180
Views
0
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Articles

A new language for traumatic experience: From dissociation–enactment to the fracturing of embodied wholeness

Pages 149-155 | Received 28 Jun 2021, Accepted 04 Jul 2021, Published online: 02 Sep 2021
 

Abstract

When viewed from the vantage point of embodiment, the psychoanalytic understanding of traumatic experience is transformed. In this article, a new language is proposed that describes traumatic experience as disturbances in the flow of an individual’s effortless, unconscious focusing on oneself (“I”), the other or others (“you”), on oneself as connected to others (“we”), and on all that involves the nonhuman surround (“world”). From this perspective, developmental and late-onset trauma models are seen as overlapping rather than competing. The authors support their proposal by drawing on self psychology, relational theory, and the Boston Change Process Study Group and offer illustrative clinical material.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jon Sletvold

Jon Sletvold, PsyD, is a licensed specialist in clinical psychology and psychotherapy. He was founding board director of the Norwegian Character Analytic Institute and is currently a faculty, training and supervising analyst at the Character Analytic Institute.

Doris Brothers

Doris Brothers, PhD, is co-founder and faculty at the Training and Research in Intersubjective Self Psychology Foundation and is a member of the Advisory Board and Council of the International Association of Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, New York, USA.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 53.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 172.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.