ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some ideas on the development of the perception that preadolescents have of the passing of time. It refers to the theories that Freud, Klein, and Bion had about the concept of time; and explores some of Meltzer's contributions on the subject. The chapter discusses some clinical material from the psychotherapy of an 11-year-old girl. It examines whether the four concepts might be considered also as stages of growth and development in the psychotherapeutic process and in what way the change in the perception of time can be used as a means of communication between patient and therapist. The chapter describes that self-perception, during the process of puberty, becomes the perception of oneself in the passing of time and makes possible a new definition of the individual. The perception of time was beginning to become essential as an internal reference for Rita. The girl, "Rita", began psychotherapy at the age of 10 years.
