Category: Trauma

  • How was an idea transmitted to you…

    I’ve been re-reading Daniel Shaw’s book: ‘Traumatic Narcissism: Relational Systems of Subjugation’ (Note – it’s highly psychoanalytic and meant for therapists). Anyway, it’s full of real gems; Here’s one:
    “One step along the way toward attaining freedom from emotional enslavement to the traumatizer can be the demystification of the traumatizer’s power”.

    Specifically, it can be helpful to really understand how a particular idea or sentiment was transmitted to you. What words did your Mother use? What non-verbal communication was used? Knowing how an idea was transmitted is powerful. It changes it from some ghost-like belief to the idea that this is something that was communicated as gospel, but just might not be in the end.

  • How the Traumatic Parent molds the child…

    Continuing with the last thought… The Narcissistic Parent will often actively dissuade the child from pursuing anything that is too individuating and therefore takes the child away from being a ‘gratifying object’ to the parent. With comments like – “it’s too expensive”, “I can’t drive you there…”, “You’ll just stop”, “you won’t be successful at X”, etc.

    However, often time and money and time are made available for the child to pursue some activity of the parent’s choosing which may or may not work for the child.