Locating Unconscious Trauma In Groups: Perturbations, Glitches and Glimpses

ABOUT

Perturbation: astronomical term; a deviation in an astronomical object's orbit or path caused by the gravitational attraction of another astronomical object.

How can a group locate dissociated traumas in order to work through them in the group?  Past traumas cause distortions and blocks in the flow of group communication. Perturbations, glitches, and glimpses offer a trail of clues. They mark where something has been hidden and signpost the group unconscious. By investigating these clues, the group can realise its potential for psychic growth. The first part of the paper gives examples from a range of groups. The second part offers examples of how perturbations can be used to work with repressed trauma and revive groups that are in danger of ‘paddling in the shallows. 

Howard Edmunds is a group analyst and a training analyst (IGA ) in London, He studied Politics and Philosophy at The University of Oxford and maintains a keen interest in how power determines the dominant narrative in groups. He is a Senior Associate and Co-Founder of Brighton Therapy Centre and works as a psychotherapist, supervisor, organisational consultant, lecturer & writer.