Early traumatic nuclei and transgeneration

Abstract

The Freudian model of trauma, inspired by human sexuality biphasic organization, and structured upon the oedipal scenario, could be completed, prolonged and enriched by a number of other modalities of trauma that must bequalified as early. By referring to concepts and clinical cases presented by Christian Gerard, as well as to perinatal clinical experiences, I tried to determine some specifications of such early traumas. They are mostly characterized by the prominence of psychic processes that do not carry any representation and in which the psychic subjects and objects have not yet been completely built, which in turn make the phantasmagoric scenarios rather brief. The cleavage formation processes prevail over the repression feelings, and the mutual projecting identifications prove essential for the formation of feelings. From varied psychopathological manifestations, from the object’s function, from blind spots on the transferential-countertransferential relation, and from some observations about parental duties, it is possible to isolate an early and individual traumatic nucleus. By reviewing the analysis of Pierre’s case, the child about whom C. Gérard speaks, such traumatic nucleus attracts transgenerational elements that have been barely if at all assimilated by different family members so far.