ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at intercultural psychoanalytic psychotherapy and its practice with patients who have experienced trauma. The focus is on those who have experienced this first hand as well as others who have been exposed to the deregulated behaviours of traumatised carers and parents. Embedded in family behaviour as this is makes it difficult to identify by professionals. Psychotherapy informed by psychiatry and the social sciences would have much to contribute to a viable mode of treatment because often more than one family member is affected. American psychotherapists Joy De Gruy-Leary, Mimms, Higginbottom and Reid and UK psychotherapist Barbara Fletchman-Smith have drawn attention to some of the issues in two publications. Appearing to be repeated destructive cycles that are difficult to break out of, these unworked traumatisations of indifferent parenting, separation patterns described by Elaine Arnold and other behaviours coming out of colonial slavery are explored. The trauma of war leading to exile is discussed. It considers theoretical approaches of intercultural psychotherapy and trauma and uses case histories in order to give emphasis to treatment in community settings.
