#8 Unlocking Instinctual Energy and Achieving Wholeness in Trauma Recovery | Psychology Doesn’t Heal Complex Trauma Series

The concept of the Malignant Complex offers a unique lens through which we can understand the deep, often hidden forces that shape our emotional responses, behaviors, and perceptions. At the heart of healing lies the reconciliation between two powerful aspects of the psyche: the Instinctual Conscience and the Dominant Ego Personality (DEP). Trauma, particularly complex trauma, arises when these two forces become fragmented or disconnected, leaving the individual stuck in maladaptive patterns that perpetuate suffering.

The key to unlocking true healing is confronting and integrating the Malignant Complex directly. This involves understanding the powerful libidinal energies—the instinctual forces—that fuel both our emotional lives and our potential for growth. By recognizing how these energies have been misdirected by trauma, we can reclaim our full range of emotional expression, reconnect with our deeper instincts, and move toward a sense of wholeness.

In this article, we will explore how confronting the Malignant Complex can help us align with our instinctual drives, integrate these energies, and harness them as tools for healing and self-realization. By understanding and transforming the Malignant Complex, we gain the ability to break free from unproductive survival patterns and step into a new, more authentic chapter of our lives. This approach opens the door to the potential for deep emotional and spiritual healing, offering a pathway to not only overcome trauma but to thrive in its aftermath.

Healing through the Malignant Complex

To heal from trauma and begin the process of integration, it is essential to confront the Malignant Complex. This process is the key to reconciling the Instinctual Conscious with the Dominant Ego Personality (DEP), two aspects of the psyche that often become fragmented or disconnected due to trauma. When these elements are in harmony, they create a sense of wholeness and alignment, allowing the individual to tap into the profound energies that drive emotional, mental, and spiritual growth.

At the core of this reconciliation is the activation and alignment with libidinal energies—the fundamental, instinctual energy that are behind our motivations, emotional responses, and creative life processes. These energies, a central concept in Freudian psychodynamics, go beyond merely sexual desire. They represent the primal drives behind all human behaviors and emotions.

Freud originally framed libidinal energy as the driving force behind sexual urges, but modern interpretations have expanded this to include a broader spectrum of genomic drives—inherent biological impulses that guide our emotions, actions, and reactions. These energies are essential for healthy emotional expression and psychological well-being, as they provide the foundation for behaviors such as SEEKING, CARE, PLAY, RAGE, PANIC, and LUST, as identified by neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp.

When trauma occurs, these libidinal energies are often hijacked by maladaptive Malignant Complexes—patterns of thought and behavior that become distorted in response to past wounds. These complexes trap the individual in repetitive, unhealthy cycles that drain emotional energy and prevent healing. For example, unprocessed trauma can distort the natural instincts of CARE and PLAY, leaving an individual stuck in patterns of hypervigilance or emotional detachment devoid of joy.

The solution to these deeply embedded patterns lies in recognizing and realigning with our libidinal energies. By engaging with the Malignant Complex directly, we can identify where these energies have become misdirected and work to release the internal tensions that keep us stuck. The process of healing involves not only addressing the trauma at the surface level but also understanding how these genomic drives—the very forces that shape our behaviors and emotional experiences—have been disrupted or repressed.

When we bring these energies into alignment with our deeper Instinctual Conscience, we create the conditions for personal growth, healing, and spiritual unfolding. This reconciliation allows us to tap into our full emotional range and access a wellspring of creative, motivational energy that can propel us forward on the path to self-realization. By reconnecting with our instinctual roots, we open the door to greater authenticity and a deeper connection with both ourselves and the world around us.

Trauma as Premature Activation of Instincts

One of the central concepts in understanding the impact of complex trauma on the psyche is the idea that trauma occurs when instincts are prematurely and illegitimately activated. This idea, as articulated by Professor Mark Solms, emphasizes that trauma is not just an emotional or psychological event, but also a physiological one—specifically, a disruption in the natural development and expression of instincts.

