5. Achieving Empathy with Early Developmental Trauma
Presenter: |
Lawrence E. Hedges, PhD, ABPP |
Chair: |
James S. Grotstein, MD |
Self Psychology Page | 21th Conference
Program
Abstract
This paper points to a technical problem which frequently arises in the working through process when various forms of infantile trauma are involved in the formation of the transference. Infantile trauma is remembered somato-psychically through a tendency to avoid, rupture, or flee from any and all interpersonal contact which might conceivably be re-traumatizing. The dominant technical approaches of the past two decades have included some form of empathic resonating, holding, or containing--based on the general understanding that fear of emotional abandonment is central to most early psychological states. But if the primordial transference structure is based upon a terror of interpersonal contact, an empathically containing technical approach is bound to give rise to various potentially serious abreactions one of which is that the therapist may become the target of serious accusations. Countertransference responsiveness may be called into play in the service of resistance to the analysis of organizing transferences.
Copyright 1998