Citation

Benau K. Eur. J. Trauma Dissoc. 2021; 5(4): e100194.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Masson)

DOI

10.1016/j.ejtd.2020.100194

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Sexual molestation of a child invariably results in traumatic shame states that, without appropriate adult intervention, can last for years during childhood and well into adulthood. Physical immobilization during sexual molestation, feeling trapped and helpless, can also contribute directly to the development of a chronic, traumatic shame state and immobilization impacting body, emotion and thought/belief/meaning. This is Part 2 of a two-part article. Part 1 offered a close study of two psychotherapy sessions that took place 16 months apart, Sessions 1 and 2, exploring several traumatic effects of the survivor's arms being held down by his abuser. Part 1 demonstrated how, with the benefit of an integrative approach to psychotherapy that paid close attention to the embodied, lived experience of sexual molestation and specifically immobilization, a survivor moved more freely in body, emotion and mind from a traumatic shame state to one of triumphant, pro-being pride. Part 2 carries forward this examination of three sessions with the same survivor that immediately followed Session 2. With a stronger embodiment of pro-being pride, the patient was able to observe his dissociative, retaliatory rage and access adaptive anger (Session 3), deepen his pro-being pride and move toward a more integrated, core self (Sessions 4 and 5). Part 2 concludes with a discussion of therapeutic factors most likely contributing to the patient's transformation across these three sessions, preceded by an abbreviated summary of related findings from Part 1.

Language: en

Keywords

core self; immobilization; integration; Janet’s act of triumph; pride; pro-being pride; psychotherapy.; relational trauma; Sexual molestation; shame