Necessary Suffering, Bravery of Prey: Commentary on “Dominant Perversions; Perverse Dominance: Eroticized Schemata and Dissociative Phenomena in the Case of Daniel”

Abstract

The essential experience of suffering with our patients is discussed in relation to Daniel, a man with prominent psychopathy and dissociative disorder. The ways in which the author, Shelley Heusser, was receptive to Daniel despite repeated power plays and doer-done to relational dynamics, is highlighted, with appreciation for Heusser’s steadfastness, courage and devotion. Mutual vulnerability and fallibility are discussed as crucial to the development of internal strength for both therapist and patient alike, even as these are attempted to be sadistically vanquished by reciprocal, dyadically triggered “internal predators.” Descriptive accounts of perverse scenarios are presented to establish boundaries around which empathy can take root and grow. These do not substitute for mutually living through necessary enactments that may involve life or death struggles.

Keywords:

• perversion
• sadomasochism
• maternal eroticism
• mutual vulnerability
• enactment

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ This film is categorized as a horror film and indeed, many scenes are horrific, but what must not be lost is the astute psychological understanding depicted through Maud’s character.

² I refer to maternal eroticism as the vitalizing, passionate vocation of the mother committed to the life of the child. She invites the baby’s presence, verbally and nonverbally, an invitation to be as well as to have (her) as an object of love. The mother also devitalizes (through absences, separations and failures) and most importantly, revitalizes through reparative, holding and retranscribing functions. It is through the latter work that the child experiences maternal suffering and endurance (see Celenza, in press a).

³ Eros is the god of passion; passion defined as the sufferance or submission to intense feeling (i.e., love or hate) (see Celenza, in press a).:

⁴ As I have written (Celenza, 2007), the vulnerability to sexual boundary violations, i.e., to be the transgressor as well as to be the victim, is a universal fallibility.

⁵ Depression is often mistakenly viewed as sadness but is best understood as conflicted and constrained affect (often blocked sadness layered with intense hate or guilt).

⁶ See Celenza (2014) for an elaboration of gender roles, stereotypy, and the need to transcend binaries in healthy psychological functioning.

⁷ I elaborate on the gendered aspects of Daniel’s selves because he names them such, as in Mr. and Ms.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Andrea Celenza

Andrea Celenza, PhD, is a Training and Supervising Analyst at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute and Assistant Clinical Professor at Harvard Medical School. She is also Adjunct Faculty at the NYU Post-Doctoral Program in Psychoanalysis. She has written numerous papers on love, sexuality and psychoanalysis. She has two online courses and is the recipient of several awards. Her writings have been translated into Italian, Spanish, Korean, Russian and Farsi. Her third book, entitled, Transference, Love, and Being: Essential Essays from the Field, is forthcoming. Dr. Celenza is in private practice in Lexington, Massachusetts, USA.