Pastoral Psychologist's striving -- my divine call

Jesus Christ and individuation

2011-02-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

Very moved at Dr Strubel's lecture:

"To every call there is a temptation alongside with it."

To integrate the shadow and be guided by the unconscious, and yet the ego needs to do the rational thoughts and make a conscious decision comparing with the reality and the intuition and power from the unconscious.

When the dove of the holy spirit rest on Jesus, upon God's call "you are my beloved son", the status and the mission comes also the temptation, and the holy spirit guide Jesus to the dessert and be tempted with wealth, food/instincts and needs satisfaction, power.

I m in Martin & Dora Kalff's Sandplay Room!!

2009-07-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it???

I am most very lucky...

I like to see more and more of my sandplay work and dreamwork with him. It has so much depths...

He is a Buddhist and I am a Christian.

He was a Christian and I was a Tin Toaist.

The Table and the shelves, and furnitures are still like his mother's day, and in the textbook of Dora. As my Dr HS said, "it is almost in his blood to do this... he is just naturally good at it." I agree so much....

Introducing Sandplay to my MRI Team

2009-06-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

In a few hours, I'd be presenting to my team of biological molecular people, animal behavior scientists, doctors, about this projective, psychodynamic, play and art-based therapy....

I am still working on the ppt...

I like my setup though... this is a very spacious room.

However, I wonder if I can stay here... my next office is a much smaller room...I really don't know how it can get setup...in my new office, and whether I should fight for space.

I am supporting Pastors and Christians in their own process of inner growth and healing.

Very thankful.

How can make this healing process researchable and reportable to the science community, for better understanding, characterization, and promotion?

--------------

The days are near when I have to take up a new turn in my road, a new role with heavier independences and responsibilities...

It is even nearer to the day I need to break the news to my boss.

CAST training Part I 19-24 May 09

2009-05-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

I have completed 6 days of training with CAST.

Toronto is a very international, lively, cosmopolitan city...indeed

Neural basis of sandplay therapy

2009-05-21T02:54:00.001-07:00

A new and risky direction of research.

Can we help to identify who suits sandplay or not?

What is the neural basis, and what really get change, and can the change be substained, and what facilitate that change neuropsychologically?

Would that have implications on what it is in the healing process of individuation, and the gradual incorporation of the unconscious into consciousness, and what effect does that has on our biological system in this healing process?

Would this be a basis for why longeitivity of psychoanalyst ???

Jesus my boss

2009-05-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

Jesus, how do I work for my new boss in this new job as an independent researcher in brain-mind psychology and a healing psychologist that build on systematic understanding of facilitators/stressors of healing?

I got the head's call on 8 May 2009 at around 4pm on my bus ride between main campus and medical faculty. I was elected as the first choice among two candidate by the selection broad, finally, after 10 days of discussions since the first round of interview. The second choice would automatically be transferred to the second round of interview in late June.

Jesus' Gal: Where are you?

Jesus: I am inside of you.
You are inside of me.

Jesus' Gal: How do I go about with my new boss on earth, as
it is in heaven in your kingdom?

Jesus' Gal: Am I to stand firm in YOU amidst the new opportunities, challenges, healings, new waves of OC influences????

Jesus: Hold me tight. We walk together. I am embracing you with my arms.

My call

2009-03-03T12:23:00.001-08:00

Healing

Healing

Healing

is my call

Jungian and Christian Spirituality: my divine call?

2009-02-12T21:30:00.000-08:00

God, May I seek you, knock at your door, and wait on you...

Please, help me.

--- <> ----

The Einsiedeln Conference, CG Jung & Spirituality, Switzerland

History of 23 years started by a Jesuit Father

Dr. Kathrin Asper.

Dr. Asper was born in 1941 in Zurich. She received her Ph.D (literature and pedagogics) from the University of Zurich in 1968. Dr. Asper is in private practice as a psychotherapist since 1978 in Meilen, Switzerland. She is a Jungian analyst, a supervisor, a training analyst (SGAP/ISAP), a senior analyst (IAAP) and lectures worldwide. Kathrin has authored several books, including "The Inner Child in Dreams", "The Abandoned Child Within", and "On Losing and Regaining Self-Worth."

Nathalie Baratoff, lic.phil.

Ms. Baratoff engaged in Russian area studies at Brown University (BA) and Zurich University (lic. phil.I). She has a diploma from C.G. Jung-Institute Zurich (1987). Nathalie is the Director of Program, and is responsible for building up of the library. She has been a lecturer and examiner at ISAPZURICH since 2004. She is now a training and supervising analyst of ISAPZURICH (Since 2005). Nathalie is in private practice in Zurich and Schönenberg. Her areas of special interest in Jungian Psychology are fairy tales, active imagination, typology and dreams.

Deborah Egger-Biniores, M.S.W.

Received a B.A. degree in religion and psychology from Hendrix College, a private liberal arts school in Arkansas. She was employed by the United Methodist Church for 14 years as director of Christian education, counseling and music. She earned the Master of Clinical Social Work degree in 1982 from the University of Arkansas and was granted the Diploma in Analytical Psychology from the C.G. Jung Institute, Zurich in 1991. She is a training analyst and teacher at ISAP and has a private practice in Stafa.

Dr. Hansueli Etter.

Dr. Etter studied at the University of Zurich in anthropology. He worked for fifteen years as an archeologist and he also studied at the Jung Institute ("digging soil out of the unconscious!). He lectures at the University of Basil. Dr. Etter founded the Center for Depth Psychology according to C. G. Jung and Marie Louise Von Franz. He has a private practice in Zurich. Dr. Etter is the President on the C. G. Jung Foundation in Zurich.

Dr. Dirk Evers.

Born in 1942 in Essen, Germany, where he attended primary school and was active in gymnastics. He studied developmental psychology, philosophy and theology. He earned his doctorate in theological ethics at the University of Munich in 1975. His works include a dissertation on "Ethical Behavior in the Word-Field' of Encounter". Trained at the C. G. Jung Institute, Zurich, he received a diploma in 1979. He performed psycho-social counseling in the Catholic parish in Kusnacht until 1986, and remains in private practice in Zurich. Dirk is a training analyst and supervisor(AGAP/IAAP). He has additional training in IS-TDP, Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy.

Dr. Allan Guggenbuhl. PhD, psychologist and educationalist, analytical psychotherapist. Raised in Omaha, Nebraska and Zurich. He is a former school teacher and classical guitarist. Allan is a lecturer at the C.G. Jung Institute of Zurich on men's issues, educational topic form the perspective of archetypal psychology and on violence. In Switzerland and Germany, he is well known through a special violence intervention program, the Institute for Conflict Management and Mythodrama located in Bern and Zurich. The program is applied in schools where violence has become a problem. The program includes teachers and juveniles, and helps them take the necessary steps to curb the problem of violence. Dr. Guggenbuhl is a professor at the University of Education of the State of Zurich.

John Hill. Born in Dublin in 1943. Received primary and secondary education in Ireland. B. A. in philosophy from University College, Dublin (1966). M.A. in philosophy from Catholic University, Washington D.C. Diploma from C.G. Jung Institute, Zurich (1973). Since then, he has been in private practice in Zurich and lectures at ISAP. Some of his topics of interest are: The Association Experiment, Celtic Myth, Transference, Dreams, etc. Mr. Hill has been a training analyst since 1982.

Elena Hinshaw-Fischli. Elena is a psychotherapist with specialization in functional, psychosomatic disorders, a dance therapist, and a consultant expert of the Swiss national board against power and sexual abuse by the clergy. She is the co-founder and editor of Daimon Publishing Company. She is co-author of several documentaries (films) on the topic of migration and environmental issues. Elena lives and works in Einsiedeln since 1986.

Dr. Martin Kalff, Ph.D.

Holds degrees in theology and history of religion. He is a founding member of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy. He has been involved in the Study of Buddhist philosophy and meditation for over thirty years in the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He provides counseling through Sandplay Therapy with an emphasis on spiritual development and teaches meditation.

Dr. Kathryn Kuisle. Dr. Kuisle grew up in Minnesota and has lived and worked in Germany and Italy. Since 2004 she has a private practice as a Jungian analyst in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She graduated from the C. G. Jung Institute-Zurich, in 2001 and hold a PhD in analytical psychology from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati. Dr. Kuisle is an affiliate faculty member of Regis University and teaches in the training program at the C. G. Jung Institute of Colorado.

Bernard Sartorius.

Bernard Sartorius was born in Bern, Switzerland. He studied theology at Geneva University. Bernard served as parish and youth minister. He trained in Jungian analytical psychology at the CG Jung Institute in Zurich and served as a training analyst there and now is a training analyst at ISAP (International Seminar of analytical Psychology). In the last years, he has made many trips to Islamic countries and has had discussions with Muslims about "our situation" in connection with the concerns of Islam. Mr. Sartorius is married and has one daughter who is 8 years old.

Dr. Murray Stein.

Murray Stein, Ph. D. is a training analyst at the International School of Analytical Psychology in Zurich, Switzerland. He is a founding member of the Inter-Regional Society for Jungian Analysts and the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts and was president of the International Association for Analytical Psychology from 2001 to 2004. He has written several books, including "Jung's Treatment of Christianity", "In MidLife and Jung's Map of the Soul. He is the editor of Jungian Analysis (Open Court) and a publisher (Chiron Publications), where he has edited the Chiron Clinical Series.

Sister Kay Wagner.

Sister Kay is a Franciscan Sister from Rochester, Minnesota. She received an M.A. in pastoral studies, with a concentration in pastoral counseling from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois. Sister Kay also obtained an M. A. in Social Work and is a licensed independent clinical social worker. She is certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors, as well as certified "fellow" level by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. Kay has been doing individual, couple and family counseling for 20 years. She specializes in play therapy with children and sandplay therapy with adults and children. She began her Sandplay training with ISST-certified Sandplay therapists in the early 1980s. Kay was the founding director of the Family Life Consultant Office in Chicago, Illinois and is the founding director of the Pastoral Counseling Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she continues to practice her work as a therapist. Kay has received extensive training in Jungian thought and principle, making use of the discipline Jung developed as a therapy method to assist people in finding their spiritual and psyche healing. Email: kaykwagner2001@aol.com

Rev. Jim Wolff.

Born in Canada where he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1954. He holds a diploma in cathechetics from Lumen, Vitae, Brussels, Belgium, and has an M.A. in religious education. He is licensed in the State of New Mexico as a Mental Health Counselor.

Dr. Dirk Evers:
"The inner world of relationships: How to work with couples based on C.G. Jung's Typology and E. Wartegg's Picture Test of Emotional Awareness"

Faith Rooted in Christ

2009-02-12T20:17:00.000-08:00

The Passion

Be the channel and help for others.

May the Word of God uses me to channel through

the darkness and spirituality of us sinners (the totality of the Psyche)

and

help those you brought me unto

to have HOPE,

experience LOVE that

to led a Life of FAITH of our Christ.

Amen.

It is now still very weak, my ego to go forward and BE the channel. May God strengthen me, and my Call, walk in your divine call.

borrow to read about Jung

2009-01-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

Matter of heart [videorecording] / a Kino International release ; directed and produced by Mark Whitney ; written by Suzanne Wagner. IMPRINT New York : Kino on Video, c1983, c1991. LOCATION CALL # STATUS STACK # AV & Reserve Coll AV 150.1954 J9 K VHS Portrait of Carl Gustav Jung, from the perspective of being a humanist, healer, friend, and mentor. Based on interviews, archival footage and home movies.

Williams, Emma E. TITLE Anger control training. Vol. 1, Part 1, Theories of anger & aggression. Part 2, Initiation, assessment & evaluation of an ACT programme [electronic resource] / Emma Williams and Rebecca Barlow.

more discoveries about Jung

2008-12-31T03:14:00.001-08:00

He is disappointed by his Reformed church pastor father Paul Jung's academic way of looking at faith...

Jung's mindset on Faith... more commonalities in what I and a few friends are trying to advance our faith.

Jung (1952, 1954)'s Answer to Job "Antwort auf Hiob"

Quotations from the book:

"The Book of Job places this pious and faithful man, so heavily afflicted by the Lord, on a brightly lit stage where presents his case to the eyes and ears of the world. It is amazing to see how easily Yahweh, quite without reason, let himself be influenced by one of his sons, by a doubt-thought, and made unsure of Job's faithfulness. With his touchiness and suspiciousness the mere possibility of doubt was enough to infuriate him and induce that peculiar double-faced behaviour of which he had already given proof in the Garden of Eden when he pointed out the tree to the First Parents and at the same time forbid them to eat of it. In this way he anticipated the Fall which he apparently never intended. Similarly his faithful servant Job is now to be exposed to a rigorous moral test quite gratuitously and to him, and to no purpose , although Yahweh is convinced of Job's faithfulness and constancy and more over have assured himself beyond all doubt a this point had he taken counsel with his own omniscience.

