Integrating Psychotherapy and Spirituality: Nurturing our Nature
November 25th, 2007 |
A GoodTherapy.org Featured Column written by John Rhead, Ph.D.
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There are three basic models for conceptualizing the process of psychotherapy: implanting something new in the client that is missing (deficiency model), changing or removing something problematic that is already present (pathology model), or nurturing the unfolding of some potential wholeness that is inherent in each human (spiritual model). While each model captures some of what might need to go on in psychotherapy at any given moment, the spiritual model is for me the most interesting and comprehensive.
Each of these three models of psychotherapy also suggests a particular role for the therapist. In the deficiency model the therapist is something like a dietary supplement for the psyche, providing something not already present and not readily available in the usually daily intake of psychological experience. The pathology model makes the therapist something between a mechanic and a surgeon, removing something dysfunctional and possibly replacing it with something new that can be expected to function better. In the spiritual model the therapist works in manner of a midwife, seeking to eliminate obstacles to a natural process of the birthing of new awareness without claiming to create or control what emerges.
Each of these three models of psychotherapy has parallels in religious and spiritual traditions. The deficiency model corresponds to the belief that a person cannot be whole, spiritually mature, or loved by God unless he or she adopts a particular set of beliefs or joins a particular religious or spiritual group. The pathology model corresponds to the concept of original sin. The spiritual model addresses that Matthew Fox has lately been calling Original Blessing, and what Buddhists have for a long time referred to as Buddha Nature.
While any person’s psychotherapy might legitimately work from any one of these three models at a given point in time, the deficiency and pathology models must eventually yield to the spiritual model in any long-term therapy. It is not a question of nature versus nurture, but rather a question of how we nurture our clients’ inherent nature. The most fundamental way in which we do this is through the ongoing nurturing of our own nature, through our own psychotherapy, spiritual practices, and anything else we can find.
©Copyright 2007 John Rhead, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved. Permission to publish granted to GoodTherapy.org. The following article was solely written and edited by the author named above. The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. Questions or concerns about the following article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment to this blog entry. Click here to contact John and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile
6 comments so far
I think this was an interesting blog and would like to read more about the subject. I think what is so difficult for us as therapists is the part described
as “seeking to eliminate obstacles to a natural process of the birthing of new awareness withought claiming to create or control what emerges.” As a therapist,
I find that I often think I already know what the “thing” is that should emerge and the causes behind it. I need to be able to let go of that
illusion of control and let the patient do the work. Sometimes, I just want to help them through their pain so they can be whole again. But, I do
realize that allowing the patient to go through that pain and find meaning to it is a vital part of the process.
Niels,I think you are very brave to admit that you have that problem. It is such a taboo thing, that I think if we find that weakness in ourselves,
we often want to hide it from ourselves and certainl the world at large. I am interested in knowing what the author includes under the scope of
“anything we can find.” I think there needs to be more guidance here. Otherwise, some may find a resource that is not helpful, but leads a therapist
down the wrong path.
By “anything we can find” I meant to refer to anything that deepens our connections with ourselves, others (human or not), and the Sacred. This might include being in relationship with a life partner, raising children, travel, reading or writing fiction or poetry, walking in nature, doing scientific research, skydiving, volunteering in a soup kitchen, splitting wood, painting or sculpting, working for hospice, or building model airplanes.
I think it is interesting that the author included Buddhism in his blog. I am not a therapist, but I do believe that Buddhism does hold strong promise for those who struggle with mental health. I am in college and have found myself in many a stressful situation. The meditation I have learned from Buddhism has helped stressful situations from becoming crippling situations.
I have to say that as a Christian counselor, I am pleased that transpersonal psychology gives credence to mystics. I am also glad to see that this sort of philosophy does deal with those who are dealing with psychosis as well as borderline stuff. Have there been any studies done with these populations that prove transpersonal psychotherapy as an effective tool?
One of my favorite quotes is “We are all perfect at our core and the patterns that we’ve all developed have simply hidden it like the clouds before the sun.” I wish I could remember the author, but it was from a yoga lecture or book.
I have found a lot of personal benefits from spiritual teachings that I attempt to introduce to clients.