Self-alienation maintains attachment to abusive caregivers by disowning one’s self as “bad,” a solution made possible by the innate ability of young children to create imaginary worlds. The cost is a painful failure of self-acceptance maintained by shame, self-loathing, dissociation, and denial. Without internal compassion, it becomes difficult to take in the acceptance of others or tolerate rejection. To overcome self-alienation, the therapy must focus on transforming the implicitly remembered traumatic experiences by helping clients observe painful emotions and body sensations as communications from their disowned selves and then providing the ‘missing experiences’ for which their child parts have longed.
Presented By:
Janina Fisher, Ph.D.