Why, then is the experiment made at all, and a bet with the unscrupulous slanderer settled, without a stake, on the back of a powerless creature? It is indeed no edifying spectacle to see how quickly Yahweh abandons his faithful servant to the evil spirit and lets him fall without compunction or pity into the abyss of physical and moral suffering. From the human point of view Yahweh's behaviour is so revolting and that one has to ask oneself whether there is not a deeper that motive hidden behind it. Has Yahweh some secret resistance against Job? That would explain his yielding to Satan.

But what does man possess that God does not have? Because of his littleness, puniness, and defencelessness against the Almighty, he possesses, as we have already suggested, a somewhat keener consciousness based on self-reflection: he must, in order to survive, always be mindful of his impotence. God has no need of this circumspection, for nowhere does he come up against an insuperable obstacle that would force him to hesitate and hence make him reflect on himself.

Could a suspicion have grown up in God that man possesses an infinitely small yet more concentrated light than Yahweh, possesses? A jealousy of that kind might perhaps explain his behaviour. It would be quite explicable if some such dim, barely understood deviation from the definition of a mere "creature" had aroused his divine suspicions.

Too often already -these human beings had not behaved in the prescribed manner. Even his trusty servant Job might have something up his sleeve. . . . Hence Yahweh's surprising readiness to listen to Satan's insinuations against his better judgment.

Without further ado Job is robbed of his herds, his servants are slaughtered, his sons and daughters are killed by whirlwind, and he himself is smitten with sickness and ought to the brink of the grave. To rob him of peace together, his wife and his old friends are let loose against m, all of whom say the wrong things. His justified complaint finds no hearing with the judge who is so much raised for his justice. Job's right is refused in order that Satan be not disturbed in his play.
One must bear in mind here the dark deeds that follow one another in quick succession: robbery, murder, bodily injury with premeditation, and denial of a fair trial. This is further exacerbated by the fact that Yahweh displays no compunction, remorse, or compassion, but only ruthlessness and brutality. The plea of unconsciousness is invalid, seeing at he flagrantly violates at least three of the commandments he himself gave out on Mount Sinai.

Job's friends do everything in their power to contribute his moral torments, and instead of giving him, whom God has perfidiously abandoned, their warm-hearted support, they moralize in an all too human manner, that is, in the stupidest fashion imaginable, and "fill him with inkles." They thus' deny him even the last comfort of sympathetic participation and human understanding, so at one cannot altogether suppress the suspicion of connivance in high places.

Why Job's torments and the divine wager should suddenly come to an end is not quite clear. So long as Job does not actually die, the pointless suffering could be continued indefinitely. We must, however, keep an eye on the background of all these events: it is just possible that something in this background will gradually begin to take shape a compensation for Job's undeserved suffering-something to which Yahweh, even if he had only a faint inkling of it, could hardly remain indifferent. Without Yahweh's knowledge and contrary to his intentions, the tormented
though guiltless Job had secretly been lifted up to a superior knowledge of God which God himself did not possess. Had Yahweh consulted his omniscience, Job would not have had the advantage of him. But then, so many other,things would not have happened either.

Job realizes God's inner antinomy, and in the light of this to realization his knowledge attains a divine numinosity. The possibility of this development lies, one must suppose, in man's "godlikeness," which one should certainly not look is for in human morphology. Yahweh himself had guarded against this error by expressly forbidding the making of images. Job, by his insistence on bringing his case before God, even without hope of, a hearing, had stood his ground and thus created the very obstacle that forced God to re-veal his true nature. With this dramatic climax Yahweh abruptly breaks off his cruel game of cat and mouse.

But if anyone should expect that his wrath will now be turned against the slanderer, he will be severely disappointed. Yahweh does not think of bringing this mischief-making son of his to account, nor does it ever occur to him to give Job at least the moral satisfaction of explaining his behaviour.

Instead, he comes riding along on the tempest of his almightiness and thunders reproaches at the half-crushed human worm:

Who is this that darkens counsel
by words without insight

In view of the subsequent words of Yahweh, one must really ask oneself: Who is darkening what counsel? The only, dark thing here is how Yahweh ever came to make a bet with Satan. It is certainly not Job who has darkened, anything and least of all a counsel, for there was never any' talk of this nor will there be in what follows. The bet does not contain any "counsel' so far as one can see-unless, of course, it was Yahweh himself who egged Satan on Job 38 2 (ZB)."

Sandplay Training in Zurich

2008-11-28T07:01:00.000-08:00

Last year there was a 2 week intensive training at the Zurich lakeside.

This year the CG Jung Institute Zurich cooperate with ISST (International Society for Sandplay therapy) to offer 1 week of intensive training, entitled "Sandplay and Analytical Psychology", to be held in 22 - 26 June 2009.

It is indeed a very precious opportunity, and also the news has not been out yet. I've got the news directly from the CG Jung Institute Zurich.

It would be posted to the web on CG Jung Institute in Dec 2008.

Don't miss the opportunity!

http://www.junginstitut.ch/

Sandplay Therapist

2008-11-22T22:35:00.000-08:00

H.G. Wells, author and father whose book inspired Margaret Lowenfeld to her "World Technique", and who in turns inspires Dora Klaff, who was encouraged by C.G. Jung to combine Jungian theory and the use of sand as the medium of healing, and growing of the unconscious.

I am going to do my first sandtray with an International Society of Sandplay Therapist in Taipei!!!!!

Feb 09 is my first trip!!!

From ： www.bluedoorretreat.com/Sandplay.html

Introductory Reading for self-reflection by Carl Jung

2008-10-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

These are the books recommended by my Jungian therapist for people who is considering to go into Jungian therapy, to be an analysand, and also for those who are in therapy for a better understanding of Jung's theory about human psyche, and also can be a guide for our self-reflection too.

1) Man & its symbols. Simple, and first chapter written by Jung himself and followed by his students.
2) Memories, Dreams, and Reflections (Jung's autobiography)
3) The undiscovered self (good for self-reflection in a Jungian style)

And also for those who has a husband, boyfriend who is a puer eternus, eternal youth, who has all these maternal figures around him to satisfy his physical and psychological needs.... "Puer Eternus" written by Jung.

Ha ha, Enjoy!!!!!

Political struggles

2008-09-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry, and Thank you.

Sometimes I am afraid I get your grumpiness, your irritation, I do learn a lotfrom you, and including that as well... (just that I still haven't learned yourcrafts)..Thank you for reassuring that good research can still be done and confirm thatshit research/paper is everywhere. I got a 'vomiting' feeling to see the sameold paper being published everyday..and I am worse than them, so even if I workharder I can only be one of them..this is a suffocating thought.

I take all these years here in an ivory tower...some kind of suffering ortraining..I don't trust govt hospitals, existing system very much (ai ai..this is so muchlike Ben..), existing CP services / training..shit..I don't know if such things exist at all when I had this inner urge (divinecall) (now there is some similar org in HK), I would work from a Christian community, or church setting to bring about such researched, and human-centred,theologically-sounded psychotherapies.

The thing is, Christian communities/org is not grounded too well inpsychopathologies, and research-based knowledge, and the integration oftheology and the complexities in psychology not very well done (still in thebeginning)...etc

But church-setting is definitely my ultimate home, and not a govt hospital oruniversity, though I may need to stay there in the meantime...Up till now, there is still the impression that only not very professionalpeople end up in church setting, and it is like a great limit in careerdevelopment to fixate in a church/Christian community.

I don't think I can do this (ai x 100times)... but I feel the urge (divine call)to bring solid (well-researched & theoretically grounded) psychotherapiesintegrated with Christian spirituality INTO Christian communities/org, and thatis ultimately for Christians and NON-Christians. So far, I find Jungianpsychoanalysis and existentialism the closest, and I am at the moment seriouslyattracted to Jungian....(to the point of spending thousands/month on it...so Ineed $$$ ai x 10), and from the theology side, Paul Tillich, and Karl Bath the closest.

ai ai ai it is such a long road.. My idea above about pastoral service is quitecontroversial, at least non-traditional, and on that end I have been fightingtoo...well after some years, at least my own church is ok with it, and more andmore churches see it that way too... (after these many years).It has been a long struggle and will continue...

In all these struggles..of course many delicate politics involved, and in these years I find that univ and business com politics has lots of similarities, butchurch politics are like completely different and very er er...and lots ofprayers to see through these, I tell u... can't survive without the prayers andthat vision given by my God.

Cheers,

---------------------------------

er... you still don't know me? or mainly because MD/PhD is higher paid and more respectable than a pastor or psychotherapist (with similar years of> training)?

I am confident that I am a good psychotherapist, just that I don't know what> kind of therapy suit me yet. But u r right, I am sure I can get a MD, not difficult compared to being an academic.

I find being an academic person difficult, (not just because I am dyslexic), is that I am less and less persuaded by the paper-producing community that they> are getting closer to the truth, getting more benefits to humanity.

The overhead in getting rubbish to publish in order to survive, to get the right politics in order to survive is so high, and it leaves little room for pursue of truth. So much time and effort has to be spent in survival meaningless business.... especially I am not very smart and I am a bit perfectionistic, after getting over the stupid business, I really have little energy left for good science...

I want to solely indulge myself into the clinical training...but I have no money... It really takes a lot of heart...well...again I guess I suffer from perfectionism.. I don't know how to move.

The whole academic business is suffocating. I still remember what u said, "technique of writing/presentation has to do more than data in getting publication" well...so where is the truth...? No matter what data say, the author persent his/her faith, and try to get the data to support.

At the end of the day, I just want to help, make some real improvement on people's lives. Than data/paper to help me to survive in the ivory tower, because I want a certain level of living...

Can I earn my living by something more meaningful? If it means a lower standard of living..ha..ha ha..well not as low as in India gwa.

I went to villages in Thailand recently on a short missionary trip (with Thai govt's support), I absolutely enjoyed and having been dreaming of longer stay ever since...

HOnestly, can one still get the thrill in doing research???

I guess I need to shift to some topic where I have the competence in doing good research, or else I'd just dry up.

Registering on Fuller IDL

2008-09-02T23:20:00.000-07:00

I was actually in the middle of registering on Fuller IDL last night as I fell asleep..
And then I woke up at 10am and completed it and fell asleep again...

so in the whole dream of divinity education and pursue...

I look at all the courses on IDL and was really feeling very excited about it.
I was amazed to find Ray Anderson there, author of ON BEING HUMAN, offering an IDL there and using a very creative test/assignments... I hate writing papers... so he hasn't got that at all... just answering 4 exam questions... I like that a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel so exciting and full and books all over me....
almost like the feeling of closeness and intimacy and comfort of being lightly and warmly sexually aroused....

Divinity

2008-09-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

In these two-3 days, my mind is full of plan about divinity training as it has been in my call, and I fear that I might lose it as my love for Jungian grows, or maybe they are complementary, but it just takes so much time.

My biggest concern: when I give birth and raise a baby, when can I have the time, energy, heart, focus, money to do all these? And I thought that I might not be able to do Thai work if my baby is just 1-2 years old??? Well, actually, I think this is more possible as I don't have to worry about his/her education. If he or she is already 3yrs old, then I have to leave him or her behind in HK ??? I really can't.

And I think I'd face lots of opposition from parents about bringing a small baby to Thai villages and that it might get hurt or so... I don't think so at all!

I think it is a great opportunity for me to take a rest, focus on baby raising, away from work, and just do divinity courses in that half year.

Sense of loss

2008-06-28T03:59:00.000-07:00

I woke up from a deep and hollow sense of permanent loss.

I know it is about the final end with K.

I suddenly woke up from my nap, heart sunken.

My feelings are still soooooooo very sad...

I want to cry but I can't...

Die Traumdeutung

2008-06-05T22:24:00.000-07:00

The Interpretation of Dreams

http://www.haverford.edu/psych/ddavis/F_intdre.html

Chapter 1: The Scientific Literature...
Freud's discussion of why dreams are forgotten touches a variety of the concerns of modern cognitive psychology. Dreams are a continuation of the thought processes of the day, under the altered conditions of sleep.

Chapter 2: The Method of Interpreting Dreams: An Analysis of a Specimen Dream

Freud begins by distinguishing from his own interpretive method both the "symbolic" (e.g. Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dream of fat and lean cows as signifying good and bad Egyptian harvests), and the "decoding" (in which each dream element is looked up in a list in which, e.g., "letter" means "trouble" and "funeral" means "betrothal") approaches.

Irma's Injection(hypertext version)

the hall: Bellevue ...
Irma: Female hysterics ...
"Irma's" pale and puffy face: Pregnancy ...
Irma's throat: Diphtheria ...
Irma's "throat's" curly structures: Nasal neurosis ...
M's beardless face and limp: Contempt ...
Irma's percussed body: Eroticism, shame ...
propyl ... trimethylamin: Sex ...

