ABSTRACT
This chapter explores adolescence as a transition from childhood to young adult life. Young people in their journey through adolescence may create either individually or collectively a range of transitional objects to help them on this journey. The Adolescent Service I work in was set up specifically to cater for the clinical needs of 16 to 20-year-olds who fell between child and adult health and social services, and who were unable to face the transitions of adolescence. Adolescents often have many doubts about their sexuality following on the reawakening of sexual feelings early in adolescence. Many eminent writers see adolescence as a time for gaining contact with and coming to live within a sexual body. The adolescents come from a highly selected group of individuals who have needed the containment of in-patient treatment within a therapeutic community to help them safely on their journey through adolescence.
