Humor and violence

Liliane, who joined a foster family at the age of 3, begins therapy at age 9. The analyst, confronted with her aggressiveness, eschews a struggle of wills. Instead, she uses humor to set up a conspiratorial understanding, de-dramatizing the chaotic violence, and opening up a space for creativity in the transference relationship. Humor also helps the analyst overcome her contradictory emotions and find the appropriate vocabulary. Fearsome Hecate is thwarted by Mercury, the messenger who emerges from the shadows to guide a traveler lost in the night.