Thursday, June 2, 2016

FROM PSYCHOTHERAPY TO PSCYCHOMAGIC


“PSYCHOTHERAPY” IS IN NEED OF A NEW NAME

REFLECTIONS YARO, JUNE 2016

 

SHAMAN IMAGE 

 

“The truth learned from another is of no value and the only truth, which is living and effective, which is of value; is the truth that we ourselves discover”
Tibetan Buddhist Masters

 

 BEGINNINGS

The most ancient thinking about the way we develop as human beings, is recorded in the oral teachings by Tibetan Buddhist Masters. Today, these teachings resemble a lot the explorations of the Existential writers like Carl Rogers, Rollo May A. Maslow, Fritz Perls and others. These modern day Masters agree with the old Masters that we will not be able to understand human consciousness and behaviour (as well as the disturbances) through the so called Cartesian-Newtonian science. This science is suitable to the physical realm and not applicable to all human understanding.  Granted, that the recent brain research has begun to clearly connect human behaviour with brain functioning, but the area of consciousness and unconsciousness is still a big mystery to most research.
In this age of alternative therapies, we are still dipping into the ‘old’ philosophical theories of the existentialists like F. Nietzsche, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Martin Buber, Carl Jung, Erich Fromm, Karen Horney, Melanie Klein, A. Maslow and many others.
Yet, those of us who studied and practice gestalt therapy, have realised (from experience) that ‘truth’ is not contained in the vast literature but in the connection or contact with our fellow human being.

THE AESTHETICS OF CONTACT

In the practice of psychotherapy (to use a common word) we learned that the main key  component of healing is the quality of the relationship we develop with our client (see the previous blog post). However, how do we investigate and test this truth? It is a phenomenon that arises and disappears around us at all times.
The reply to the above question is: to connect first with your senses. We see, hear, taste, smell, hear, touch and feel the world around us. We give names to the various items we get in contact with. We classify and compare all with similar objects and thus become familiar with our world as we grow up and this familiar world becomes our reality.
Yet, many say that our senses do not reveal the whole truth; for example: we may be walking on a country road and in the distance we notice a fleck of green standing out in a yellow field. This little green fleck appears to be like a tree. The idea of the tree in our mind is the result of our mind coordinating various memories of green and it comes up now as a tree. We have combined several elements of memory, habit, earlier experiences etc, that led us to form an image of a tree. Nevertheless, these are only approximations of a probable object and if we walk closer and closer it may be seen as a tree; but this is not a certainty, on closer look we may discover that the green fleck turns out to be a green tent, a painted roof or anything green but a tree.
Therefore, reality may be understood as a mystery. We cannot think of anything, imagine anything, feel anything without immediate INTERPRETATION. This actually ‘destroys or deconstructs’ all into elements making reality inexplicable – it may be said: IT IS MAGIC!

PSYCHOTHERAPY

The term psychotherapy is derived from Ancient Greek psyche (ψυχή meaning "breath; spirit; soul") and therapeia (θεραπεία "healing; medical treatment"). The Oxford English Dictionary defines it now as "The treatment of disorders of the mind or personality by psychological methods.”
So, psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change and overcome problems in desired ways. Psychotherapy aims to increase each individual's well-being and mental health, to resolve or mitigate troublesome behaviours, beliefs, compulsions, thoughts, or emotions, and to improve relationships and social functioning. Certain psychotherapies are considered evidence-based for treating some diagnosed mental disorders.
Today,there are over a thousand different treatments named psychotherapies, some being minor variations while others are based on very different conceptions of psychology, ethics (how to live) or self-help techniques. Most involve one-to-one sessions between client and therapist but some are conducted with groups, including families. Psychotherapists may be mental health professionals or come from a variety of other backgrounds, and depending on the jurisdiction may be legally regulated, voluntarily regulated or unregulated (and the term itself may be protected or not).


