Introduction

Primitive states of mind are pre-verbal emotional states which have their origins in early infancy. These of course contrast markedly with mature adult emotional states, forms of mental functioning and ways of relating. The emotional states of mind that have their origins in infancy are commonly felt – and expressed – in the body as much as in the mind. Moreover, at this very earliest stage of post-natal mental life a baby has not yet developed the ‘mental equipment’ and capacities to organise and make sense of experience. It is because this ‘mental equipment’ or thinking capacity has not yet developed to deal with states of mind and body in earliest infancy that the baby is dependent on the mother or primary attachment fi gure for the processing and containing of these.