Children of Narcissistic Mothers Between Embodiment and Psychosis

Sacco German, Ms (Betty)
Webster University, Geneva, Zwitserland

Submission type

Oral only

Scheduled

Parallel Session V: Administratiezaal, 09-06-2018, 09:00 - 10:30

Kernwoorden

Narcissism, trauma, psychosis.

Onderzoeksgebied

Trauma

Introductie

Soon in life the child of a narcissistic mother experiences daily trauma and learns to adapt to the mother’s needs. In so doing, (s)he fails to connect to her/his true feelings, as the latter are denied by the mother. As a consequence, the process of embodiment in the child is slow and defective, and limits the subject’s full commitment to life. In the process of defence against trauma, dissociation occurs in order to protect the most innocent or authentic aspect of the Soul. This split part of personality shows a paradoxical nature as it contains the potential for both inner coherence and disintegration: on one side, it shelters the true self, on the other, it lacks boundaries and differentiation, and presents psychotic features.

Materiaal en methodes

Through dream analysis and examples from cases, I will explore this split part of personality, and show how to enhance coherence in therapy.

Resultaten

Therapy chan facilitate coherence through integration of feelings and consolidation of the ego function.

Conclusie

The analyst’s attitude can facilitate integration through respecting the defence mechanisms as boundaries that can become loose only in the presence of an embodied and loving mediator between chaos and order.