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We propose a twofold perspective on trauma. An event becomes traumatic when it ruptures a person's selfobject tie without opportunity for repair, and simultaneously, dramatically alters a person's self-state. Furthermore, we draw a parallel between the pathology-producing action of trauma in vivo and the therapeutic action of interpretation in psychoanalytic treatment. Both operate through the selfobject tie and its disruption to transform self-states, but operate in opposite directions. The impact of a trauma can lead to a violation of expectations and a sense of betrayal which transforms self-states toward increased depression and restriction of emotional responsivity, and makes them impervious to subsequent self-restorative efforts. Self-states are also transformed through therapeutic action of interpretation toward greater flexibility, thereby becoming available for further development. Several psychoanalytic views of trauma are contrasted with special attention to contributions from the empirical infant literature. Three
Dr. Lachmann is a Member of the Core Faculty, Institute for the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity, New York.
Dr. Beebe is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University; Faculty, New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.
case vignettes are presented to illustrate a trauma that organizes preexisting themes, a “single event” trauma and self-state transformation through interpretation.