abreact
/ˌabrɪˈakt
/verb [with object] Psychoanalysis
Release (an emotion) by abreaction: they were unable fully to abreact their responses to the trauma...
- He is now saying that patients can't be cured of their major hysterical symptoms unless the crucial infantile traumas are uncovered and abreacted, which calls into question all his earlier claims of therapeutic efficacy.
- What I was doing was abreacting my childhood attitude of compliance and the bitterness that it engendered in me.
- Through most of the two hours, Ann remembered and abreacted until the memories had no further power to torment her.
Origin
Early 20th century: back-formation from abreaction.