Daimonic elements in early trauma.

Full Abstract

This paper explores some of the 'daimonic' elements of unconscious mentation that emerge both in dreams and in the transference/countertransference field with early-trauma patients and illustrates these with an extended clinical example. An archaic and typical (archetypal) 'trauma complex' is articulated (with diagram) as a bi-polar structure consisting of divine child protected and/or persecuted by an inner 'guardian angel'. Sources of this structure and its mythological inner objects are traced to trauma at the stage of what Winnicott calls 'unintegration' and to flooding by disintegration anxiety at a time before nascent ego-structure has formed. In an extended case example, the author shows how the patient's traumatized innocence and desire for a new start, thwarted by self-attacking defences, pulls him into playing the inflated role of her guardian angel, leading to re-traumatization in the transference. Working through is seen as the necessary disillusionment and humanization of these daimonic structures as they are projected, suffered, and transmuted by the analytic partners in the stormy process of psychotherapy.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Kalsched, Donald E (DE);

Affiliation: donedkal(-atsign-)aol.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Case Reports; Journal Article

Journal: The Journal of analytical psychology (J Anal Psychol), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Apr; vol 48 (issue 2) : pp 145-69; discussion 191-9, 201-5

Dates: Created 2003/05/07; Completed 2003/07/16; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12733232, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Child Abuse - psychology
Child, Preschool
Defense Mechanisms
Dreams - psychology
Female
Humans
Mental Disorders - etiology; psychology; therapy

Mental Disorders - etiology; psychology; therapy
Middle Aged
Parent-Child Relations
Psychoanalytic Therapy
Self Care - psychology
Stress, Psychological - psychology; therapy
Transference (Psychology)
Unconscious (Psychology)

This article has not been indexed for related articles as yet, however you can still use the live related article search links below.

See 100+ related articles.