Art by Unknown

When women lack the “matrical gaze”, they are deprived of a critical foundation for developing a healthy sense of self, safety, and security within themselves. This absence deeply impacts their self-worth, personal values, and self-acceptance, compromising the essential fundamentals required for healthy development and individuation.

But what is the “matrical gaze”? At its core, the term refers to the attuned, nurturing, and mirroring presence of a caregiver—often associated with the mother or maternal figure—who provides unconditional acknowledgment of the child’s existence, emotions, and needs. This gaze is not just physical but deeply psychological: it communicates, “I see you, and you are worthy of love just as you are.” It is the foundation for secure attachment, enabling the individual to internalize a sense of being seen, valued, and safe. When this gaze is absent, inconsistent, or distorted, the child is left in a void of unmet emotional needs, struggling to develop a cohesive and resilient sense of self.

The Consequences of a Lost Matrical Gaze:

When women grow up without this vital grounding, the lack can manifest in their interpersonal relationships in ways that reflect the inner fracture. Passive aggression, deep resentment, mistrust of other females, rivalry, competition, gossip, pretense, envy—these behaviors are all echoes of the unresolved pain of not being fully “seen” or acknowledged in their formative years.

At its most extreme, this lack can lead to active harm: tyrannical behavior, defiance, and overt aggression. It creates a split in the psyche, a profound inner conflict between the biological need for attachment and the equally powerful need for separation—both of which are essential for healthy psychological development. This unresolved tension leaves women struggling with empathy, not only for others but, more crucially, for themselves. Without self-empathy, the cycle of relational dysfunction and internal disconnection perpetuates.

Breaking the Cycle: Addressing Generational Attachment Wounds:

How do we work with and resolve such a deep attachment wound in females—one that continues to give birth to and pass down the same compromised template through generations? This is a critical question for psychoanalysis, trauma-informed therapy, and collective healing.

One emerging insight from the psychoactive induced psychoanalytic process suggests that contained and well-managed psychosis may hold the key. While this might seem controversial or even taboo in society, given the historical trauma associated with unmanaged psychosis and its potential for suffering, there is a radical opportunity here: what if we approached such episodes as an invitation?

Rather than viewing psychosis as a breakdown to be feared or suppressed, it can be reframed as a crack in the compromised template, a doorway into profound transformation. In this context, psychosis might represent a delayed “psychological separation,” a painful but necessary step toward individuation, liberation, and freedom—ultimately restoring self-agency.

The “Reset” Hypothesis:

What if we developed tools, understanding, and supportive environments to guide individuals through this reset? Such an approach could allow women and men, respectively to confront and heal the attachment wounds and relational fractures inherited from their maternal lineages. It could offer a way to disrupt the cycles of compromised templates passed down through generations.

The process would not be easy. It would require capacity, courage, compassion and competence—a willingness to step into the unknown, both as individuals and as a society. But the potential rewards—a restored sense of self, deep empathy, and the capacity to form healthier relationships—are profound.

Invitation for Dialogue:

This is a work-in-progress hypothesis, one that will continue to evolve and expand over time. My hope is to inspire an open-minded discussion about the nature of attachment, psychosis, and the transformative power of breaking old patterns.

Drop your thoughts, feedback, or questions in the comments. Let’s hold this space together and explore these ideas with curiosity, compassion, and the courage to reimagine what healing might look like.

Love and Courage

#metamorphosis #traumainformed #individuation #healing #psychosis #breakingopen #hypothesis #psychedelictheraphy #reset #todaysvibe #existentialmother #attachmentwound #toxicfemininity