The "latent" (inferred) content
"I am not responsible for Irma's troubles."
"Her problem is sexual unfulfillment, not hysteria."
"Breuer/Oscar/Rosenberg made her sick, not me."
"What she needs is a good dose of ... trimethyl amine."
"She's too sexual/attractive/seductive for her/my own good."

Excellent Psychoanalysis Introduction

2008-06-02T22:12:00.001-07:00

Psychoanalysis
[edit] A Brief History of the Evolution of Psychoanalytic Theory

Psychoanalysis was developed in Vienna in the 1890s by Sigmund Freud, a neurologist interested in finding an effective treatment for patients with neurotic or hysterical symptoms. Freud had become sensitized to the existence of mental processes that were not conscious as a result of his neurological consulting job at the Children's Hospital, where he noticed that many aphasic children had no organic cause for their symptoms. He wrote a monograph about this subject.^[2] In the late 1880s, Freud obtained a grant to study with Jean-Martin Charcot, the famed neurologist and syphilologist, at the Salpêtrière in Paris. Charcot had become interested in patients who had symptoms that mimicked general paresis, the psychotic illness that occurs due to tertiary syphilis. Charcot had found that many patients experienced paralyses, pains, coughs, and a variety of other symptoms with no demonstrable physical cause. Prior to Charcot's work, women with these symptoms were thought to have a wandering uterus (the name hysteria means "uterus" in Greek), but Freud learned that men could have psychosomatic symptoms as well. He also became aware of an experimental treatment for hysteria utilized by his mentor and colleague, Dr. Josef Breuer. The treatment was a combination of hypnotism and catharsis which utilized abreaction (ventilation of emotion). This treatment was used to treat the hysterical symptoms of Dr. Breuer's now famous patient, Anna O.

Freud's first theory to explain hysterical symptoms was the so-called "seduction theory". Since his patients under treatment with this new method "remembered" incidents of having been sexually seduced in childhood, Freud believed that they had actually been abused only to later repress those memories. This led to his publication with Dr. Breuer in 1893 of case reports of the treatment of hysteria. ^[3] This first theory became untenable as an explanation of all incidents of hysteria. As a result of his work with his patients, Freud learned that the majority complained of sexual problems, especially coitus interruptus as birth control. He suspected their problems stemmed from cultural restrictions on sexual expression and that their sexual wishes and fantasies had been repressed. Between this discovery of the unexpressed sexual desires and the relief of the symptoms by abreaction, Freud began to theorize that the unconscious mind had determining effects on hysterical symptoms. His first comprehensive attempt at an explanatory theory was the then unpublished Project for a Scientific Psychology in 1895. ^[4] In this work Freud attempted to develop a neurophysiologic theory based on transfer of energy by the neurons in the brain in order to explain unconscious mechanisms. He abandoned the project when he came to realize that there was a complicated psychological process involved over and above neuronal activity. By 1900, Freud had discovered that dreams had symbolic significance, and generally were specific to the dreamer. Realizing that dreams were, as he said, the "royal road to the unconscious," Freud formulated his second psychological theory -- that of there being an unconscious "primary process" consisting of symbolic and condensed thoughts, and a "secondary process" of logical, conscious thoughts. This theory was published in his 1900 opus magnum, The Interpretation of Dreams. ^[5] Chapter VII was a re-working of the earlier "Project" and Freud outlined his "Topographic Theory". In this theory, which was mostly later supplanted by the Structural Theory, unacceptable sexual wishes were repressed into the "System Unconscious", unconscious due to society's condemnation of premarital sexual activity, and this repression created anxiety. Freud also discovered what most of us take for granted today: that dreams were symbolic and specific to the dreamer. Often, dreams give clues to unconscious conflicts, and for this reason, Freud referred to dreams as the "royal road to the Unconscious." This "topographic theory" is still popular in much of Europe, although it has been superseded in much of North America. ^[6]

In 1905, Freud published Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality ^[7]in which he laid out his discovery of so-called psychosexual phases: oral (ages 0-2), anal (2-4), phallic-oedipal (today called 1st genital) (3-6), latency (6-puberty), and mature genital (puberty-onward). His early formulation included the idea that because of societal restrictions, sexual wishes were repressed into an unconscious state, and that the energy of these unconscious wishes could be turned into anxiety or physical symptoms. Therefore the early treatment techniques, including hypnotism and abreaction, were designed to make the unconscious conscious in order to relieve the pressure and the apparently resulting symptoms.

In On Narcissism (1915) ^[8] Freud turned his attention to the subject of narcissism. Still utilizing an energic system, Freud conceptualized the question of energy directed at the self versus energy directed at others, called cathexis. By 1917, In "Mourning and Melancholia",he suggested that certain depressions were caused by turning guilt-ridden anger on the self. ^[9] In 1919 in "A Child is Being Beaten" he began to address the problems of self-destructive behavior (moral masochism) and frank sexual masochism.^[10] Based on his experience with depressed and self-destructive patients, and pondering the carnage of WW I, Freud became dissatisfied with considering only oral and sexual motivations for behavior. By 1920, Freud addressed the power of identification (with the leader and with other members) in groups as a motivation for behavior (Group Psychology and Analysis of the Ego).^[11] In that same year (1920) Freud suggested his "dual drive" theory of sexuality and aggression in, Beyond the Pleasure Principle, to try to begin to explain human destructiveness.^[12]

The pinnacle year of theory for Freud occurred in 1923, when he presented his new "structural theory" of an id, ego, and superego in a book entitled, The Ego and the Id.^[13] Therein, he revised the whole theory of mental functioning, now considering that repression was only one of many defense mechanisms, and that it occurred to reduce anxiety. Note the 180 degree shift - earlier he had thought that repression caused anxiety. Moreover, in 1926, in Inhibitions, Symptoms and Anxiety, Freud laid out how intrapsychic conflict among drive and superego (wishes and guilt) caused anxiety, and how that anxiety could lead to an inhibition of mental functions, such as intellect and speech.^[14] By 1936, the "Principle of Multiple Function" was clarified by Robert Waelder.^[15] He widened the formulation that psychological symptoms were caused by and relieved conflict simultaneously. Moreover, symptoms (such as phobias and compulsions) each represented elements of some drive wish (sexual and/or aggressive), superego (guilt), anxiety, reality, and defenses. Also in 1936, Anna Freud, Sigmund's famous daughter, published her seminal book, The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense, outlining numerous ways the mind could shut upsetting things out of consciousness.^[16]

Although criticized since its inception, psychoanalysis has been thriving as a research tool into childhood development ^[17], and has developed into a flexible, effective treatment for certain mental disturbances^[18]. In the 1960s, Freud's early thoughts on the childhood development of female sexuality were challenged; this challenge led to the development of a variety of understandings of female sexual development, many of which modified the timing and normality of several of Freud's theories (which had been gleaned from the treatment of women with mental disturbances). Several researchers, ^[19] followed Karen Horney's studies of societal pressures that influence the development of women. Most contemporary North American psychoanalysts employ theories that, while based on those of Sigmund Freud, include many modifications of theory and practice developed since his death in 1939.

Masturbation was later added as another "royal road to the unconscious." The definitive text, covering the developmental and symbolic elements of masturbation, was prepared by Marcus and Francis (1975) in Masturbation - from Infancy to Senescence. ^[20]

Today, there are approximately 35 training institutes for psychoanalysis in the United States accredited by the American Psychoanalytic Association [1] ^[21]which is a component organization of the International Psychoanalytical Association, and there are over 3,000 graduated psychoanalysts practicing in the United States. The International Psychoanalytical Association accredits psychoanalytic training centers throughout the rest of the world, including countries such as Serbia, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and many others, as well as about six institutes directly in the U.S.

[edit] Classical Psychoanalytic Theory

Topographic theory, which was first described by Freud in "the Interpretation of Dreams" (1900) ^[22] The theory posits that the mental apparatus can be divided in to the systems Conscious, Pre-conscious and Unconsious. These systems are not anatomical structures of the brain but, rather, mental processes. Although Freud retained this theory throughout his life he largely replaced it with the Structural theory. The Topographic theory remains as one of the metapsychological points of view for describing how the mind functions in classical psychoanalytic theory.
Structural Theory, which breaks the mind up into the id, the ego, and the superego. Actually, in German, the word for id is "es," which means "it." The word ego was coined by Freud's translators; Freud used the term, "ich" meaning "I" in English. Freud called the superego the "Über-ich." The id was designated as the repository of sexual and aggressive wishes, which Freud called "drives." The ego was composed of those forces that opposed the drives -- defensive operations. The superego was Freud's term for the conscience -- values and ideals, shame and guilt. One problem Brenner (2006) later found with this theory (see above) was that Freud also suggested that forgotten thoughts ("the repressed") were also "located" in the id. However, Freud here realized that drives could be conscious or unconscious, and that consciousness vs. unconsciousness was a quality of any mental operation or any mental conflict. Forgetting things could be done on purpose, or not. People could be aware of guilt, or not aware.
Ego psychology, which was initially suggested by Freud in Inhibitions, Symptoms and Anxiety (1926). The theory was refined by Hartmann, Loewenstein, and Kris in a series of papers and books from 1939 through the late 1960s. Leo Bellak was a later contributor. This series of constructs, paralleling some of the later developments of cognitive theory, includes the notions of autonomous ego functions: mental functions not dependent, at least in origin, on intrapsychic conflict. Such functions include: sensory perception, motor control, symbolic thought, logical thought, speech, abstraction, integration (synthesis), orientation, concentration, judgment about danger, reality testing, adaptive ability, executive decision-making, hygiene, and self-preservation. Freud noted that inhibition is one method that the mind may utilize to interfere with any of these functions in order to avoid painful emotions. Hartmann (1950s) pointed out that there may be delays or deficits in such functions. Frosch (1964) described differences in those people who demonstrated damage to their relationship to reality, but who seemed able to test it. Deficits in the capacity to organize thought are sometimes referred to as blocking or loose associations (Bleuler), and are characteristic of the schizophrenias. Deficits in abstraction ability and self-preservation also suggest psychosis in adults. Deficits in orientation and sensorium are often indicative of a medical illness affecting the brain (and therefore, autonomous ego functions). Deficits in certain ego functions are routinely found in severely sexually or physically abused children, where powerful affects generated throughout childhood seem to have eroded some functional development. Ego strengths, later described by Kernberg (1975), include the capacities to control oral, sexual, and destructive impulses; to tolerate painful affects without falling apart; and to prevent the eruption into consciousness of bizarre symbolic fantasy. Synthetic functions, in contrast to autonomous functions, arise from the developmet of the ego and serve the purpose of managing conflictual processes. Defenses are an example of synthetic functions and serve the purpose of protecting the conscious mind from awareness of forbidden impulses and thoughts. One purpose of ego psychology has been to emphasize that there are mental functions that can be considered to be basic, and not the derivatives of wishes, affects, or defenses. However, it is important to note that autonomous ego functions can be secondarily affected because of unconsious conflict. For example, a patient may have an hysterical amnesia (memory being an autonomous function) because of intrapsychic conflict (wishing not to remember because it is too painful).

Taken together, the above theories present a group of Metapsychological Assumptions. Therefore, the inclusive group of the different classical theories provides a cross-sectional view of human mentation. There are six "points of view", five of which were described by Freud and a sixth added by Hartmann. Unconscious processes can therefore be evaluated from each of these six points of view. The "points of view are" are: 1. Topographic 2. Dynamic (the theory of conflict) 3. Economic (the theory of energy flow) 4. Structural 5. Genetic (propositions concerning origin and development of psychological funtions) and 6. Adaptational (psychological phenomena as it relates to the external world).^[23]

Conflict Theory is an update and revision of structural theory that does away with some of the more arcane features of structural theory (such as where repressed thoughts are stored). Conflict theory looks at how emotional symptoms and character traits are complex solutions to intrapsychic conflict. See Brenner (2006), Psychoanalysis: Mind and Meaning, New York: Psychoanalytic Quarterly Press. This revision of Freud's structural theory (Freud, 1923, 1926) dispenses with the concepts of a fixed id, ego and superego, and instead posits unconscious and conscious conflict among wishes (dependent, controlling, sexual, and aggressive), guilt and shame, emotions (especially anxiety and depressive affect), and defensive operations that shut off from consciousness some aspect of the others. Moreover, healthy functioning (adaptive) is also determined, to a great extent, by resolutions of conflict. A major goal of modern conflict theorist analysts is to attempt to change the balance of conflict through making aspects of the less adaptive solutions (also called compromise formations) conscious so that they can be rethought, and more adaptive solutions found. Current theoreticians following Brenner's many suggestions (see especially Brenner's 1982 book, "The Mind in Conflict") include Sandor Abend, MD (Abend, Porder, & Willick, (1983), Borderline Patients: Clinical Perspectives), Jacob Arlow (Arlow and Brenner (1964), Psychoanalytic Concepts and the Structural Theory), and Jerome Blackman (2003), 101 Defenses: How the Mind Shields Itself). Conflict theory is one of the analytic theories taught in psychoanalytic institutes, throughout the United States, accredited by the American Psychoanalytic Association.

