One of the major challenges to early childhood professionals is to effectively deal with separation anxiety and assist children in the transfer from home to other environments. This article summarizes, from a psychoanalytic perspective, the developmental stages of psychological separation, and describes techniques for practitioners for dealing with children with separation anxiety. Stages of the separation/individuation process considered include differentiation, practice of physical separation while psychological connection is retained, the state of "low-keyedness" and use of transition objects, and rapprochement. The recommended procedure and separation treatment program for children who remain in a low-key state for extended periods during the rapprochement stage advises caregivers to: (1) step in and help parents and children separate; (2) validate the feelings of both parent and child; (3) stay with the child in a close relationship; (4) help children continue the individuation process. (RH)