Instincts are deeply ingrained, biological drives that govern our behavior and emotional responses. They are essential for survival and the regulation of our internal states, including FEAR, RAGE, SEEKING, CARE, PLAY, PANIC and LUST—emotions and behaviors that guide us through life’s challenges. These instincts, however, are supposed to emerge and evolve according to the natural course of development. As children grow and develop, their instincts guide their behavior in ways that help them adapt to their environment, form attachments, and gain understanding of the world.

However, trauma can prematurely activate these instincts in a way that is illegitimate—meaning they are triggered inappropriately and at the wrong developmental stage. For instance, if a child experiences abuse, neglect, or a severe emotional shock before they have developed the emotional and cognitive maturity to process such experiences, their instincts—such as FEAR or RAGE—become activated out of sync with their developmental needs. These premature activations often cause these instincts to become distorted, misdirected, or frozen in a state of readiness, but without the proper context to release them appropriately.

For example, if a child experiences an overwhelming traumatic event before they have developed a sufficient level of emotional maturity, their FEAR instinct might be excessively heightened, causing them to remain in a constant state of hypervigilance. This heightened state of fear is a legitimate instinct in situations of true danger, but in the absence of a clear threat, it becomes an illegitimate activation—one that persists, disrupting the child’s emotional equilibrium long after the trauma has passed.

As these prematurely activated instincts remain unresolved, they can form the foundation of Malignant Complexes, leading to maladaptive behaviors and emotional patterns in adulthood. These unresolved, distorted instincts often govern emotional responses to future challenges, as the body and mind remain "stuck" in an inappropriate instinctual response to trauma, which can result in issues such as dissociation, panic attacks, rage, or avoidant behavior.

Understanding trauma in terms of premature activation of instincts provides a crucial lens for addressing its root causes. It reframes trauma not as a failure of the mind or psyche, but as a disruption in the natural flow and timing of biological drives. This understanding opens the door to more effective healing approaches, such as working directly with instincts and reconnecting with the body to recalibrate these primal responses.

Instincts and Consciousness

The relationship between instincts and consciousness is often misunderstood, especially within traditional psychological frameworks. In modern psychology, much of the focus is placed on the Dominant Ego Personality (DEP)—the cognitive, rational aspect of the self. However, when we look deeper into how consciousness actually operates, it becomes clear that instincts are the true drivers of consciousness, not the Dominant Ego Personality.

Instincts are our foundational biological drives—innate patterns of behavior that are essential for survival and navigating the world. These drives, such as fear, hunger, attachment, and seeking—are built into our biology and govern much of how we experience the world. They provide us with the raw energy to engage with our surroundings, make decisions, and respond to stimuli—They have an intelligence.

The Dominant Ego Personality, by contrast, is the cognitive, self-aware aspect of our psyche. It's the part of us that processes thoughts, hold short-term memory (The Miller Number), makes deliberate decisions, and builds a narrative about who we are. While the DEP plays a vital role in cognitive processing and problem-solving, it does not drive our consciousness.

If instincts were to be turned off, the person would be "dead", both literally and metaphorically. The body would no longer function, and consciousness, as we understand it, would cease to exist.

In fact, if the DEP were to be "turned off," the person would not be conscious in the same way. But remarkably, the person could still interact with the universe, responding instinctively to basic needs, emotions, and environmental stimuli, because the instincts would continue to guide behavior. This leads to a critical point: if instincts were to be turned off, the person would be "dead", both literally and metaphorically. The body would no longer function, and consciousness, as we understand it, would cease to exist.

This underscores the fundamental importance of instincts in driving life and consciousness. Instincts are the foundation of existence—they are the forces that create the drive for survival, reproduction, and social connection, and they are essential to our continued presence in the world.

Protective Ego Construct

The Dominant Ego Personality may appear to be in control of consciousness, but in reality, it is merely a filter or a mediator between our primal instincts and the world around us. The Ego's function is to help us navigate life with a sense of self, to regulate and integrate our instinctual drives, and to create a cohesive narrative that aligns with our experiences. However, when the Ego becomes overly dominant or disconnected from the instincts—especially in the case of trauma creating a Protective Ego Construct (PEC)—this balance can be disrupted.

