ABSTRACT
In this chapter I aim to explore images of the father and the symbol of the triangle through case material of work with a mother and her infant son, in the absence of the father. The mother and father of the infant I shall describe had a complex history, including addiction and homelessness. They were referred when their son was nine months old as part of a raft of multi-agency support. Soon after weekly therapy began, the father precipitately left his partner, his son and the therapy and had no further contact. Clinical work continued with the mother and her infant son, along with a now ‘absent father’. This work is the focus of this paper. I will refer to the mother as ‘Shelley’ and the son as ‘Ben’.
