Healing the wound that must not heal: Psychotherapy with survivors of domestic violence.

Inner conflict over whether to allow the psychic wound to heal in survivors of incest and domestic violence is based on the client's unconscious belief that full recovery from the trauma would exonerate the perpetrator and be disloyal to other victims. A discussion of treatment issues addresses the role of the therapist in detecting signs of accusatory suffering and in respecting the survivor's striving toward health. Issues of client anger, misperceptions, and poor self-esteem are addressed as well as client healing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)