In the psychotherapeutic community we owe a great debt to Freud who was primarily concerned with exploring the personal unconscious. The clinical model has its origins in Freud and covers four types: schizoid, obsessional, depressive and hysterical. Schizoid In this model this type is described as introverted. They are more likely to be avoidant in relationships and […]
Evaluate the relevance of elements typology to transpersonal integrative psychotherapy The Elements model has a balanced view of personality. Whereas Jung believed we have a type, the elements model indicates that whilst we might have a particular orientation, we can develop other parts for a more balanced type. In some areas of our life, we
The important aspect of assessing the relevance of personality types in psychotherapy is that the various typologies are merely a map to guide the therapist when seeing clients since nothing is set in stone. I believe that the purpose of therapy is to uncover the true feelings of the client. If our patients are of
I had an amazing experience at the week-long creative imagination set of lectures and workshops. What has delayed me posting updates was that I developed a nasty bug at the end of the week (perhaps this was my body telling me something). My workshop group is quite dynamic and supportive so six days together exploring our personal issues was a
As I prepare for the week-long series of lectures on creative imagination I have been wondering about dreams. We have had an introduction into dreams this week. Where do we get our ideas from? Can symbols carry us beyond our ordinary mind? Is there a deeper wisdom beneath the mind? Can the unconscious mind speak in
I read the amazing “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl this weekend. There has been lots written already about life in concentration camps but somehow this account proved captivating as I sat reading in a Central London bookstore on Saturday. What is remarkable is his continuing account of the psychological impact of the experience. Before Frankl
The past two weeks have been concerned with transference and counter transference. Transference had been identified by the great Sigmund Freud when he noticed that his patients often seemed to fall in love with him – including the men. Transference occurs when a person takes the perceptions and expectations of one person and projects them
This week’s lecture was on “acting out”. It is tempting to view the term “acting out” as a throw back to the hippy culture of coolness. In fact Freud talked a lot about “acting out” saying that patients do not remember their repressed feelings but reproduce them not as memory but as an action. The action
I have had knowledge of the mysticism of the higher planes from a previous lecture which gave me the necessary insights into a basic understanding of myself, particularly the relationship between my essence (soul) and personality (temperament). Years ago, alchemy in the West was primarily an experimental scientific process dedicated to transforming physical, material lead into
This week’s lecture was on resistance in therapy. This was particularly useful given that I am now seeing clients at the drop in centre. Resistance is viewed as a positive force which opposed the return to memory of painful experiences. Freud talked about the positive sign that the truth was emerging. It is important to
