Institute for Transpersonal Psychology- any thoughts?

[WisNeuro]

. Catharsis plus insight can be very similar to exposure plus cognitive restructuring. hmmm

I buy in to some of the dynamic theories to a point (attachment) but catharsis doesn't have a lot of empirical backing, very contradictory literature.

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[smalltownpsych]

I buy in to some of the dynamic theories to a point (attachment) but catharsis doesn't have a lot of empirical backing, very contradictory literature.

True. Catharsis alone is not curative. Research is pretty clear on that and some therapists that focus solely on emotional expression can harm patients, but I am thinking that allowing for the healthy expression of emotional material with another person who responds appropriately is part of what we all do with patients. There are patients who are unable to regulate emotions and emotional expression is not very theraputic so I tend to have cognitive sessions. I love to draw diagrams for patients with BPD. Other patients struggle with being able to feel anything but tension, stress, and anxiety, as they use intellectual strategies to cope with distressing emotion. They tend to do better if they can emote a bit. More research needs to be done, for sure, but the way that people present and the way that their brains are "wired" points to this being the case.

 

[WisNeuro]

True, but what you're describing is seems to fit more in the realm of social modeling combined with cognitive restructuring.

 

[smalltownpsych]

True, but what you're describing is seems to fit more in the realm of social modeling combined with cognitive restructuring.

Like I said, real psychologists might disagree over the finer points of effective treatment, but it's a far cry from the moonbeams and fairy dust!

 

[WisNeuro]

Maybe, but that's just principles of CBT, with social modeling thrown in, not really dynamic treatment.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Maybe, but that's just principles of CBT, with social modeling thrown in, not really dynamic treatment.

I didn't think that social modeling is the same thing as the concept of the self-regulating other concept in object relations. Also, there is no law that says that a psychodynamically oriented practitioner can't use EBTs, is there?

 

[WisNeuro]

Well, the "allowing for the healthy expression of emotional material with another person who responds appropriately" is really just social modeling. An no, no law against it at all, I am fine with eclectic approaches. I just call it like I see it.