Object relations theory, which attempts to explain vicissitudes of human relationships through a study of how internal representations of self and of others are structured. The clinical problems that suggest object relations problems (usually developmental delays throughout life) include disturbances in an individual's capacity to feel warmth, empathy, trust, sense of security, identity stability, consistent emotional closeness, and stability in relationships with chosen other human beings. (It is not suggested that one should trust everyone, for example). Concepts regarding internal representations (also sometimes termed, "introjects," "self and object representations," or "internalizations of self and other") although often attributed to Melanie Klein, were actually first mentioned by Sigmund Freud in his early concepts of drive theory (1905, Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality). Freud's 1917 paper "Mourning and Melancholia", for example, hypothesized that unresolved grief was caused by the survivor's internalized image of the deceased becoming fused with that of the survivor, and then the survivor shifting unacceptable anger toward the deceased onto the now complex self image. Vamik Volkan, in "Linking Objects and Linking Phenomena," expanded on Freud's thoughts on this, describing the syndromes of "Established pathological mourning" vs. "reactive depression" based on similar dynamics. Melanie Klein's hypotheses regarding internalizations during the first year of life, leading to paranoid and depressive positions, were later challenged by Rene Spitz (e.g., The First Year of Life, 1965), who divided the first year of life into a coenesthetic phase of the first six months, and then a diacritic phase for the second six months. Margaret Mahler (Mahler, Fine, and Bergman (1975), "The Psychological Birth of the Human Infant") and her group, first in New York, then in Philadelphia, described distinct phases and subphases of child development leading to "separation-individuation" during the first three years of life, stressing the importance of constancy of parental figures, in the face of the child's destructive aggression, to the child's internalizations, stability of affect management, and ability to develop healthy autonomy. Later developers of the theory of self and object constancy as it affects adult psychiatric problems such as psychosis and borderline states have been John Frosch, Otto Kernberg, and Salman Akhtar. Peter Blos described (1960, in a book called On Adolescence) how similar separation-individuation struggles occur during adolescence, of course with a different outcome from the first three years of life: the teen usually, eventually, leaves the parents' house (this varies with the culture). During adolescence, Erik Erikson (1950-1960s) described the "identity crisis," that involves identity-diffusion anxiety. In order for an adult to be able to experience "Warm-ETHICS" (warmth, empathy, trust, holding environment (Winnicott), identity, closeness, and stability) in relationships (see Blackman (2003), 101 Defenses: How the Mind Shields Itself), the teenager must resolve the problems with identity and redevelop self and object constancy.

Self psychology, which emphasizes the development of a stable sense of self through empathic contacts with other humans, and first of all with the maternal figure conceived as "selfobject" was developed originally by Heinz Kohut, and has been elucidated by the Ornsteins and Arnold Goldberg. Marian Tolpin explicated the need for "transmuting internalizations" (1971) during treatment, to correct what Kohut referred to as a disturbance in the "self-object" internalizations from parents.

Lacanian psychoanalysis, which integrates psychoanalysis with semiotics and Hegelian philosophy, is popular in France and Latin America. Lacanian psychoanalysis is a departure from the traditional British and American psychoanalysis, which is predominantly Ego psychology. Lacan frequently used the phrase "retourner à Freud" in his seminars and writings meaning "back to Freud" as he claimed that his theories were an extension of Freud's own, contrary to those of Anna Freud, the Ego Psychology, object relations and "self" theories. Lacan's first major contributions concern the "mirror stage", the Real, the Imaginary and the Symbolic, and the claim the "unconscious is structured as a language".

Feminist theory of psychoanalysis, articulated mainly by Julia Kristeva (the "semiotic" and "abjection"), Luce Irigaray (challenging "phallogocentrism") and Bracha Ettinger (the "matrixial trans-subjectivity" and the "primal mother-phantasies"), is informed both by Freud, Lacan and the object relations theory.

Interpersonal psychoanalysis, which accents the nuances of interpersonal interactions, was first introduced by Harry Stack Sullivan, MD, and developed further by Frieda Fromm-Reichmann. It is the primary theory, still taught, at the William Alanson White Center.

Relational psychoanalysis, which combines interpersonal psychoanalysis with object-relations theory and with Inter-subjective theory as critical for mental health, was introduced by Stephen Mitchell.^[24] Relational psychoanalysis emphasizes how the individual's personality is shaped by both real and imagined relationships with others, and how these relationship patterns are re-enacted in the interactions between analyst and patient. Fonagy and Target, in London, have propounded their view of the necessity of helping certain detached, isolated patients, develop the capacity for "mentalization" associated with thinking about relationships and themselves.

Modern psychoanalysis, a body of theoretical and clinical knowledge developed by Hyman Spotnitz and his colleagues, extended Freud's theories so as to make them applicable to the full spectrum of emotional disorders. Modern psychoanalytic interventions are primarily intended to provide an emotional-maturational communication to the patient, rather than to promote intellectual insight.

Although these theoretical "schools" differ, most of them continue to stress the strong influence of unconscious elements affecting people's mental lives. There has also been considerable work done on consolidating elements of conflicting theory (cf. the work of Theodore Dorpat, B. Killingmo, and S. Akhtar). As in all fields of medicine (for example, [2]}, there are some persistent conflicts regarding specific causes of some syndromes, and disputes regarding the best treatment techniques.

Today psychoanalytic ideas are embedded in the culture, especially in childcare, education, literary criticism, cultural studies, and in psychiatry, particularly medical and non-medical psychotherapy. Though there is a mainstream of evolved analytic ideas, there are groups who more specifically follow the precepts of one or more of the later theoreticians. It also plays a role in literary analysis. See Archetypal literary criticism.

[edit] Psychopathology (mental disturbances)

The various psychoses involve deficits in the autonomous ego functions (see above) of integration (organization) of thought, in abstraction ability, in relationship to reality and in reality testing. In depressions with psychotic features, the self-preservation function may also be damaged (sometimes by overwhelming depressive affect). Because of the integrative deficits (often causing what general psychiatrists call "loose associations," "blocking," "flight of ideas," "verbigeration," and "thought withdrawal"), the development of self and object representations is also impaired. Clinically, therefore, psychotic individuals manifest limitations in warmth, empathy, trust, identity, closeness and/or stability in relationships (due to problems with self-object fusion anxiety) as well.

In patients whose autonomous ego functions are more intact, but who still show problems with object relations, the diagnosis often falls into the category known as "borderline." Borderline patients also show deficits, often in controlling impulses, affects, or fantasies -- but their ability to test reality remains more or less intact.

Those adults who do not experience guilt and shame, and who indulge in criminal behavior, are usually diagnosed as psychopaths, or, using DSM-IV-TR, antisocial personality disorder.

Panic, phobias, conversions, obsessions, compulsions and depressions (analysts call these "neurotic symptoms") are not usually caused by deficits in functions. Instead, they are caused by intrapsychic conflicts. The conflicts are generally among sexual and hostile-aggressive wishes, guilt and shame, and reality factors. The conflicts may be conscious or unconscious, but create anxiety, depressive affect, and anger. Finally, the various elements are managed by defensive operations -- essentially shut-off brain mechanisms that make people unaware of that element of conflict. "Repression" is the term given to the mechanism that shuts thoughts out of consciousness. "Isolation of affect" is the term used for the mechanism that shuts sensations out of consciousness. Neurotic symptoms may occur with or without deficits in ego functions, object relations, and ego strengths. Therefore, it is not uncommon to encounter obsessive-compulsive schizophrenics, panic patients who also suffer with borderline personality disorder, etc.

Furthermore, we know that many adult problems can trace their origins to unresolved conflicts from certain phases of childhood and adolescence. Freud, based on the data gathered from his patients early in his career, suspected that neurotic disturbances occurred when children were sexually abused in childhood (the so-called seduction theory). Later, Freud came to realize that, although child abuse occurs, that not all neurotic symptoms were associated with this. He realized that neurotic people often had unconscious conflicts that involved incestuous fantasies deriving from different stages of development. He found the stage from about three to six years of age (preschool years, today called the "first genital stage") to be filled with fantasies about marriage with both parents. Although arguments were generated in early 20th-century Vienna about whether adult seduction of children was the basis of neurotic illness, there is virtually no argument about this problem in the 21st century.

Many psychoanalysts who work with children have studied the actual effects of child abuse, which include ego and object relations deficits and severe neurotic conflicts. Much research has been done on these types of trauma in childhood, and the adult sequelae of those. On the other hand, many adults with symptom neuroses and character pathology have no history of childhood sexual or physical abuse.

In studying the childhood factors that start neurotic symptom development, Freud found a constellation of factors that, for literary reasons, he termed the Oedipus complex (based on the play by Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, where the protagonist unwittingly kills his father Laius and marries his mother Jocasta). The shorthand term, "oedipal," (later explicated by Joseph Sandler in "On the Concept Superego" (1960) and modified by Charles Brenner in "The Mind in Conflict" (1982)) refers to the powerful attachments that children make to their parents in the preschool years. These attachments involve fantasies of marriage to either (or both) parent, and, therefore, competitive fantasies toward either (or both) parents. Humberto Nagera (1975) has been particularly helpful in clarifying many of the complexities of the child through these years.

The terms "positive" and "negative" oedipal conflicts have been attached to the heterosexual and homosexual aspects, respectively. Both seem to occur in development of most children. Eventually, the developing child's concessions to reality (that they will neither marry one parent nor eliminate the other) lead to identifications with parental values. These identifications generally create a new set of mental operations regarding values and guilt, subsumed under the term "superego." Besides superego development, children "resolve" their preschool oedipal conflicts through channeling wishes into something their parents approve of ("sublimations") and the development, during the school-age years ("latency") of age-appropriate obsessive-compulsive defensive maneuvers (rules, repetitive games).

[edit] Indications and contraindications for analytic treatment

Using the various analytic theories to assess mental problems, several particular constellations of problems are particularly suited for analytic techniques (see below) whereas other problems respond better to medicines and different interpersonal interventions.

To be treated with psychoanalysis, whatever the presenting problem, the person requesting help must demonstrate

good capacity to organize thought (integrative function)
good abstraction ability
reasonable ability to observe self and others
some capacity for trust and empathy
some ability to control emotion and urges, and
good contact with reality (excludes most psychotic patients)
some guilt and shame (excludes most criminals and sex offenders)
reasonable self-preservation ability (excludes severely suicidal patients)

If any of the above are faulty, then modifications of techniques, or completely different treatment approaches, must be instituted. The more there are deficits of serious magnitude in any of the above mental operations (1-8), the more psychoanalysis as treatment is contraindicated, and the more medication and supportive approaches are indicated. In non-psychotic first-degree criminals, any treatment is often contraindicated.

The problems treatable with analysis include: phobias, conversions, compulsions, obsessions, anxiety attacks, depressions, sexual dysfunctions, a wide variety of relationship problems (such as dating and marital strife), and a wide variety of character problems (for example, painful shyness, meanness, obnoxiousness, workaholism, hyperseductiveness, hyperemotionality, hyperfastidiousness). The fact that many of such patients also demonstrate deficits in numbers 1-8 above makes diagnosis and treatment selection difficult.

[edit] Technique

The basic method of psychoanalysis is interpretation of the analysand's unconscious conflicts that are interfering with current-day functioning -- conflicts that are causing painful symptoms such as phobias, anxiety, depression, and compulsions. Strachey (1936) stressed that figuring out ways the patient distorted perceptions about the analyst led to understanding what may have been forgotten (also see Freud's paper "Repeating, Remembering, and Working Through"). In particular, unconscious hostile feelings toward the analyst could be found in symbolic, negative reactions to what Robert Langs later called the "frame" of the therapy -- the setup that included times of the sessions, payment of fees, and necessity of talking. In patients who made mistakes, forgot, or showed other peculiarities regarding time, fees, and talking, the analyst can usually find various unconscious "resistances" to the flow of thoughts (sometimes called free association).

