FURTHER THOUGHTS ON TRAUMA, PROCESS AND REPRESENTATION

Area of Science:

• Psychoanalytic theory
• Psychology
• Psychotherapy

Background:

• The concept of trauma, originating with Freud, is historically linked to disruptions in psychic regulation.
• Excessive excitation is identified as a key factor impacting psychic development and regulatory processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of psychic regulatory processes in trauma.
• To highlight the importance of emotional containment and representation in psychoanalytic formulations.
• To emphasize the therapeutic action of psychoanalytic therapy in restoring these capacities.

Main Methods:

• This abstract is based on psychoanalytic theory and formulations.
• It reviews the conceptualization of trauma within psychoanalysis.
• It discusses the mechanisms of therapeutic action in analytic therapy.

Main Results:

• Trauma disrupts psychic regulatory processes, specifically emotional containment and representation.
• These capacities are crucial for psychic development and functioning.
• Psychoanalytic therapy facilitates the restoration and strengthening of these capacities.

Conclusions:

• Successful analytic therapy is characterized by the intersubjective restoration of emotional containment and representation.
• These restored capacities are fundamental to the therapeutic action in psychoanalysis.
• The study underscores the significance of addressing psychic regulatory deficits in trauma treatment.