The Notion of the ‘Matrix’: New Perspectives in Group Psychotherapy for Psychotic Patients

In his written work, Foulkes never gave a systematic account of psychosis, psychotic disturbances and psychotic transference(s). Instead we find scattered remarks and reflections on the subject of psychosis throughout his writings. However, it is noteworthy that his first psychoanalytic article (Foulkes, 1930) was dedicated to Observations on the significance of the name in a schizophrenic (Foulkes, 1990: 3–20). Moreover, in his first group analytic article (Foulkes and Lewis, 1944), he mentioned and encouraged the treatment of psychotic patients in mixed groups (Foulkes, 1984, case 8, 10, 11 and 12: 30–33) but cautioned that in a group ‘psychoses should not be in the majority’ and ‘groups with psychotics only were a different matter’ (Foulkes, 1984: 35). However, some his most consistent statements on psychosis are given in his late articles. For instance, the view that ‘undoubtedly, the person who later develops a psychosis, is also conditioned by his early group, and vice versa’ (Foulkes, 1990: 276). And the conviction that ‘psychotic mechanisms are operative in all of us, and that psychosis-like mechanisms and defences are produced very early’ (Foulkes, 1990: 276). However, he cautioned that ‘later psychotic illness’ should not be considered as ‘regressions to these early stages as one might say that neurosis or neurotic reactions are’ (Foulkes, 1990: 276; cf. Wälder, 1937). And although Foulkes acknowledged that ‘early development produces many of the phenomena that are stressed by Melanie Klein’ (Foulkes, 1990: 276; italics mine), he posited that they were ‘being brought about by the interaction of the whole family on these primitive levels’ (Foulkes, 1990: 276). ‘Complicated emotions’, he wrote, ‘can be felt even by the small child as actually represented and transmitted, however unconsciously, by the parents, brothers and sisters and so on’ (Foulkes, 1990: 276).

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confidence: 72%

Comment on Vollon, Gimenez and Bonnet: ‘The psychotic transference in groups’

Nitzgen¹

2019

“…The functioning of the group as good symbiotic object can be related to the functioning of the group as an envelope, which offers its members a secure and containing place in which they can explore the parts of themselves as yet unexplored (Gimenez, 1996). If building the group as an envelope is absent in groups with a psychotic member, this can result in a difficulty in creating a communication network—which will not lead to experiencing the group as a secure place (Vollin, Gimenez and Bonnet, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Capacity to Use the Group as a Corrective Symbiotic Object in Group Analytic Psychotherapy for Patients with Psychosis

Ivezić¹,

Urlić²

2015

Group psychotherapy is widely accepted for treatment of patients suffering from psychosis. Nevertheless, some uncertainties remain regarding efficacy of insight-oriented group psychotherapy in these cases. Embracing the thinking of those authors that consider corrective symbiotic experience as essential in psychotherapeutic treatment for patients with psychosis, we explore the possibilities of group psychotherapy in enabling corrective emotional experience in our group therapeutic activity. Through some clinical examples from long-term outpatient group psychodynamic psychotherapy, which was insight oriented, we demonstrate how this method works with patients suffering from psychosis in a carefully selected group. Our experiences are positive, showing that the group analytically informed approach can offer a corrective symbiotic experience to patients with psychosis. However, patients with very deep symbiotic needs, who exclusively demand gratification of their symbiotic transferences, are not recommended for inclusion in group analytic work.

“…This article is a continuation of our effort to bring together the matrix model and the various models of the group that have been introduced by psychoanalysts in France. In Vollon, Gimenez and Bonnet (2015), we explored how Foulkes’ (1964) conception of the matrix can be thought of in relation to Anzieu’s (1985; Anzieu et al, 1987) model of the group as envelope. This allowed us to draw out another approach to the network, which we came to view as a sort of neural wiring with a plastic quality (Vollon et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Vollon, Gimenez and Bonnet (2015), we explored how Foulkes’ (1964) conception of the matrix can be thought of in relation to Anzieu’s (1985; Anzieu et al, 1987) model of the group as envelope. This allowed us to draw out another approach to the network, which we came to view as a sort of neural wiring with a plastic quality (Vollon et al, 2015). However, the envelope model has been refined and extended since it was first introduced by Anzieu, especially by the psychoanalyst René Kaës.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A ‘complementarist’ approach to the group as matrix and as psychic apparatus

Vollon¹,

Giménez²

2021

Self Cite

This article presents an epistemological reflection on two models of the group: S.H. Foulkes’ matrix model and René Kaës’ less well-known group psychic apparatus model. These two models are viewed as complementary, in the sense of George Devereux’s ‘complementarist’ approach, provided that each is conceived of as constituting a ‘vertex’, as Bion used this term. After showing that the two models are neither in competition nor coextensive, we explore their complementarity. The concepts of the ‘internal group’ and ‘unconscious alliances’ proposed by Kaës provide a way to understand how communication networks emerge and are structured in the matrix. Conversely, the concept of the network of communication can also be thought of as a metaphor for the psychic spaces of the group psychic apparatus. A clinical illustration involving a group supervision session is presented in support of these proposals.