Freud's patients would lie on this couch during psychoanalysis

When the patient reclines on a couch with the analyst out of view, the patient tends to remember more, experience more resistance and transference, and be able to reorganize thoughts after the development of insight -- through the interpretive work of the analyst. Although fantasy life can be understood through the examination of dreams, masturbation fantasies (cf. Marcus, I. and Francis, J. (1975), Masturbation from Infancy to Senescence) are also important. The analyst is interested in how the patient reacts to and avoids such fantasies (cf. Paul Gray (1994), The Ego and the Analysis of Defense).^[25] Various memories of early life are generally distorted -- Freud called them "screen memories" -- and in any case, very early experiences (before age two) -- can not be remembered (See the child studies of Eleanor Galenson on "evocative memory").

[edit] Variations in technique

There is what is known among psychoanalysts as "classical technique," although Freud throughout his writings deviated from this considerably, depending on the problems of any given patient. Classical technique was best summarized by Allan Compton, MD, as comprising:

instructions (telling the patient to try to say what's on their mind, including interferences)
exploration (asking questions)
clarification (rephrasing and summarizing what the patient has been describing)
confrontation (bringing an aspect of functioning, usually a defense, to the patient's attention)
dynamic interpretation (explaining how being too nice guards against guilt, e.g. - defense vs. affect)
genetic interpretation (explaining how a past event is influencing the present)
resistance interpretation (showing the patient how they are avoiding their problems)
transference interpretation (showing the patient ways old conflicts arise in current relationships, including that with the analyst)
dream interpretation (obtaining the patient's thoughts about their dreams and connecting this with their current problems)
reconstruction (estimating what may have happened in the past that created some current day difficulty)

Clearly, these techniques are primarily based on conflict theory (see above). As object relations theory evolved, supplemented by the work of Bowlby, Ainsorth, and Beebe, techniques with patients who had more severe problems with basic trust (Erikson, 1950) and a history of maternal deprivation (see the works of Augusta Alpert) led to new techniques with adults. These have sometimes been called interpersonal, intersubjective (cf. Stolorow), relational, or corrective object relations techniques. These techniques include:

expressing an experienced empathic attunement to the patient
expressing a certain dosage of warmth
exposing a bit of the analyst's personal life or attitudes to the patient
allowing the patient autonomy in the form of disagreement with the analyst (cf. I.H. Paul, Letters to Simon.)
explanations of the motivations of others which the patient misperceives

Finally, ego psychological concepts of deficit in functioning led to refinements in supportive therapy. These techniques are particularly applicable to psychotic and near-psychotic (cf., Eric Marcus, "Psychosis and Near-psychosis") patients. These supportive therapy techniques include:

discussions of reality
encouragement to stay alive (including hospitalization)
psychotropic medicines to relieve overwhelming depressive affect
psychotropic medicines to relieve overwhelming fantasies (hallucinations and delusions)
advice about the meanings of things (to counter abstraction failures)

The notion of the "silent analyst" has been made into negative propaganda against analysis. Actually, the analyst listens in a special way (see Arlow's paper on "The Genesis of Interpretation"). Much active intervention is necessary by the analyst to interpret resistances, defenses creating pathology, and fantasies that are being displaced into the current day inappropriately. Silence and non-responsiveness was actually a technique promulgated by Carl Rogers, in his development of so-called "Client Centered Therapy" -- and is not a technique of psychoanalysis (also see the studies and opinion papers of Owen Renik, MD).

"Analytic Neutrality" is a concept that does not mean the analyst is silent. It refers to the analyst's position of not taking sides in the internal struggles of the patient. For example, if a patient feels guilty, the analyst might explore what the patient has been doing or thinking that causes the guilt, but not reassure the patient not to feel guilty. The analyst might also explore the identifications with parents and others that led to the guilt.

Although single-client sessions remain the norm, psychoanalytic theory has been used to develop other types of psychological treatment. Psychoanalytic group therapy was pioneered by Trigant Burrow, Joseph Pratt, Paul F. Schilder, Samuel R. Slavson, Harry Stack Sullivan, and Wolfe. Child-centered counseling for parents was instituted early in analytic history by Freud, and was later further developed by Irwin Marcus, Edith Schulhofer, and Gilbert Kliman. Psychoanalytically based couples therapy has been promulgated and explicated by Fred Sander, MD.

References

¹ http://www.personalityresearch.org/psychoanalysis.html
² Mitchell, S.A., & Black, M.J. (1995). Freud and beyond: a history of modern psychoanalytic thought. Basic Books, New York. xviii-xx.
³ www.psychoanalytischinstituut.nl
⁴ www.psychoanalytischinstituut.nl
⁵ www.npg-utrecht.nl/npg.htm
⁶ http://www.rino.nl/postdoc/studenten/psychotherapeut/
⁷ International Psychoanalytical Association
⁸ American Psychoanalytical Association
₉ American Psychoanalytical Association
¹⁰ American Psychoanalytical Association
¹¹ www.answers.com
¹² www.answers.com

.

References

^ a Glossary of Psychoanalytic Terms and Concepts, Moore and Fine, 1968, page 78
^ Freud, S (1891). On Aphasia. NY: International Universities Press, 1953
^ Freud S. Studies in Hysteria. S.E., Vol II, Hogarth Press, 1955
^ Freud S. Project for a Scientific Psychology. S.E., Vol I, Hogarth Press. 1955
^ Freud S. The Interpretation of Dreams. , S.E. Vols IV and V. Hogarth Press. 1955
^ (Arlow and Brenner. "Psychoanalytic Concepts and the Structural Theory" NY: International Universities Press. 1964.
^ Freud S. Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality. S.E., Vol VII. Hogarth Press. 1955
^ Freud S. On Narcissism. S.E. Vol XIV. Hogarth Press. 1955
^ Freud S. Mourning and Melancholia. S.E. Vol XVII. Hogarth Press. 1955
^ Freud S. A Child is Being Beaten. S.E. Vol XVII. Hogarth Press. 1955
^ Freud S. Group Psychology and Analysis of the Ego. S.E. Vol XVIII. Hogarth Press. 1955
^ Freud S. Beyond the Pleasure Priniple. S.E. Vol XVIII. Hogarth Press. 1955
^ Freud S. The Ego and the Id. S.E. Vol XIX.
^ Freud S. Inhibitions, Symptoms and Anxiety. S.E. Vol XX
^ Waelder R. The Priciples of Multiple Function: Observations on Over-Determination. IJP. 1936
^ Freud A. The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense. IUP. 1966
^ (cf. the journal The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child)
^ Wallerstein's (2000) Forty-Two Lives in Treatment: A Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
^ Blum H. Masochism, the Ego Ideal and the Psychology of Women, JAPA 1976
^ Madison, CT: International Universities Press
^ see www.apsa.org
^ Freud S. The Interpretation of Dreams. 1900. S.E. Vols IV and V,; The Unconscious. 1915. S.E. Vol XIV, Hogarth Press.
^ Rapaport and Gill. the Points of view and Assumptions of Metapsychology. IJP. 1959.
^ Mitchell S. Influence and Autonomy in Psychoanalysis. the Analytic Press. 1997.
^ Gray P. The Ego and Analysis of Defense. J. Aronson. 1994
^ Morris N. Eagle, Ph.D. (2007). Psychoanalytic Psychology, 24:10-24 Psychoanalysis and its Critics
^ www.ipa.org.uk
^ www.apsa.org
^ www.efpp.org
^ Tuhus-Dubrow, Rebecca (2005, April 12). Head case. The Village Voice.
^ Tallis, R.C. (1996). Burying Freud. Lancet, 347, 669-671. PubMed.
^ Cf. Blum, Harold P. (Ed.) (1977). Female Psychology. New York: International Universities Press. Also see the various works of Eleanor Galenson, Nancy Chodorow, Karen Horney, Francoise Dolto, Bracha Ettinger, Melanie Klein, and others.
^ ^a ^b Popper KR, "Science: Conjectures and Refutations", reprinted in Grim P (1990) Philosophy of Science and the Occult, Albany, pp. 104-110. See also Conjectures and Refutations.
^ Weeks, Jeffrey. Sexuality and its Discontents: Meanings, Myths, and Modern Sexualities. New York: Routledge, 176. ISBN 0-415-04503-7.
^ Jacues Lacan, Ecrits. A Selection. Trans. by Alan Sheridan. London: Tavistock, 1977, and The Seminars of Jaques Lacan
^ Bracha Ettinger, "From Proto-ethical Compassion to Responsibility: Besideness, and the three Primal Mother-Phantasies of Not-enoughness, Devouring and Abandonment". Athena: Philosophical Studies. Vol. 2 (Vilnius: Versus). 2006. ISSN 1822-5047. and "Com-passionate Co-response-ability, Initiation in Jointness, and the link x of Matrixial Virtuality". In: Gorge(l). Oppression and relief in Art. Edited by Sofie Van Loo. Royal Museum of Fine Art. Antwerp, 2006.
^ Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, Anti-Oedipus. London: Athlone, 1984. ISBN 0-485-30018-4.
^ Luce Irigaray, Speculum. Paris: Minuit, 1974. ISBN 2-7073-0024-1
^ Wilkinson G. Psychoanalysis and analytic psychotherapy in the NHS--a problem for medical ethics. J Med Ethics. 1986 Jun;12(2):87-94.
^ John M. Ingham (2007), Simplicity and complexity in anthropology. On the Horizon, 15(1), 7-14. doi:10.1108/10748120710735220.

[edit] Literature

Introductions

Brenner, Charles (1954). An elementary textbook of psychoanalysis.
Elliott, Anthony (2002). Psychoanalytic Theory: An Introduction, Second Edition, Duke University Press - an introduction that explains psychoanalytic theory with interpretations of major theorists.

Reference works

International dictionary of psychoanalysis : [enhanced American version], ed. by Alain de Mijolla, 3 vls., Detroit [etc.] : Thomson/Gale, 2005
Jean Laplanche and J.B. Pontalis: "The Language of Psycho-Analysis", W. W. Norton & Company, 1974, ISBN 0-393-01105-4

General

Berman, J. (2003). [Review of the book The writing cure: How expressive writing promotes health and well-being.] Psychoanalytic Psychology, 20(3), 575-578.
Jose Bleger "Symbiosis and Ambiguity: The Psychoanalysis of Very Early Development", Publisher: Free Association Books, 1990, ISBN 1-85343-134-6
Walter Bromberg, M.D.
- "The Mind of Man: The Story of Man's Conquest of Mental Illness", 1938.
- "The The Mind of Man. A History of Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis", 1954.
- "From Shaman to Psychotherapist: A History of the Treatment of Mental Illness", 1976.
Stefano Bolognini: "Like wind, like wave - An Italian psychoanalyst and raconteur reflects insightfully on life and the common experiences that make us human", Other Press Books, 2006, ISBN 1-59051-179-4
Stefano Bolognini: "Psychoanalytic Empathy", Free Association Books, London, 2004
Corey, G. (2001). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Thompson Learning
George Devereux, [ed.], "Psychoanalysis and the Occult", New York, International Universities Press, 1953.
Bracha Ettinger, "The Matrixial Borderspace." University of Minnesota Press (2006). ISBN 0-8166-3587-0
Bracha Ettinger, "Com-passionate Co-response-ability, Initiation in Jointness, and the link x of Matrixial Virtuality". In: Gorge(l). Oppression and relief in Art. Edited by Sofie Van Loo. Royal Museum of Fine Art. Antwerpen, 2006.
Firestone, R.W. (2002). "The death of psychoanalysis and depth therapy." [Electronic version]. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, and Training, 39(3), 223-232.
Seymour Fisher, The Scientific Credibility of Freud's Theories and Therapy, Columbia University Press (1985), trade paperback, ISBN 0-231-06215-X
Ernest Gellner, The Psychoanalytic Movement: The Cunning of Unreason, . A critical view of Freudian theory. ISBN 0-8101-1370-8
André Green : "Psychoanalysis: A Paradigm For Clinical Thinking", Free Association Books, 2005, ISBN 1-85343-773-5
Calvin S. Hall, A Primer of Freudian Psychology, The World Publishing Company; and Mentor Books via The New American Library, 1954
Luce Irigaray, "Key Writings". Continuum, 2004, ISBN 0-8264-6940-X
Edith Jacobson : "Depression; Comparative Studies of Normal, Neurotic, and Psychotic Conditions", Publisher: International Universities Press, 1976, ISBN 0-8236-1195-7
John Kafka: "Multiple Realities in Clinical Practice", Yale University Press, 1989, ISBN 0-300-04350-3
Otto Kernberg : "Severe Personality Disorders: Psychotherapeutic", Yale University Press; edition 1993, ISBN 0-300-05349-5
Heinz Kohut : "Analysis of the Self: Systematic Approach to Treatment of Narcissistic Personality Disorders", International Universities Press, 2000, ISBN 0-8236-8002-9
Kramer, Peter D., Listening to Prozac: A Psychiatrist Explores Antidepressant Drugs and the Remaking of the Self ISBN 0-670-84183-8.
Julia Kristeva, "The Kristeva Reader", edited by Toril Moi, Columbia University Press, 1986. ISBN 0-231-06235-3
Luhrmann, T.M., Of Two Minds: The Growing Disorder in American Psychiatry ISBN 0-679-42191-2.
Mitchell, S. & Black, M. (1995). Freud and Beyond: A History of Modern Psychoanalytic Thought, ISBN 0-465-01405-4
Donald Meltzer The Kleinian Development (New edition), Karnac Books; Reprint edition 1998, ISBN 1-85575-194-1
Donald Meltzer : "Dream-Life: A Re-Examination of the Psycho-Analytical Theory and Technique" Publisher: Karnac Books, 1983, ISBN 0-902965-17-4
Griselda Pollock, "Beyond Oedipus. Feminist Thought, Psychoanalysis, and Mythical Figurations of the Feminine." In: Laughing with Medusa. Edited by Vanda Zajko and Miriam Leonard. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-927438-X
Heinrich Racker : Transference and Counter-Transference, International Universities Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8236-8323-0
Herbert A Rosenfeld: "Impasse and Interpretation: Therapeutic and Anti-Therapeutic Factors in the Psycho-Analytic Treatment of Psychotic, Borderline, and Neurotic Patients", Tavistock Publications, 1987, ISBN 0-422-61010-0
Harold F Searles : "Collected Papers on Schizophrenia and Related Subjects", International Universities Press, 1966, ISBN 0-8236-0980-4
Hanna Segal (2003). : The Work of Hanna Segal: A Kleinian Approach to Clinical Practice (Classical Psychoanalysis and Its Applications). Jason Aronson, 1993), ISBN 0-87668-422-3
Sabina Spielrein : "Destruction as cause of becoming", 1993, OCLC 44450080
John Steiner: Psychic Retreats, Publisher: Routledge; 1993, ISBN 0-415-09924-2
Robert Stoller : "Presentations of Gender", Yale University Press, 1992, ISBN 0-300-05474-2
Rene Spitz : "The First Year of Life: Psychoanalytic Study of Normal and Deviant Development of Object Relations", International Universities Press, 2006, ISBN 0-8236-8056-8
Thomson, C.L, Rudolph L.B., & Henderson, D. (2004). Counseling children (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Thompson.
Tori, C.D. & Blimes, M. (Fall 2002). Cross-cultural and Psychoanalytic Psychology: The Validation of defense measure in an Asian population. [Electronic version]. Psychoanalytic psychology, 19(4), 701-421.
Donald Winnicott : "Playing and Reality", Routledge; edition 2005, ISBN 0-415-34546-4
Eli Zaretsky, "Secrets of the Soul: A Social and Cultural History of Psychoanalysis", Vintage Books, 2005, ISBN 1400079233
Westen & Gabbard (2002). Cognitive Neuroscience & Transference. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 50 (1), 100 - 130.

