ABSTRACT
Most psychoanalysts and social workers, Clare Winnicott is only known, if at all, as the spouse of a prominent psychoanalyst. However, as her friend Gwen Smith suggested, Clare's life was more than the sum of her relationships and accomplishments: these were woven into a luxurious tapestry by her unique intelligence, common sense, and passion. As a teenager and young woman, Clare was more likely to have been affected by her father's creative ministry—his facilitation of a "holding environment" for his parishioners beyond Sunday morning—than by the numerical growth of the parish. Clare also observed her father's unique skill in facilitating the leadership skills of dozens of parishioners. For example, he encouraged one member to organize a Young Men's Club. Clare had close relations with all three throughout her life; all were educated professionals who devoted much of their lives to various forms of teaching, and her brothers had especially distinctive careers.
