Psychotherapeutic Work with Intergenerational Trauma

The intergenerational traumatic roots of perversion

In this presentation, Dr Estela Welldon, whose work as a group analyst and psychiatrist has been focused on elaborating the psychological roots of perversion, discusses clinical cases where intergenerational trauma has been a primary cause of extreme or hazardous behavior. Referring principally to psychodynamic theory she discusses how unconscious permeation of (bad) objects penetrates and overwhelms the ego, forcing the patient to seek relief from deep sexual tensions that originate in childhood relationships. Sometimes, this search for relief may lead to dangerous and illegal acts of abuse. Effective treatment for both victims and perpetrators, Dr Welldon suggests, requires an understanding of the patient’s experience as a sufferer in a chain of inter-generationally maintained traumatic relationships. This presentation contains fascinating examples of how Dr Welldon was able to unlock the emotional history that has led to her patients’ enactments.