[edit] Critiques of psychoanalysis

Aziz, Robert (2007). The Syndetic Paradigm: The Untrodden Path Beyond Freud and Jung. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-6982-8.
Borch-Jacobsen, Mikkel (1996). Remembering Anna O: A century of mystification London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-91777-8
Cioffi, Frank. (1998). Freud and the Question of Pseudoscience, Open Court Publishing Company. ISBN 0-8126-9385-X
Erwin, Edward, A Final Accounting: Philosophical and Empirical Issues in Freudian Psychology ISBN 0-262-05050-1
Fisher, Seymour, Greenberg Roger P. (1977). The Scientific Credibility of Freud’s Theories and Therapy. New York: Basic Books.
Fisher, Seymour, Greenberg Roger P. (1996). Freud Scientifically Reappraised: Testing the Theories and Therapy. New York: John Wiley.
Gellner, Ernest, The Psychoanalytic Movement: The Cunning of Unreason. A critical view of Freudian theory, ISBN 0-8101-1370-8
Grünbaum, Adolf (1979), Is Freudian Psychoanalytic Theory Pseudo-Scientific by Karl Popper's Criterion of Demarcation? American Philosophical Quarterly, 16, 131-141.
Grünbaum, Adolf (1985) The Foundations of Psychoanalysis: A Philosophical Critique ISBN 0-520-05017-7
Loftus, Elizabeth F. & Ketcham, K. (1994) The Myth of Repressed Memory. New York: St. Martin's Press.
Macmillan, Malcolm, Freud Evaluated: The Completed Arc ISBN 0-262-63171-7
Morley S, Eccleston C, Williams A. (1999) Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of cognitive behaviour therapy and behaviour therapy for chronic pain in adults, excluding headache. Pain, 80(1-2), 1-13.
Webster, Richard. (1995). Why Freud Was Wrong, New York: Basic Books, Harper Collins. ISBN 0-465-09128-8
[6] Skeptic's dictionary entry on psychoanalysis
[7] Skeptic's dictionary entry on repressed memory .

Self Discovery Through Art

2008-06-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

Uncovering the Self, By Mariu Suarez, 48"x24", Oil and egg-tempera on canvas

"The creative process, so far as we are able to follow it at all, consists in the unconscious activation of an archetypal image and elaborating and shaping the image into the finished work. By giving it shape, the artist translates it into the language of the present and so makes it possible for us to find our way back to the deepest springs of life."
- Carl Jung

For the purpose of personal analysis, Jung had talked about not judging the images of the subconscious, but simply accepting them as they came into consciousness so they could be analyzed. This was termed Automatism.

Artists were fascinated by the implications of these new psychological theories. They understood from them that the unconscious has important messages for the conscious mind, but the former communicates through images (symbols and archetypes) while the latter communicates through language.

Supraconsciousness, By Mariu Suarez, 62"x22", Oil and egg-tempera on canvas

Surrealist artists wanted their work to be a link between the abstract spiritual realities and the real forms of the material world. To them, the object stood as a metaphor for an inner reality. Through their craft, whether it be painting, sculpting or drawing, artists could bring the inner realities of the subconscious to the conscious mind, so that their meaning could be deciphered through analysis. Just as Michelangelo and Leonardo advanced the knowledge of the body's anatomy, surralist artists strive to chart the anatomy of the psyche.

Every individual can, as Jung did, use art to bring forward messages from his or her own personal unconscious. But the vital role of the artist is to help us all see the messages that emanate from the collective unconscious.

As Carl Jung put it:
"Therein lies the social significance of art: It is constantly at work educating the spirit of the age, conjuring up the forms in which the age is more lacking. The unsatisfied yearning of the artist reaches back to the primordial image in the unconscious, which is best fitted to compensate the inadequacy and one-sidedness of the present. The artist seizes on this image and, in raising it from deepest unconsciousness, he brings it into relation with conscious values, thereby transforming it until it can be accepted by the minds of his contemporaries according to their powers."

Source of this passage

Carl Jung's Psyche or Anima

2008-06-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

Jung's theory of the human psyche is that it is made up of three parts: the ego (conscious mind), the personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious. As C. George Boeree, Ph.D., explains it, the collective unconscious is "the reservoir of our experiences as a species, a kind of knowledge we are all born with. And yet we can never be directly conscious of it. It influences all of our experiences and behaviors, most especially the emotional ones, but we only know about it indirectly, by looking at those influences. The contents of the collective unconscious are called archetypes.

"An archetype is an unlearned tendency to experience things in a certain way. The archetype has no form of its own, but it acts as an 'organizing principle' on the things we see or do. The archetype is like a black hole in space: You only know it's there by how it draws matter and light to itself."

Phallic Power

2008-06-02T20:44:00.001-07:00

Prof Teag

2008-06-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

Picture Description

Freud is absolutely breath-taking.
Prof T's demonstration of psychodynamic therapy on our clinical cases is just breath-taking, especially when it came to the case of conversion disorder, hysteria, tonight.

I had to talk with Phy for 1.15hr on the topic.... to get over some of my overjoy, and overwhelming sense of 'wow'.

I am over-took completely, and out of my mind now!

Psychodynamic approaches

2008-06-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

Very thankful of the series of lectures in this week.

I am becoming more and more interested and fascinated by Psychodynamic approaches, the profundity of it in understanding the convoluted psyche of disturbed individuals who have large repressed unconscious wishes and conflicts.

Good introduction of Freud and the relation with other thinkers and artists

The Anatomy of Mental Personality (es, Ich, uber-ich)

The Interpretation of Dream (Chinese) version recommended by my classmates.

And Freud is the introductory step to learn about Jung.

I am more and more interested in Jung too.

Thank you

2008-04-04T04:46:00.001-07:00

Live with Aspiration

2008-03-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

不能沒有曈暻。而且是有關終身服侍神的曈暻。

Because of my placement at the forensic psychiatric half-way house, the social workers' suggestion of group therapy for their in- and/or out-patient clients, being relapse prevention and/or cognitive skills rehabilitation, therefore better occupational and adaptative functioning.. I search and search the literature.

I found that behavioral family intervention, including
expressed emotion, problem-solving skills, relapse prevention
psychoeducational seminars with the patients and their care-takers
have strong evidence for decreasing number of relapse and hospitalization.

On the other hand, I found that cognitive rehabilitation or remediation has a
medium effect size of 0.30 - 0.70 on cognitive abilities and even social and
functional outcomes, especially for UCLA's social skills training, and
integrated psychological therapy.

This give me the ground for specializing my clinical/intervention research and clinical service as a long term current and future direction. I have a peaceful mind and heart as I developed this idea. It serves my continual yearn of helping the patients
directly, something is useful for them and I can investigate about its
effectiveness through research and also implement my clinical therapeutic role
as a CP.

However, along this line, I find myself an area that I can seriously
put myself in, contribute, put in as much effort as possible, and the
academic rank and everything would be helpful too for taking up a
professional role and leading role in this.

I may get back to EC's team, that sounds a bit horrible.

But, along this line of career development (can find the appropriate medical school easier too for US internship)... when, where, how is my place to take up a pastoral psychologist's role??? a Pastor's role??

I feel the segregation from God as I indulge into this
cognitive remediation or academic career. It is like I would not be able to
bring this training and expertise back into the world of Christianity and as
a Pastor. I would be spending much time in that area, in that
academia-clinical role, and where is the place as a pastor? As a pastoral
psychologist in such settings, or any possibility of such roles in the
seminary???

I cannot promote Christianity like a pastor would do at a
church. But
a) what is the role or how to do so through the church in my
professional/academic role in my work setting... and
b) bring into the Christian world in my professional and academic role at univ.?
How can I collaborate or teach in a seminary?
I don't quite like the role of LH and Yip M S, but I like a more down-to-earth stance of integrating C & Psy, like that in Cambridge, no mirth, no hiding, no pretense, no high-sounding or profiling or mystification of psy as supreme....nothing like that at all,
just a humble worker serving with strong Christian values and faith at her heart and mind when she practice humbly the craftmanship of psychological on specific psychiatric issues.
I don't know how that'd happen...

Everything I get
is for being in this call as my Triune God's daugther, and on His road.
How can I serve Him?
How can I cleanse
my soul and stay quietly with Him,
knowing that and
being that
I am totally and
seeking completely His guidance for me?????

I dream the dream ~~

I find cognitive rehabilitation psychologists in the
Yale Community Medical Center. I wonder if I can
further specialize and find a
good Christian clinical psychologist as my
mentor there?? Or that I may be a
blessing for Christianity for my
respectable future mentor who also needs
Jesus...

I feel at peace, although it also sounds extremely impossible ~

I research about cognitive remediation and do my clinial internship on psychiatric patients utilizing group and community approaches as the main axis, and less on individual therapy. Really bring about social and therapeutic contributions for patient's quality of life.

~~What about their spiritual needs? How would I guide them and leave them to their own free will and God's sovereignty (God's free will)? What and how to approach psychiatric patients' spiritual needs? I don't want to get into the dynamics of theology and psychology as if competing dominance over secular world.

From my concern over spiritual needs for my patients, and my continual experience of God's action in my work, and my church...

I would like to take up divinity studies at the same univ. In just a few blocks away... and I see their openess and all... After my licensure, maybe do 2 subjects per semester for 2 yeas (max) as nondegree student at YDS, and transferred up to 1yr of work for MDiv or MAR.

"Successful completion of a course is noted on the student’s transcript, and transcripts will be mailed to other institutions upon request. If the student desires to enroll for a degree, the regular admission procedure must be followed. After admission as a degree candidate, students may petition the Professional Studies Committee for an evaluation of the work they did as nondegree students. The maximum number of courses that can be accepted from work done as a nondegree student at the Divinity School is eight courses toward the M.Div. or the M.A.R. (concentrated or comprehensive) degree requirements "

I don't know if this is also what my
Father seek for me...

I want to know my
Lord...