In trauma, particularly complex trauma, this disruption can result in the dissociation of the DEP from the instinctual drives. The Instinctual conscious may still be present, but it may be ignored, suppressed, or misdirected due to the trauma. This creates a fractured sense of self, where the instincts are no longer fully integrated with the egoic mind, leading to emotional dysregulation, confusion, and even physical manifestations of distress.

Relating Function: Development and Adaptability of Instincts

Instincts, though present from the very beginning of our lives, are not static; they are developmental in nature. While instinctual drives like hunger, fear, and attachment are fundamental to human existence, they adapt and evolve over time, becoming more complex as we mature and navigate the world.

These instincts anticipate major life events such as puberty, falling in love, and procreation, driving behavior without regard for social constructs like political correctness. They are primal forces that shape our experience of the world and our responses to it.

At the heart of this process is the Relating Function, a concept first coined by Erich Neumann and later expanded upon in psycho-systems analysis. The Relating Function represents the dynamic psychological process that mediates the connection between the DEP and the deeper, instinctual layers of the psyche. It involves a constant exchange of energy and information between the self, other individuals, and the world around us, operating at the intersection of subjective experience and objective reality.

The Relating Function is more than just a bridge between the Dominant Ego Personality (DEP) and The Instinctual Conscience. It also integrates relational dynamics with the Theogenic Field, a concept akin to Carl Jung’s Collective Unconscious. The Theogenic Field encompasses the collective patterns, ideas, and symbols that inform our shared human experience.

When our instincts are aligned with the Relating Function, we can forge more authentic and deeper connections with others, free from the distortions created by Malignant complexes. These distortions often obstruct true intimacy and genuine relational connection, causing us to project our unresolved emotional wounds onto others.

The key to unlocking authentic intimacy and healing lies in recognizing the signals of our instincts and responding to them with awareness. When we can align with these signals, we can engage with others in a way that fosters relational clarity and emotional depth. The Relating Function enables us to navigate the complexities of both our inner and outer worlds with fluidity and coherence, laying the foundation for individuation—the process of becoming a more integrated, whole self.

While our instincts may begin as relatively simplistic, they are time-coded and adaptable, constantly evolving to meet the challenges and transitions of life. Over time, they evolve into more nuanced and complex forms, providing the individual with the necessary emotional and psychological resources to handle new experiences. This adaptability ensures that our instincts remain in harmony with the changing demands of life, from navigating social relationships to managing the internal shifts that occur during personal growth.

In the context of healing from Malignant Complexes of complex trauma, the Relating Function offers a critical mechanism for reestablishing balance between the Dominant Ego Personality and the Instinctual Conscience. By engaging with our instincts through the Relating Function, we can dismantle the barriers created by trauma and rediscover a deeper sense of wholeness, connection, and purpose.

Conclusion of “Psychology Doesn’t Heal Complex Trauma Series”

Through the exploration of Malignant Complexes, the role of instincts, and the transformative power of the Relating Function, this series has sought to expand our understanding of complex trauma and the mysterious forces at play within the psyche.

By recognizing how trauma distorts our instincts and disrupts our ability to relate authentically to ourselves and others, we gain access to the healing potential locked within our deeper layers of consciousness. Aligning with these instincts through the Relating Function allows us to heal, evolve, and step into our authentic selves, driven by the full spectrum of libidinal energy and guided by the unfolding of our genomic blueprint. Ultimately, this journey offers us the possibility of wholeness, a meaningful engagement with life, and the fulfillment of our divine calling.

Thank You!

About the Author

Michael C Walker, a chaplain at Jaguar Marigold Chapel, combines Christian Mysticism, Depth Psychology, Affective Neuroscience, Classical Studies, and Dream Mapping to delve into the human psyche. With 20+ years of experience, he pioneers the fusion of spiritual wisdom and scientific exploration. His innovative approach to Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) provides insights for Self-Analysis, divine purpose, and authenticity.