What are the clinical and soulful tasks we encounter as we help another to become whole? As clinicians and professional caregivers, we often rely on our personal experience – our understanding of our own psychologies and pathologies – as a primary guide in our work with others. We also rely on the standard diagnostic models we have inherited and which dominate clinical practice. The perspective of depth psychology honors a different kind of guide, focusing on the unique perspectives of those with whom we work. The symbolic and imagined meanings they attribute to their own stories—to their individual and soulful journeys —can yield rich and valuable information for the professional providing care.
Can one create an alliance between standard clinical models of psychopathology and that of depth psychology, which understands symptoms as speaking the symbolic language of the soul? In this workshop, we will explore how these perspectives can complement and enrich each other. We will examine the ethical consequences involved in a one-dimensional perspective, in which we fail to see the unique suffering of the individual either because of our diagnostic labeling or through our over-reliance on symbolic interpretation. Using lecture, film clips, and individual and group exercises, we will explore the potential risks and rewards (both for those who seek care and for the caregiver) when an alliance exists between both perspectives. |
