Thoughts on resonance — valency, dreams, and a-causality

Resonance continues to be little written about in group analysis, compared to other group analytic concepts such as the matrix; arguably, however, it is one of the most fundamental concepts in the field. The term ‘resonance’ and the expression ‘I resonate with that’ are now commonplace in ‘ordinary language’; this is simultaneously both evidence of the importance of the concept, as well as an erosion of its very specific and unique meaning within the context of group analysis. This article provides a brief summary and analysis of the concept of resonance, including one of the most significant expansions of the concept since Foulkes first discussed it — Schlapobersky’s idea that resonance must be paired with Bion’s concept of ‘valency’ in order to be properly clinically understood and meaningfully applied. Following this, a broad definition of ‘valency’ is suggested, which allows for different degrees of both valency and resonant response, depending on a wide range of factors, including the stage of development of the individual and/or the group. The question of whether resonance is always therapeutic, is discussed, and a clinical example presented to illustrate the flexible nature of valency and the resulting resonance. Synchronicities and dreams are suggested as particularly helpful vehicles, clinically, for exploring resonance, as they can be seen as both constellating powerful resonances, and as a-causal resonance phenomena in themselves; a clinical example is presented by way of illustration. The possibility of using valency to explore the meaning of dream material, including material present via projective identification, is introduced.