ABSTRACT
Therapy begins with the setting. The setting is the physical and mental space within which psychoanalytic work occurs. The setting needs to engender a sense of reliability and continuity. It is important that the setting has limits. Limit setting is often about aggressive acting out. While the setting is important, one needs to be cautious about being a purist and only seeing the child if the physical conditions are perfect. One can get a good idea of how a child therapist works by looking at the room and the sorts of toys he or she uses, as well as how the therapist dresses and presents him- or herself. Toys are an important component of the physical setting. The main feature of the set of toys is that they are unstructured and simple. Sturdy toys will have to withstand the child's most powerful impulses.
