EXPLORING THE LANDSCAPE OF THE MIND IBD

Sinopse

Psychotherapy is an adventure into uncharted territory&mdash,the landscape of the mind. As therapists, beginning atreatment takes us on a journey into the unmapped interioráof a person&rsquo,s soul. We do not know what awesome vistas,áformidable obstacles and strange inhabitants we will encounter.áBut we do know that the exploration of the self is the patháto finding answers to some of life&rsquo,s greatest personal mysteriesásuch as How did I become the person I am? How can I addressáthe mystery of my problems in living? What do I really want?áWho am I?á Psychodynamic treatment is akin to the great voyagesáof discovery in which significant danger are faced but theárewards of discovery outweigh the difficulties of the journeyá(Levin, 2017). On all such encounters, each participantá has aánecessary role to playáas they together embark on an adventureáthat has no equal.Uncovering complex mental processes (many of which areáunconscious) in the context of an ongoing, intimate relationshipáis the core of psychodynamic therapy. It demands intellectualáunderstanding, emotional connectedness and, ideally, a senseáof humor to help keep things in perspective. Doing psychotherapyátests patient and therapist alike, asking them both to dealáwith fears, tensions, losses, limitations, exposure and maintainingáa focus on the growing edge of development through theáinevitable setbacks and disappointments. But it also providesáan arena for authentic relatedness and a commitment to the collaborativeáwork of knowing a person&rsquo,s internal life. The potentialáfor understanding generated by psychotherapy is unrivaled.áShedler (2010) reports the recurring finding that &ldquo,the benefitsáof psychodynamic therapy not only endure but increase withátime&rdquo, in contrast to non-dynamic therapies whose gains decayáover time (p. 102&ndash,103). In the words of students who have capturedáthe essence succinctly: &ldquo,It goes deeper.&rdquo, &ldquo,It goes to theáheart.&rdquo,The primary function of this book is to help the reader begin a voyage of discovery. While everyone&rsquo,s path will bedifferent, there are steps each of us can take to understand theáminds of others and thereby to organize our own as therapists.áThe techniques developed in this book focus primarily on theáordinary processes of mental organization, processes that areádetermined by the interaction of biological, emotional andáinterpersonal factors during the child&rsquo,s early years. In additionáto addressing how normal development informs psychodynamicátechnique, this book also highlights the long-termáeffects of traumatic emotional experiences on the child&rsquo,s mentaláfunctioning.á