Co-therapy in group-analytic psychotherapy for psychosis. A humaneness-based approach

Abstract

A modified group-analytic group of people with psychosis was co-conducted using an adequately experienced young female as conductor and an older male with years of experience as co-conductor once a week for two years. The intention was, on the one hand, to encourage the members to elaborate further on their pre-Oedipal trauma and, on the other hand, — mainly — to familiarize them with the idea of the united parents (Oedipal state) in the context of the depressive position (Klein, Bion) and, generally, to become aware of the Oedipal situation and achieve identification with the Name-of-the-Father (Lacan) as preponderantly underscored by the co-conductor as a man highlighting the function of the symbolic father (Freud, Lacan). Due to the considerate, minimally intervening, direction of the group in the sense of conducting rather than leadership (Foulkes), and a discreet presence of the co-conductor/father, as based on the idea of humaneness (a new proposed version of Foulkes’ foundation matrix), the patients avoided to split the therapeutic couple as inciting them the archaic fantasy of the primal scene (Freud, Klein, Bion). They were acquainted with a fruitful adoption of pairing and arrived at a substantial identification with the therapists’ erotic/parental union, and specifically with the Name-of-the-Father/co-conductor, through the development of neurotic as opposed to psychotic transferential attitudes and, finally, sufficiently accepted separation from the mothering object or group thus gaining individuation.