I Am an Avatar of Myself

The article "I Am an Avatar of Myself: Fantasy, Trauma, and Self-Deception" by Terry Marks-Tarlow delves into the complex interplay between childhood trauma, fantasy, and self-deception, exploring how early experiences of imaginative play can both protect and harm a child's development. The author presents a clinical case of Jen, a young woman who suffered sexual abuse by her half-brother, illustrating how her early interactions and play with her father, alongside her traumatic experiences, shaped her dissociative coping mechanisms. Through a lens of interpersonal neurobiology, the article examines how the brain, mind, and body are influenced by relationships and trauma, leading to patterns of self-deception and dissociation that can persist across generations. The author highlights the role of play in emotional regulation and the potential for self-deception when reality becomes too painful to confront, ultimately showing how therapeutic intervention can help break these cycles of trauma.

  • Understand the role of early imaginative play in shaping a child's emotional and cognitive development.

  • Identify the neurobiological mechanisms underlying self-deception and dissociation.

  • Explore the impact of childhood trauma on the development of coping strategies and mental health.

  • Analyze the concept of epigenetic transmission of trauma across generations.

  • Discuss the therapeutic approaches to addressing dissociation and self-deception in trauma survivors.

  • Examine the interplay between fantasy, reality, and trauma in the formation of identity.

Content

    1. I Am an Avatar of Myself: Fantasy, Trauma, and Self-deception

    2. I Am an Avatar of Myself Quiz

    1. The Neuropsychotherapist Volume 5 Issue 7

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