 2025. Edited by Jonathan Delafield-Butt and Vasudevi Reddy, it offers a tribute to one of the leading infant theorists of his generation, Professor Colwyn Trevarthen. This unique book contains chapters written by 40 of his colleagues, each of them celebrating the cutting-edge research discoveries he made during a career lasting more than 50 years. Colwyn passed away suddenly in 2024, at the age of 93. He is much missed.
Suzanne’s chapter is entitled Companionship vs Care: Bringing models of infancy into the study of Adverse Childhood Experiences. She addresses one of the key criticisms made of the study of ACEs: that it lacks a robust developmental account of trauma. Suzanne’s response is to compare the theories of attachment and intersubjectivity. She argues that a focus on care and buffering (attachment) is ultimately insufficient and that we need to locate our understanding of trauma within companionship (intersubjectivity). These arguments push us to new levels of understanding about the inescapable ties between connection and trauma.