I don't know why I don't have the peace of mind, or maybe due to my own suspiciousness, or my guardedness in attempts trying to integrate theology into therapy and yet doesn't sound like theology, appeal to common yearns of men in bringing out therapy... hiding away from the
philosophical and theological adherance of it... and also doesn't seek a serious
Christian faith as the basis for its practice....

Or utilizing some therapy into
Christian arms without highlighting or addressing Christian use... I may be
wrong about the purpose of such integration, but I somehow don't have the
confidence and peace of mind to follow it and indulge myself into it. It is
something that I can just practice and currently don't see that I can research
about it.

I don't know why I have this reluctance
towards the idea..

God, should I write to LH anyway and also
apply to thier Christian-based internship anyway???

~~~~~~~~~~

I am learning to be a Christian along with my professional role in my career
setting. I don't know how to adjust the sincerety, authenticity, professional
goal-directed qualities in different roles and expectations by colleagues or
classmates or collaborators ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Continue with this PsyD and the role struggle

2008-01-04T21:14:00.000-08:00

好多謝在電腦前的你之鼓勵和支持呀, 願意花心神去明白我的處境tim!!!!!

我決定會繼續讀這個被受港的臨床心理學界孤立和排斥的 course. (因著利益的政治理由), 也不知會否如期希能到美實習並考牌, 而且會進一步加價的course.

神真係我支盲公竹, 我就係看唔到前面, 又見唔到神的真人, 是在黑暗中抓實佢, 佢牽住我一隻手, 而另一隻手讓我用佢支竹篿篿 duk duk duk 咁. 有時 duk 落個 loon 度... 又有時我好似現在咁 "罷行" 拖都唔Yuk, 猛話好倦.

我是在期盼將來兩年full-time的實習 (internship), 神親自帶我到一個地方, 遇到, 跟到, 那些祂想我以後事奉和服侍人有的正確定位的好師傅.

我真係唔知點做, 和點去, 去邊至遇到. 初步只以為是一些Christian-based Internship, 也只有美國最有歷史而我的言語和passport 又可以去到

我是要將來 在信仰群眾中, 以助人見福音和神的面以至得到自由, 離開心靈的結, 逃出罪的勢力.

這些年來神一直讓我從

1) 人性, 肉體 (人腦, hormones, genetics), 成長背景去體會和明白人心靈的結;

2) 讓我從 神學, 釋經學, spirituality靈修學 的學習和操練去抗衡罪的理論, 更能從神的真理那�支取善的力量;

3) 並真人的服侍(不同的事奉位, 信仰階段的人) , 運用 1 和 2 於人的生命上, 更多與神不同的合作.
我求神讓我經歷神在對方/別人身上的工作, 神這些年來讓我慢慢見到和經歷到.
也是在這種與神一起作工的時間中, 有不同方面的朋友見證我說的 spirituality & psy integration的在我的個人和服侍手法/心態中成長

很多朋友都問我為何都讀唔完, 一定是我好仲意讀書, 潛台詞 "所以唔出來做野",
我並不是因為好仲意讀而一直讀是我一路做神帶我遇到的人和事 (好多都帶給我不同的震撼和痛心和反省), 就越需要這些裝備, 而且是不太清楚欠什麼, 只覺欠什麼, 再做 . 再問, 再跟, 神又讓我知多一些我需要什麼其他裝備, 也有時候是我跟那 '感覺所欠的' 到處找, 問, 和從專業中尋, 又同神傾?, 問下, 試下; 有時是要忍住唔知的, 要等神遲d 會有指示, 就好似我未來的2年Internship 咁, 我時不時就會為此切切祈禱.

其實只是我在回應我的呼召時一路走下去, 沿路就慢慢發覺是我所需的裝備以在所呼召的路上運用, 在神帶領的所到之處運用, gift和talent去行這路都預先比了我, 而會因越行越多運用, 而越有.

也因如此, 越用又越發覺唔夠用, 有我唔通的地方, 所以要另一些裝置.

我是在兩三年前慢慢才領受到牧職的呼召的. 我有很多?問號? , 不自在, 唔係掛, 講笑咩... 其中我漸見自己的心理障礙, 知道了自己不知道什麼了... 就是我不明白何為 牧者的心腸 (wa, 點寫?). 透過神學院的獻身營, 自己教會的獻身小組, ?姐帶我的查經, 與近3年的事奉, 對服侍的人在承擔上心中自然產生的牧養之心, 我真的體會多了.

這年讀PsyD 我就更加 --- 對不能以牧養的心服侍人的心靈而很掙扎, 不快, 特別覺這一切都不是重要的, 多次向朋友提及好想快d 正式讀MDiv, 以牧者的角色去做.... 我真的很不耐煩, 所以真的好掙扎, 想不如直接讀神學院內的PsyD.... 只是時間不比分開PsyD and MDiv 讀短很多, 又要成HK$70-90萬學費, 就萛我唔食唔住. ai ai ai.. (MDiv = 3年牧職訓練 )

但又不能放棄服侍有心理病的人..所以不能只讀MDiv.. 所以這年的PsyD and PhD 讀得特別的痛苦, 非常的掙扎, 我指的是 專業內的角色要求 (PsyD and PhD 都很不同) 又跟牧養的心情大不協調. 我要再想下, 應該在實習時會有更多體會.

寫了好多個鐘頭至寫完....都助我的反省. 都真係幾口水多過浪..之所以話見到我我通常都有九成機會咁長氣

Christian-based PsyD Internships in Washington or Boston

2008-01-01T04:58:00.000-08:00

Does anybody know how competitive and what is it like for Christian-based Internship programs in Washington or in Boston??

I am doing a PsyD (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology) program from California off-shore. That means I do all the coursework and placements in my locality, in China, and then I do my internships (pre-doctoral and post-doctoral) and licensure exam in US. It is a very innovative & controversial program, certainly no one has heard of it, I believe.

I am the first-intake of this program, and no body really knows what'd happen to us, and whether we'd get to the stage for licensure exams... Our program is quite certain that they'd get California pre-doctoral internships for us. As they are the largest PsyD-producing institute in California, and they have connections to take in bilingual Psychologists. As all of us are Bilinguals or Trilinguals, so getting an internships that serve Chinese in California is kind of easy for them. And, only a few of us would like to go to US to get the US license, anyway... People can earn much more here than in US, for most of my classmates, they are professionals already here...and so being a Clin Psy in US doesn't sound too attractive.

But I like the well-established CP system, psychological service in US. Very much advanced than that in my hometown. And there is a long history of Christian integration of Psychology and theology, pastoral counselling here in US than anywhere in the world, and not to say my hometown.

Therefore, I want to get Christian-based internships. OR internships at Psychiatry Department in an university (like medical school), as I can then go on with my brain imaging research. I am not sure which way I should go. I haven't discerned that from God..yet.

Language concerns
I have been working with an Irish-boss in an English-speaking research team in univ. for 7yrs or so. Therefore, I am fluent in English, but with a Chinese accent and mostly British pronounciations. I can serve both Chinese or English-speaking people. I am able to do simple conversation in Thai, but don't think I can make it up to the standard of carrying out a psychological assessment in Thai, but in Chinese and English, absolutely no problem.

Where do you think I can get information regarding Christian-based PsyD Pre-doctoral Internships in US (esp Washington & Boston?)

I would like to learn from experience of students participating or those who know people who are doing such Christian-based PsyD or PhD in Clin Psy in US!!!

I can download information from the official websites, but I know NO ONE who can share his/her experience with me ah...

Any personal referral?????

Thanks Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

Being judgemental vs Making judgements

2008-01-01T04:51:00.001-08:00

------------------------------------------------------
Koala Gal: "I seem to have a difficulty of getting into the core concern and difficulty when I present my views on an issue/cluster of issues. I have to say a few times the same thing and each time may be slightly differently in the hope of getting closer to my concern. I have a rational point, and also an emotional attachment/side in that issue that I don't know how to put it, so I can only go round in a spiral, so maybe getting closer to the point as I repeat the circle.

The emotional side is: I have such a bias of not or deficit in PASSING JUDGEMENT on another person's behaviors for fear of being judgmental. Yes, we need to be careful of discerning right and wrong. You have summarized so succinctly the 4-5 levels of disagreement in Christianity principles/values interpreted from the Bible (just see ur email; from diff interpretation; diff denomination; etc), that's why when we judge that Someone is WRONG, it is the highest level of disagreement and have a narrow sense of actually going against our Christian beliefs.

OK, pretend that we have already got a clear ground of saying that it is WRONG. Then we still need to ask, what give us the reason to JUDGE. For the growth of the church members, for defending what is right/wrong..., etc. Would it be better if the reason is really about faith growth, then let the talk be used in guided discussion, and to discuss why this and that point are of 'danger' or 'actually wrong'?

My emotional side.... my reluctance in passing on judgement, my fear of being judgmental. If the grounds are there and with good reason and practicality to pass a judgement, then do it. I honestly can't get over this idea, as I thought deeply inside that only our God can judge us. We have judges to implement the man-made laws, that's ok."

-----------------------------------------

K said: "We of course are making judgment everyday.

At least we are judging the contents of her talk, maybe not on the person herself.

You judged that the sister is good in teaching investment and you invited her. You won't just invite anyone on the street. Now is not a problem of whether we make judgment or not but that well-meaning christians are having clashes in judgments. "

--------------------------------------------

Koala Gal: " I am not afraid of making judgement, really, I am afraid of being judgmental.

Even if there are no clashes of judgment, when everybody would say that who is wrong in doing this and that, and I agree so, I am still afraid of being judgmental, like in Matthew, that I see a spike in others but not a log in myself. Even if I have no such 'log' in myself, I can still be judgmental.

I am quite comfortably OK in my therapy, after so many years of reflection on this issue, I have decided I want to make judgment and not being judgmental in my therapy, and ..xyz... that's how I implement it. I can easily give you examples because that's what I have been practicing according to that belief. But I still haven't been able to get it right when it comes to a church setting. I may not be doing it exactly it, or good enough in a therapy setting, but still it is a lot better than in a church-setting.

Yes, I am surprised, but I have known that for quite some time already, and I can see his change and development, from don't know what to say at all, like most church-people did when my boys attended, to being fluent and understanding, but he still lacks (well, he agrees too that it is actually non-existent at all in his mind) BOUNDARIES, which I have come up with a clear set and a subtle set myself and shared with others and my brother last night.

What do you think of my mother's 'bad church' and the new impression of Charlton about my church... and my church work? This is what I concern. "

