ABSTRACT
"Quixotic" is one way to describe the intergenerational transmission of trauma-on the side of both the patient and the analyst-insofar as it is linked with the clinical experience of psychosis and the societal inscription of history."Quixotic" emphasizes a link between trauma and psychosis as the relation of two catastrophes: the first when life survival is at stake, and the second, a symbolic one, when survival is about trust. The quixotic quality of the transference, which stresses the positive side of belittling matters, brings to the intergenerational transmission of trauma. "Quixotic" qualifies as a description of the transmission of trauma, not only between generations, but also between patient and analyst. In catastrophic areas, psychosis deals with the haunting present of a trauma, even if the traumatic events occurred long ago. Only a New Zealander, John Read, stated that psychosis among children was linked to abuse half the time.