ABSTRACT
I first met Dr Winnicott in 1960 when I had the opportunity to observe him performing "snack-bar therapy". This was his name for the provision of the least help needed to release a child from an impasse in development. Winnicott did this work in his role as child psychiatrist at Paddington Green Hospital. On the day that I visited, the last child patient was what was then called "an illegitimate child", a boy of seven years who was brought by his voluble Irish mother. When the interview with Winnicott was over the boy ran off to the toilet. As he emerged to rejoin his mother I was amazed to see Winnicott stand up and bar his way. I was still more amazed when, in a flash, the boy climbed straight up Winnicott, slithered over his shoulder and ran to his mother's arms. We all laughed and Winnicott said something about the boy's courage standing him in good stead.