GENERAL CRITIQUES

Some are sceptical of the healing power of psychotherapeutic relationships. Some dismiss psychotherapy altogether in the sense of a scientific discipline requiring professional practitioners, instead favouring biomedical treatments. Others have pointed out ways in which the values and techniques of therapists can be harmful as well as helpful to clients (or indirectly to other people in a client's life).
On the other hand, some argue that psychotherapy is under-utilized and under-researched by contemporary psychiatry and psychology despite offering more promise than stagnant medication. In 2015 the US National Institute of Mental Health is allocating only 5.4% of its budget to new clinical trials of psychotherapies (medication trials are largely funded by pharmaceutical companies). This is the case in most countries, despite plentiful narrative evidence that psychotherapy can work and that patients are more likely to prefer them.
Further critiques have emerged from feminist, constructionist and discursive sources. Key to these is the issue of power. In this regard there is a concern that clients are persuaded—both inside and outside the consulting room—to understand themselves and their difficulties in ways that are consistent with therapeutic ideas. This means that alternative ideas (e.g., feminist, economic, spiritual) are sometimes implicitly undermined. Critics suggest that we idealize the situation when we think of therapy only as a helping relationship - arguing instead that it is fundamentally a political practice, in that some cultural ideas and practices are supported while others are undermined or disqualified, and that while it is seldom intended, the therapist-client relationship always participates in society's power relations and political dynamics. A noted academic who espoused this criticism was Michel Foucault.

GESTALT THERAPY

Gestalt Therapy is a fairly new development in the modern experiential and existential therapies. The founder, Dr. Fritz Perls was a true ‘magician’ in working with a small group. When we look at his films made in the 70’s at Esalen CA, where he worked and trained therapists in the new method, it is evident that Perls' real power was in his capacity to make contact with the essence of people.
In a real sense, Perls took therapy off the couch and introduced the new structure where  the therapist and client are facing each other.  A client of Fritz wrote: "His obsession became finding the truth and beauty in the world.  His greatest joy was when he released love entrapped by hate and fear.  He had faith that when the negative was purged, the basic good of man emerged" That can be interpreted as psychomagic!
 The use of the ‘Empty Chair’ by Fritz, was a new tool that defined the practice. This technique or chairwork is typically used when a client might have deep rooted emotional problems from someone or something in their life, such as relationships with themselves, with aspects of their personality, their concepts, ideas, feelings, dreams etc., or other people in their lives. The purpose of this technique is to get the client to think about their emotions and attitudes. Common things the patient addresses in the empty chair are another person, aspects of their personality, a certain feeling etc. They may also move between chairs and act out two or more sides of a discussion, typically involving the client and person significant to them. It uses a passive approach to opening up the client’s emotions and pent up feelings so they can let go of what they have been holding back. The purpose of the technique is so the client will become more in touch with their feelings and have an emotional conversation that clears up any long held feelings or reactions to the person or object in the chair.  When used effectively, it provides an emotional release and lets the client move forward in their life.

There is no doubt that this method deserves the name:  PSYCHOMAGIC!

 
PSYCHOMAGIC

Psychomagic is the name of a therapeutic practice used by Alejandro Jodorowsky. The technique is considered useful in psychotherapy. It combines art, Eastern philosophies (particularly Zen Buddhism), mysticism, shamanic ritual and modern psychotherapy to heal patients with emotional problems. The principle relies on the belief that the unconscious mind takes a symbolic act as a fact. So a symbolic act could accordingly help solve some types of non-rational conflicts. These acts are prescribed by the therapist after having studied the patient's personality and family tree.
Jodorowsky moved into this therapeutic work in three areas: psychomagic, psychogenealogy and initiatic practice. Psychomagic aims to heal psychological wounds suffered in life. This therapy is based on the belief that the performance of certain acts can directly act upon the unconscious mind, releasing it from a series of traumas, some of which practitioners of the therapy believe are passed down from generation to generation. (I suggest that you reflect on the ‘Inner Child’ theory.)
Psychogenealogy includes the studying of the client's personality and family tree in order to best address their specific sources. It is similar, in its phenomenological approach to genealogy, to the Family Constellations pioneered by Bert Hellinger.
Initiatic Practice, this consists of determining the person’s problem using such diagnostic tool as the Tarot cards, dream journal and some healing rituals based on shamanic practices.
Jodorowsky has several books on his therapeutic methods, including Psicomagia: La trampa sagrada (Psychomagic: The Sacred Trap) and his autobiography, La Danza de la Realidad (The Dance of Reality), which he was filming as a feature-length film in March 2012. To date he has published more than 23 novels and philosophical treatises, along with dozens of articles and interviews. His books are widely read in Spanish and French, but are for the most part unknown to English-speaking audiences. (Wikipedia).
In conclusion, we all know, in this world of instant information, that not all alternative therapies nor medical drugs can solve all the complex issues of a human being. However, Psychomagic therapy is another useful tool that when used well, can solve or ameliorate many sufferings in individuals families and even societies.

 

The July issue of this  blog will describe ways of practicing   PSYCHOMAGIC.
 
 
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment