Gaudriault, Pierre

The Treatment of Paranoid Phases in Psychocorporal Therapy Groups in Institutions - 2012.


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Patients who participate in psychocorporal therapy groups in institutions experience a triple regression. The first is connected with the corporal approach; the second is classically associated with the group situation; and the third is linked to the psychopathology of the patients admitted to this kind of group. These intense regressions can result in the emergence of severe paranoid anxieties. After describing the three phases proposed (active and relational phase, phase in the lying position, and phase of verbalization), this paper focuses on these paranoid anxieties. These are reactivated by the triple regression and constitute a risk of treatment failure for patients who cannot integrate into this framework. For those who do, the “survivors,” these anxieties are treated according to the following parameters: analysis of the therapists’ countertransference, the solidity of the group, and the participants’ access to the subjective imaginary body. With the help of various clinical vignettes, this paper shows that the emergence of these anxieties is inherent to these psychocorporal settings. They can give rise to crises that are difficult, yet salutary if overcome.