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How the Spark of Spirituality
Can Enhance the Practice of Psychotherapy Since its inception, psychology has been a non-spiritual
science, and the practice of psychotherapy has reflected this view
of human beings. How did this split between spirituality and psychotherapy occur?
It appeared with the birth of psychology and the vision of its first
psychotherapist, Sigmund Freud. Freud was a product of the Industrialization
of Western Europe. This wave of technological development swept people
away from their villages, traditional customs, and religious supports.
Corruptness within the heart of many religious institutions also
contributed to the weakening of faith in the spiritual. Science became
the new religion, and doctors the new priests. Freud, a medical doctor, predisposed to think in terms of science,
pathology, and diagnosis, conceived a psychological and pseudo-scientific
theory of the self and its development. Based on this framework,
he created a method of therapy (psychoanalysis) to assist the increasing
numbers of individuals who were suffering inwardly and unable to
cope during this time of chaotic change. My intention is neither to denigrate Freud nor minimize his contributions
to the practice of psychotherapy. Much of what he created is still
applicable today. For instance, he discovered the significance of
dreams in understanding hidden inner dynamics. He encouraged therapists
to bring an open, non-judgmental presence to the therapeutic process. In his latter years, Freud was deeply disappointed
to realize that his psychoanalytic approach was inadequate to deal
with the mysterious
and non-rational inner forces that motivate human beings. His closest
colleagues – Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, and Otto Rank, came to
the same conclusion. Adler maintained that each person’s search
for the meaning of life was the most important issue for psychology
to address. Jung declared that psychology could least of all afford
to overlook the spiritual life of a human being, and Rank claimed
that psychotherapy would only have a significant effect when it brought
the modern person “a soul without psychology”. In spite of these realizations and reservations, most
counsellors followed Freud’s approach until the 1950’s and 60’s.
This marked a time of evolutionary change in the counselling
field and a number of new modalities took root, many of which are
in
the mainstream today (e.g. Rogerian client-centered therapy,
Ericksonian psychotherapy, Gestalt therapy). However, most of the
new therapies
continued to exclude the spiritual dimension. I entered the world of psychotherapy in 1969, working as a mental
health counsellor while simultaneously following a path of spiritual
training. The strands of the psychological and the spiritual were
woven together within the fabric of my work. However, in the assessment
and treatment discussions amongst mental health professionals at
the time there was only room for psychological and medical points
of view. A rigid division existed between the spiritual and the psychological. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that a bridge began to span
this gulf and the eyes of the professional counselling community
opened to the therapeutic benefits of spirituality. And this came
from a force outside of their own doors – the spirituality
of Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs. The wildfire
growth of this approach and the number of individuals whose lives
were transformed by it could not be ignored. To date, AA is the
only treatment approach of alcoholism which has been deemed successful
by scientific research. And the psychotherapy establishment is
still
catching up. The 942-paged DSM-IV, the current reference manual
for psychiatrists and mental health professionals, contains only
four
lines related to spiritual concerns. I, too, have benefited from this combination in my life, although
in a form different from the 12-step programs. Of course, spirituality
can manifest and be expressed in a variety of different ways. Many
roads lead to Rome. My own spiritual experiences and my awareness of the presence of
spirit in the psychotherapeutic process, have enhanced my work as
a counsellor in the following areas: The scope of therapy: In addition to working with the full range
of intellectual, emotional and behavioral issues, I am open to assisting
clients to explore spiritually-oriented concerns and experiences. My view of clients and therapy: I see clients as more than a pathological
category or a series of complexes. I believe that at the core of
every human being is a manifestation of spirit or higher power. I
have witnessed within the counselling context, individuals connecting
with their sense of essence, describing it in such terms as centeredness,
knowing, peacefulness, clarity, integration, free of ego, coming
home, etc. And this journey to essence is often difficult as clients
encounter the fear, confusion, pain, frustration and deadness that
can stand as guardians at the temple door. In this instance I wasn’t applying a standardized
therapeutic approach. I was responding in a way that felt most supportive
to
my client and the unique design of her journey to her center. Three
days ago, I received a letter from this client and will share an
excerpt from it with her permission. “It is quite amazing
to me how much that 1 hour session with you meant! Everything
suddenly
cleared. How much I talked, what I said, didn’t seem so important
at the end. It all had to do with being in contact with the self,
to pay attention, listen, being aware of the moment. Every day
I feel a little more clearer, more in balance and I want to thank
you
for helping me get to that point! I have known for a long time
that being true to oneself is very important but only now do I
understand
the meaning of it.” When the seed of the spirit is opened
to and welcomed, it nurtures us and grows on its own. My feelings towards my clients: My connection with
spirit has brought to life within me feelings that support the clinical
skills I have
learned. Compassion, love, patience, acceptance, intuition, humility
have grown through the beneficence of the Carver’s hand.
Actually it is impossible to separate clinical skills from spirited
ways of
being. As a human being with many failings, the flow of these feelings often slows to
a trickle as I encounter forces within me that desire to strengthen my ego or
harden my heart. At these times the antidote for me is to have compassion for
my struggle and to turn towards my higher power. May I be helped to remember
this step. The Justice Institute, a publicly-sponsored training facility, has created a
Certificate Program in Integrated Healing where I am teaching a course on the
integration of spiritually and counselling. Other educational institutions in
B.C. are also moving in this direction. I am optimistic about the future of psychotherapy and I am committed to supporting others who are attempting to create a cooperative relationship between the psychological and the spiritual.
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