ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses trauma within the couple in the light of attachment patterns, object relations, and dissociation. Trauma disrupts the safe environment for growth and development and disorganses the primary attachment. The child, having an immature ego, is overwhelmed by trauma, from which it cannot escape, being dependent. Trauma disrupts the safe environment for growth and development and disorganses the primary attachment. When each member of a couple has a secure attachment style they will be better able to deal with any new trauma that befalls the couple. Even then, trauma can overwhelm and disrupt the couple relationship at least temporarily. Traumatised couples may spend many sessions on the trivia of domesticity and deflect any attempt to deepen the conversation with reference to latent content. Analytic couple therapy for trauma supports the growth of "genera", healing nuclei that gather good experience to repair and replace the traumatic nuclei of injury and self-destruction.
