The recent state of governmental affairs has led America into what can only be identified as a paranoid-schizoid position. This position of terror of annihilation has led to splitting between regressive states of good, evil, sad, mad, etc. With continual episodes of projective identification thrown onto the public, the analyst is then left to sort through these projections and to metabolize them for ourselves and for our clients. However, often we are not given enough time to process both what is happening in politics as well as the continual healing practices we perform daily. As a result, we risk absorbing incidents of projective identification, may begin to identify with such projections, and start to identify with the paranoid-schizoid position.

 

Currently, I see evidence of the paranoid-schizoid position affecting clients, trainees, therapists, and agency administrators. I have noticed an increase in splitting defenses, devaluation, paranoia, and occasionally, terror. It is difficult to metabolize the continual emotional decompensation of our society and still have enough energy to give to our healing practices without feeling drained. These days, we are holding and containing clinical space not just for ourselves and for our clients, but for the symptoms of our government. How do we find the time to process and metabolize this?

 

We must start metabolizing this terror by first recognizing and interpreting what is occurring, and then taking action. Action includes fighting for those who cannot stand up for themselves. We must reach out to others for support despite our differences so that we can continue our work as healers. We must always look at our own privilege and see how we are contributing to the oppression of others, and work to change it.