Primal Wound Theory
The primal wound theory is based on the book by Nancy Verrier, published in 1993, called "The Primal Wound." The book deals with the concept of a psychological loss from being separated from one's birth mother, whether or not the child is old enough to have a memory of the separation or loss.
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Identification
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The primal wound is the psychological pain experienced by children who are separated from their birth mothers, and explained by the author as a primal loss because the connection between biological children and their mothers is primal, mystical, mysterious, and everlasting.
Significance
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According to Verrier, the primal wound is more than the loss of the biological mother, but in a sense the loss of self. A child separated from a mother at the beginning of life has not yet begun to separate his identity from the mother's. The result is a loss of oneself, and a feeling of a lack of wholeness.
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Considerations
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Verrier asserts that this primal wound results in difficulty with ego development and lack of trust in others.
Effects
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Separation trauma from the primal wound manifests as either aggressive, provocative, and anti-social behavior or conversely as withdrawn, acquiescent, and compliant, according to the author.
Conflicting views
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The primal wound theory is a controversial one, especially in adoption circles. While most adoption proponents recognize the inevitability of loss in adoption, many believe the primal wound theory victimizes adoptees unfairly and completely negates the impact of fatherhood on the child.
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References
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Comments
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Such an interesting book.
