Eros and Psyche, the Transference Put to the Test of Trauma

The myth of Eros and Psyche, as analyzed by Donald Kalsched in his book The Inner World of Trauma illustrates both the trauma dynamic and the various phases of the transference relationship. This relationship, unfolding in a protected space and context, will make it possible to transform traumatic experiences into lived and shared reality. This transformation is the prerequisite to a gradual integration of the affects, along with a restoration of the body-mind bond, so that the subject can return to a continuity of being. The author of this essay reflects upon the Eros-Psyche myth and Kalsched’s valuable insights to suggest some theoretico-clinical extensions, illustrated by vignettes drawn from her practice.