Ferenczi's Clinical and Theoretical Conception of Trauma: A Brief Introductory Map

Abstract

In this paper, I am going to limit myself to tracing a map of the principal points in Ferenczi's thinking concerning trauma. Ferenczi's contribution to trauma theory is fundamental, even though up to today--in spite of the recent "Ferenczian Renaissance"--it still remains for many psychoanalysts simply not acknowledged and not considered and, when it is acknowledged and considered, it is frequently misunderstood or reported only in part. Perhaps this is because passages of his theory are extrapolated without knowing his entire clinical theoretical way or because he is quoted through others without the authors having personally read his work. These last ones are typical habits, as we know, to project one's own ideas, especially our prejudices.

Extreme trauma in a polluted area: Bonds and relational transformations in an Italian community

“…Moreover, when the trauma involves the entire community, it is essential to explore group mental life and recognize the importance of the real environment (Borgogno F., 2007(Borgogno F., , 2011 in which citizens have lived and continue to live, promoting the restoration of the Ego on both an individual-intrapsychic and a socialinterpersonal-transpersonal front. This is why I believe that a psychoanalytic group (Bion, 1961) is a suitable community-based trauma intervention and why I also think that it provides the most suitable setting to work through the inhabitants' pain, allowing for the historization of the illness and the creation of multiple somatopsychic narratives.…”

Silence as the Voice of Trauma

“…Most analytic writers agree on the following components: there seems to be a constitutional factor, the effects of past experiences, the current state of ego organization to deal with an onslaught of stimuli, and the presence or absence of a protective, supportive relationship (e.g. Arlow, 1995;Blum, 1994;Borgogno, 2007;Frankel, 1998;Freud, 1936;Kilborne, 1999). Trauma can be caused either internally, growing out of intrapsychic conflict, or externally in response to catastrophe, violence, or calamities.…”

Notes and Fragments of a Psychoanalytic Vocation

“…It is a trauma not just because it happened, but because it didn ' t fi nd an environment able to recognize it and to put it into words, giving help. It is, therefore, essentially a " trauma due to failure to assist " : failure to give assistance that should be physiological during the moments of growth, and that often nevertheless is unfortunately not given, and that many times it is even more damaging whether the parents totally deny their non-fulfi llment and cruelty, making the child who suffered it feel " crazy, " " unreliable, " " bad " and, in short, " responsible for it " ( Borgogno, 2005 ).…”