‘Sleeping beauties’: succession problems of adolescence

A version of this article will be included in Brady's book, Analytic Engagements with Adolescents: Hot Topics, to be published by Routledge later in 2017.

Abstract

The author explores the succession problems of adolescence. She uses the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale Sleeping Beauty to consider various characters and narratives possible in the analytic field during the succession process. Use of the characters in a fairy tale allows an analyst to play with the different roles the patient unconsciously assigns her. The author conceives of the avoidance of adolescent turbulence as a common reaction to adolescence, but one that can also become entrenched, and result in a restriction of emotional growth. The paper explores the psychic isolation of adolescence and the splitting required to manage the conflicting desires of the phase. The persistent absence of passion, including in the analytic process, constitutes a psychic retreat from developmental turbulence. The analyst of such an adolescent may need to allow them to be ‘somnolent’ for some time, but may eventually need to wake them (metaphorically) or even pierce the somnolent, avoidant state. The author uses clinical vignettes of late adolescents to demonstrate such transitions, exploring her countertransference experience as well as the reaction of adults to the succession process of adolescence.

Keywords:

• adolescence
• succession process
• psychic retreat
• Sleeping Beauty
• fairy tale
• beauty

Notes

A version of this article will be included in Brady's book, Analytic Engagements with Adolescents: Hot Topics, to be published by Routledge later in 2017.

1. See Bettelheim (1975) for the antecedent versions of the Brothers Grimm version of Sleeping Beauty. See also Ben-Amos (1994) for a folklorist’s critique of psychoanalytic interpretations of fairy tales. I am not claiming any insight into the author’s intentions, nor of the way the tale may have been interpreted when it was written. I am simply advocating the mobile use of the possible meanings of various characters in fairy tales as they lend themselves to the analyst’s reverie.

2. Bettelheim makes a case for the ‘curse’ as referring to menstruation (1975: 232). From this point of view, Sleeping Beauty is overcome by the experience of sudden bleeding and falls into a long sleep. She is protected from premature intercourse by the wall of thorns.

3. While I see the challenge of burgeoning sexuality as crucial to the meanings of Sleeping Beauty, psychosexual development is intimately tied to separation issues for both adolescents and their parents. The emergence of adolescent sexuality portends the emergence of the new generation and the older generation going on towards death.

4. Presented November 15, 2014 at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis.

5. There are movements towards and away from intimacy and its accompanying upheavals with many teenagers, but I experienced Laura as consistently and persistently avoidant of both angry and loving emotions. I would agree with Alvarez, that even with children (or young adults), ‘chronicity itself has to be addressed’ (1992: 57).

6. Alvarez notes that the ‘normal mother permits and respects some degree of withdrawal on her baby’s part, but she also plays, however gently an active part in drawing him back into interaction with her’ (1992: 61). I knew that Laura had become disillusioned about intimacy when her family divided, but thought that Laura could become active in reaching towards intimacy in her life.