In this article, I advance a new way in which traumatic recollections may be treated in
psychotherapy. This novel approach, closely connected to the theory of Elliott, Watson,
Goldman, and Greenberg (2003) on evocative unfolding, trauma retelling, and meaning creation, focuses on narrative construction to make room for and help the assignment of
meaning. In this narrative construction, we stay close to the factual and practical context
of the story that can be told about the traumatic experience. Most clients will find it less
difficult to consider the practical details than to directly address the traumatic psychological
injury. Departing from this immediate context, the traumatic experience can be
better appropriated, and made less self-alienated. However, this approach does require
the therapeutic relationship to be at a stage in which enough attachment and trust has
been established. After contemplating trauma in general and the way it may be handled
in psychotherapy, the proposed new approach is discussed and elaborated on.
trauma in context, attachment issues, therapeutic relationship
The tPeP (Journal Person-centered experiential Psychotherapy) is the scientific journal for Dutch and Flemish psychotherapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, that work from, or are interested in a client-centered perspective.