Seeking Pastoral training

2007-12-31T13:25:00.000-08:00

Date: 26 Sept 2005
Dear Pastor,

Thank you for your quick response and attention regarding my pursue of my
calling from the Lord to do integration of theology and psychology as a
life-long theme.

In 1997, I prayed hard to place my life in God's hands when I graduated from
BA(Hons) Psychology, UK, so I wouldn't get lost in busy life/career when I
started my working life in HK. In the same year, I baptised in UK (Baptist church), and joined our Truth Lutheran church. Teacher Ip was my tutor on introduction to Lutheran church, and she heard that I wanted to study how psychiatric people believe in their delusion, and the difference with our believe in CHristian faith, etc. She bared first witness in our church to my undertaking to use my gifts from God.

Since 1996, I learned in my prayers that my gift from God is empathy, and I
responsed to my call to use this gift under the guidance of God to fight
against sin in one's heart. So, I asked God how to live up to this call, and to
cut short, His instruction was:

1) build up research skills (the way to accumlate effectively clinical
experience)
2) learn more about psychology, psychiatry, our brain functions in cognitive
and emotional functions
3) practice what I learn in real people

So my actions to answer these 3 instructions of God:
1) 1998-2002 MPhil in Psychiatry
2) 2004-2007 PhD in Psychiatry (brain imaging)
3) (plan) 2008-2011 PhD in Clinical Psychology so I can practice as a CP

Yet, no one can fight sin except through the strength of the Holy Spirit, so in
sum God's instruction for me during my prayers:
1) strengthen my faith through serving in the church community
2) strengthen my faith through prayer experience to see His work on others
3) fundamental theology training

My actions in response to God's instruction:
1) 1998-1999 bible study group leader
2000-2003 fellowship committee (bible study, retreat camp)
2004 library committee (secretary)
2005 head of library committee, adult sunday school teacher (Samuel)
2) 2004-2005 group leader for a group of substance abusers, lots of grace
experienced through counselling and praying with them
3) 2002-2003 do day-time study in China graduate school of theology in DipCS
But this was just an introduction, so I know exactly why I need to do more
theology and why MDiv in particular.
The call that I am heading towards is to use the language of psychology to tell
the story of theology for people who are sicked (bound by sin) at heart. So I
need to go through fundamental theology training so I can practice church
ministry, and then move towards ThD or PhD in theology (psychology).

My plan of theology training:

1) 2005 - 2007 While I have a relatively flexible schedule during my PhD in
HKU, I'd take some individual theology courses from Lutheran theology seminary.
This would allow myself to test whether I suit to go further on in theology.
The courses taken can allow me to contribute to a MA or MDiv if I want to
enroll into MA or MDiv later (2005 - 2015).

2) 2007 - 2008 Plan to apply through our church into MDiv program for 1-yr
full-time study. In LTS, I can take 8yrs of part-time and 1yr of full-time
study to complete MDiv. If not doing MDiv, I plan to do MA for 1yr of
full-time.

3) 2008 - 2011 With my experience in psychiatry and psychology, it is quite OK
that I can get into a 3yr PhD in Clinical Psychology. With this clinical trainning, I can practice as a qualified clinical psychologist.
During these 3 years, I'd continue to take MDiv or MA as part-time. I intend to complete either in 6-7yrs

4) 2011 - 2013/4 Practice as Clinical Psychologist. Still continue to do MDiv or MA on a part-time basis

5) after 2013/4 When I finally graduate in MDiv, I'd practice church ministry,
and hopefully under Lutheran church.

This is just a preliminary blue print which I have in mind to guide my action. I
have taken 2 courses in LTS and 1 spiritual trainning in To Fung Shan for this
semester. I have shared at length about this vision and plan with Teacher I
and Teacher La last week, and I have contacted Ms Mak Mi Wah upon the
recommendation of Teacher I to apply for the theology study fund (for the
congregation).

In short, there are 2 years for us to see if I am suitable for further theology & pastoral ministry
trainning, and in which seminary, while I take some individual courses in LTS.
Although I prefer LTS, I am still open whether I should do in some other
seminaries. We can review this after I finish the first 2 courses in Dec. I
would be too glad to hear your advice.

THank for reading such a long email.
Working hard....,

My divine call

2007-12-31T12:42:00.000-08:00

我的蒙召見証

我是基於信主後深感不斷蒙恩和被神滿有真理和愛深深的吸引, 更加不捨三年在英國沐浴在「退修」式的生活中, 因而在九六年大學畢業回港前, 內心不斷禱告求神, (那段期間不斷的, 而且隨時間越是切、懇、和渴), 要求神讓我在我步入事業之前, 在香港過新畢業生活中, 並我以後的一生實踐出我信主的決志。

於是, 我開始一個與神悠長的對話, 致今仍然在進行中, 它的起始是這樣的:
「神啊, 你既然已成為我生命的主, 坐在我的生命寶座上, 掌管我生命的一切 – 事業, 愛情, 前途, 求你繼續坐著, 不要讓我坐回, 但你要讓我知道我應該怎樣做? 我畢業後應該做什麼才可將我的生命 (心神, 精力, 時間) 真正地被你掌管呢?」

心中的回應是:「用我已給你的錢。」

當時我禱告所想到的, 是三個僕人的故事, 一個主人給他一千, 另一個二千, 最後一個五千, 後兩者都好好用這些錢再賺到更多的, 所以都得到主人更多的賜福。(馬太25:14-28)

於是, 那段其間, 我不斷問神: 「我的錢在那裏?」
「我已給了你的恩賜, 你要好好發揮。」
「我的恩賜是什麼呢?」

經過不斷與神親蜜的對話, 神在大小事上的保守, 倍著我去做大小的決定, 幾經轉接, 我並沒有做已被取錄的廣告工作, 而是以義務的形式在醫院協助精神分裂症的研究。之後, 神更賜我助學金, 經過98-02年4年時間, 完成有關精神分裂症的集中能力的研究, 取得Master of Philosophy的學位, 其實只是一個小小的check-point。

在1998-2002 這4-5年的研究工作裏, 我不斷問神自己有否領會錯了祂的旨意, 我真的要走這條路嗎? 其實, 我只有更肯定, 心中更大的火熱, 我是要進入人被罪污染的內心世界, 以神的道衝破這一切靈裏的軟弱, 所以神讓我回港後跟兩位出色的精神科醫生和心理學家, 學習心理學的研究方法, 從接觸和研究精神病人的經驗中有系統地累積關乎人心理精神的知識。

在我的領受裏, 心理學的知識只是工具, 招式, 神的道才是主打, 內功。心理學與神的道, 就正如音樂與神的道在聖樂中的角色, 前者可助後者直指人的心靈。

所以在2001年我開始為自己在神學上得到基礎的訓練作金錢和時間上的預備, 結果很感恩能在2002-03年作中國神學研究院的全日制學生, 修讀道學碩士一年級的科目, 都是基督信仰的基礎 --

聖經科，特別是原文、釋經的訓練，可讓我學習更直接了解聖經訊息的方法；
而教會歷史可讓我將聖經所描述的事件放在當時的背景去理解，有助我如何古文今讀；
神學科更可教我遊歷不同的偉人的思想掙扎，幫助我懂得去以其他角度看人的罪性和問題。

這對我在如何選取心理學訓練的側重點, 以及在教會的事奉重點有莫大的指引性。

2004-06年我的心理學研究進一步在精神科和腦結構上得到進深, 在港大申請到博士學位及其助學金, 而下一步是在臨床心理學, 對患病的心理狀態作醫治的訓練。

2003-2006年, 在信仰上, 我的事奉經過神學的初步訓練生出三個的重點:

1) 如何助信徒立體化他/她們的信仰觀念, 由神的道到生活的掙扎中? 這方面, 感謝神賜我機會和本來從不認識到一拍即合的伙伴, 在青成級主日學作老師, 03-04是預備, 05年3月開始上課至今, 讓同學從撒母耳記中的人物掙扎反省與討論到自己在生活和工作上的掙扎;

2) 信徒個人與集體一起的靈修操練, 因與神的關係是信徒生命的活水, 作事, 事奉的力量之源。在05-06我有感自己在靈修中的框框, 參加了基督教叢林為期8個月的依納爵神操, 再在自己的事奉單位中帶小組, 從群體靈修中一起從新得力。

這些群體包括:

05/06年圖書室職員會退修、
06以利亞職員會退修、
06以利亞以諾合團讀經營中的依納爵式的晨早靈修, 與
靈愛弟兄的小組祈禱會等; 讓我更明白如何運用各種的靈修祈禱方式助人親近神。

而我更肯定之前為每個參與者能有開放慕主的心切切祈禱是最重要的預備。

3) 直接對人在生活上對生命和信仰的掙扎位上作服侍。這有兩方面:

a)作前線關顧者: 05年我第一次作團契小組組長, 關顧邊青及靈愛弟兄, 有不少深刻的屬靈之戰, 期間也生出數個專為此事奉對象而禱告的小組;

b)作領導的關顧者: 06年我第一次作團契的團長, 為整個團體定關顧的方向, 改變團契形式 (小組週會沒有合組程序, 讓小組有整個週會時間祈禱與分享), 加強小組深入分享信仰的機會; 及鞏固團友的基督教價值觀以助面對生活沖擊 (有「活在當代」系列講座與小組討論會), 關顧團友的屬靈成長。

下一步的神學訓練我的感動是更全面的牧職預備, 因為我要活出神對我的呼召,
就是植根在基督教信仰群體中, 從神的道出發進入人的心靈, 助它更貼近神。
這種植根讓我越來越領受到我要承擔牧養教會的份, 而從毆心瀝血的靈愛弟兄服侍中, 我經歷什麼為承擔別人的生命; 從作團長的職事, 我第一次領受神給我一種要牧養祂的羊的情懷。我知道自己仍不配作牧者, 不過我更要放下自己的擔心, 接受這差遣。

我的呼召為神所用是一個一生的過程, 不經不覺由1996的祈禱立志開始至今已經10年了, 而在精神科學系和醫院工作/學習也有9年了。

神, 我需要祢的差遣, 去無論是什麼的境況、人心、無論是黑暗或奇妙光明, 是人的至醜或是至美, 作出祢所給予我恩賜所能作的。

奉獻小組分享

二零零六年七月二日

My Christian conversion -- at the last stage

2007-12-31T08:23:00.000-08:00

我的得救見證

我是個喜歡轉腦子的人，特別是在一些虛無漂渺的事上。加上我小時候是個聽話的小孩，自幼稚園到中學預科畢業都是就讀天主教學校，對於聖經的教導，　我都是抱著順從又感偉大的心去領受。可是我參加了多年的慕道班也沒有什麼感動要去認信，只是自覺自己是個好孩子，上帝應該沒有不喜悅我的。

日漸長大，我對真善的追求和好奇心就越大。在中六的時候，接觸到令我的人生觀起震盪的宗教－天道，就被它在五教之上的終極宗教觀所深深吸引著。我見到很多靈異的事，但那些事都不太令我留下印象；甚至在父親臨終時餵他飲我求回來的「聖水」，看著他一邊飲一邊斷氣，我也沒有失信心，以為總是有益處的。而令我最震撼的是一個為期不知多少個月，每堂要很用心聽三小時的佛經課，其中的心經和道德經，是令我第一次想到人世上很多東西都是虛無的，都要化為無有，甚至是人情，更甚至是可留存萬世的知識，原來真理的追求在於「回家」之路！　啊，這就是我要追求的真道了。　我開始守齋，叩頭，本著我對這真道的熱誠，在生活上實行種種的規條。

一九九四年在英國唸大學一年級時，因利成便我就認定自己要了解五教之一的　「耶」教以致到達可以洗禮的地步，再証明給他們知道「天道」才是真正「回家」之道。所以被邀返團契時，我就問有否一些活動可以更了解基督教的信仰而又在其中有交流討論的。我開始參加查經，而且越發對此有興趣，每星期參加三晚，跟來自不同地方的基督徒討論：與香港人一起的廣東話查經、大陸學者的國語查經，及星、馬留學生的英語查經。　

在某一次查經中，互相代禱時，我說希望如經中描述，像嬰孩般渴慕靈奶，別人為我代禱後的一段日子，我真的感受到被賜福，越發想明白在聖經中的道理。我甚至開始自己在房中讀經、默想，和祈禱。我通常是在早上用三個小時作這活動，持續了一段時間，直至我讀完十五章的羅馬書。

在九四至九五年間，三個人分別帶了三個重要的想法給我：

一）「末世會有很多假師傅出現，我作為你的朋友，真的不想看著你要掉下山崖也不拉著你！」可是，我想，假師傅可以令我的生命改變嗎？

二）「即使你不信基督教也請你不要信天道教了，其實魔鬼無論做一些什麼事，壞的、甚至是好的事，都只有一個目的，就是要你信它而不信上帝。」　啊！好事如給我這麼大的感動和改變也只不過是要我不可信真的上帝？！　那麼我明白了，天道的確改變了我對生命的看法，但這些都不能令我回到真上帝那裏。

三）「決志包括徹底的認罪，並且感到靠著耶穌的血，自己的罪得赦。」　啊！赦罪是天道從沒有提過的，真的，它強調修身守規條。從羅馬書中，我更加領會到因信稱義是上帝對人的大愛，令我終能很具體地說出只有耶穌可以為我解決罪的問題，祂給我的大愛，正是天道所沒有的。

隨著大學一年級的完結，我慢慢感到天道教只是我的一件住事，自九五／九六年，　我已一步步回服食雜的飲食習慣; 並看畢聖經一次, 在讀舊約中經歷順服的心可誇過不明白神的作為的不安, 九七年七月，在臨離開英國前，我在家人和朋友的見證下接受洗禮。

2006/7

Pastoral Psychologist's striving -- my divine call

Jesus Christ and individuation

I m in Martin & Dora Kalff's Sandplay Room!!

Introducing Sandplay to my MRI Team

CAST training Part I 19-24 May 09

Neural basis of sandplay therapy

Jesus my boss

My call

Jungian and Christian Spirituality: my divine call?

Faith Rooted in Christ

borrow to read about Jung

more discoveries about Jung

Sandplay Training in Zurich

Sandplay Therapist

Introductory Reading for self-reflection by Carl Jung

Political struggles

Registering on Fuller IDL

Divinity

Sense of loss

Die Traumdeutung

Excellent Psychoanalysis Introduction

Psychoanalysis [edit] A Brief History of the Evolution of Psychoanalytic Theory

[edit] Classical Psychoanalytic Theory

[edit] Psychopathology (mental disturbances)

[edit] Indications and contraindications for analytic treatment

[edit] Technique

[edit] Variations in technique

.

References

[edit] Literature

[edit] Critiques of psychoanalysis

Self Discovery Through Art

Carl Jung's Psyche or Anima

Phallic Power

Prof Teag

Psychodynamic approaches

Thank you

Live with Aspiration

Continue with this PsyD and the role struggle

Christian-based PsyD Internships in Washington or Boston

Being judgemental vs Making judgements

Seeking Pastoral training

My divine call

My Christian conversion -- at the last stage

Psychoanalysis
[edit] A Brief History of the Evolution of Psychoanalytic Theory