ABSTRACT
Severely neglected and traumatised children have often suffered many traumatic losses simultaneously, or one complex loss after another. They have no possibility to begin to mourn one loss before another loss occurs. Their distress, anger or, for some, level of dissociation frequently have a profound impact on anyone who tries to form a new relationship with them. This is discussed together with the very difficult issue of how and when to end therapy with such a needy child. There are two clinical examples which highlight the despair of these children’s losses and demonstrate their hopeful efforts in therapy to mourn and recover from them.
