The psychic envelopes in psychoanalytic theories of infancy

Abstract

This paper aims to review the topic of psychic envelopes and to sketch the main outlines of this concept in infancy. We first explore the origins of the concept in Freud's “protective shield” and then its development in adult psychoanalysis before going on to see how this fits in infancy with post-Bionian psychoanalysis and development. Four central notions guide this review: (1) Freud's “protective shield” describes a barrier to protect the psychic apparatus against potentially overflowing trauma. It is a core notion which highlights a serious clinical challenge for patients for whom the shield is damaged or faulty: the risk of confusion of borders between the internal/external world, conscious/unconscious, mind/body, or self-conservation/sexuality. (2) Anzieu's “Skin-Ego” is defined by the different senses of the body. The different layers of experienced sensation, of this body-ego, go on to form the psychic envelope. This theory contributes to our understanding of how early trauma, due to the failures of maternal care, can continue to have an impact in adult life. (3) Bick's “psychic skin” establishes the concept in relation to infancy. The mother's containing functions allow a first psychic skin to develop, which then defines an infant's psychic space and affords the infant a degree of self-containment. Houzel then conceptualized this process as a stabilization of drive forces. (4) Stern's “narrative envelope” derives from the intersection between psychoanalysis and neuroscience. It gives us another way to conceptualize the development of pre-verbal communication. It may also pave the way for a finer distinction of different types of envelopes. Ultimately, in this review we find that psychic envelopes in infancy can be viewed from four different perspectives (economic, topographical, dynamic, and genetic) and recommend further investigation.

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“…However, we can encourage people – including athletes and coaches – to use all of the technological tools not only to stay in touch with their loved ones, but also to reaffirm as much as possible their love, attachment or warm feelings. Love expressions – possibly reanimating the maternal love, according to psychoanalysis – would be experienced as a highly effective shield against not only feelings of insecurity, but also the development of mental disorders [ 48 ], especially when the protective function of the governmental authority – referring to the protective nature of the paternal figure, according to psychoanalysis again – has been impinged. Additionally, athletes and coaches should reinforce their supportive and cooperative actions during the confinement period by activating and performing programmes of biomechanical (technical), cognitive (tactical) and psychological (motivational and affective) training.…”

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“…Because the infant's nervous system is immature, it cannot on its own manage a high level of excitation. The mother's role as a protective shield to her child's excitation is primordial (12,13) until the formation of the infant's psychic envelopes (14,15).…”

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“…These abilities actually constitute the baby's prelanguage skills that he uses to distinguish his mother (Hugill, 2015) and to interact with her (Bowlby, 1982; Brazelton & Cramer, 1989; Winnicott, 1988). The mother also uses hers to create a reassuring environment for her child's healthy development (Mellier, 2014). But the grimness of the prison's sensory environment may overlay that created by the mother and interfere negatively with the emergence and evolution of early mother–child interactions (Doucet et al, 2007; Hugill, 2015) by impeding the mother's reassuring capacities towards her child (Nishitani et al, 2009).…”