THE ORIGIN OF AN INTRAPSYCHIC CONFLICT FROM AN INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTDURING A FEW GENERATIONS

By giving a clinical example it is described in which way a former int erpersonal conflict becomes an intra-psychic conflict in the course of several generations. Treatment of intra-psychic conflicts is carried out in psychoanalytic or psychoanalytically orientated individual ther apy. Here the intra-psychic conflict becomes an interpersonal conflict again in the transference relationship between patient and analyst in a regressive process. The patient frequently has the chance to solve his conflict with the analyst in the transference relationship in a be tter and not in the former neurotic way. When the patient still is rea listically dependent on his family of origin, as in most treatments in children-psychotherapy, but also when adults still live in their pare nts' home or when they are otherwise realistically dependent on their parents, it can be tried to work through the neurotical conflict dynam ics of the whole family in a family therapy thus making it understanda ble so that it can better be handled. In individual therapy it is ofte n a question of making unconscious thoughts and feelings conscious, in family therapy, however, the point is to make it possible to speak ab out events, thoughts and feelings that were kept a secret or taboo by now. This often makes constructive changes in the family possible. Thu s as well the index patient as further members of the family have a ch ance to develop a healthier and more free way of life.