Abstract: | ABSTRACT One legacy of childhood sexual abuse is the adult survivor's deep alienation from his/her own fantasy life which is accompanied by a profound distrust of the imaginings of others, including the therapist's. This article explores the nature of the survivor's fantasy life; it elucidates recurrent themes and explicates the patient's attitude towards fantasy. Further, it suggests ways in which psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy can liberate the survivor's capacity to engage freely in fantasy, perhaps for the first time. |