The Misinterpretation of Trauma in Psychoanalysis

Miller critiques the traditional psychoanalytic approach that often dismisses or misinterprets the reality of childhood trauma. She highlights how therapists, influenced by outdated theories like Freud's drive theory, frequently attribute patients' symptoms to internal fantasies or desires rather than acknowledging the external abuse they endured. For instance, Miller discusses a case where a therapist dismissed a young woman’s accounts of sexual abuse by her mother and others, relying instead on a gynecological report to label her claims as paranoid projections. Miller argues, 'If we become practiced in overlooking the sexual abuse that actually took place, we will call our patients’ complaints excessive and abandon them to their trauma.' This approach not only invalidates the patient’s experiences but also perpetuates their suffering by failing to address the root cause of their symptoms.