In this article, the author initially describes certain theories that are related to the concept of psychic trauma. Next, he mentions a number of ideas, according to which the stable sense of self and the sense of stable identity emanate from the nature and quality of relations with primary objects, and are directly affected either by good experiences or serious traumatic experiences. Having referred to a clinical case, he then describes certain aspects of the psychoanalytic treatment of patients who have experienced serious traumatisations. It is argued that, prior to the interpretation of their unconscious processes, these patients are in need of analytic work on their psychic structures and functions (container, α-function) which are deficient and disturbed.