Frank in mind: a journey to self

Abstract

This paper describes two years’ intensive psychotherapy with an 11 year old boy I shall call Lou, who as a result of traumatic experiences in his early life, struggled to integrate a robust sense of self and in particular to find accord with a sense of himself as male. The impact of maternal depression, paternal gender dysphoria and domestic violence are discussed in relation to this young boy’s capacity to resolve the ordinary Oedipal challenge and find narcissistic value in a male body image to consolidate his gender identity. Concomitant difficulties with separation from his mother and aggression towards himself and others significantly impacted his ability to manage in a mainstream school environment and he was excluded at the time the therapy began. A clinical narrative is presented which illustrates Lou’s journey in psychotherapy, where he began to engage and allow links to be made. He sought to understand his position in a world that did not make sense to him, to face a hitherto ‘unthinkable’ past and to integrate disparate aspects of himself including a male gender identity. Notably Lou’s creation of ‘Frank’ constructed from dead, lost and reanimated objects is described and the actual and symbolic functions of this therapy object are discussed in relation to his internal development and the progress of the work. Parallels are drawn with Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, where the creature strives for psychological birth and understanding. Lou and I struggled in the paradox of the themes of his narrative; a male/female father; potency and castration; corruption and repair and how to be a boy, held and helped in part through the paternal function of a female therapist.     

Posttraumatic Growth and Sexual Violence: A Literature Review

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is the positive psychological growth that a person might experience after enduring a traumatic event. PTG is a relatively new area of research identified by researchers because it represents a shift in thinking. Rather than focusing on the negative consequences of trauma, it explores the potential for positive outcomes associated with trauma. Although PTG is well documented across different types of traumas, it is unclear how this kind of growth stems from sexual violence, specifically. This review provides an overview of the literature concerning PTG that is associated with sexual violence. Results across the literature indicate that sexual violence is consistently associated with PTG. However, given the inconsistency in research designs, assessment, and operational definitions used to study PTG, many researchers suggest that it might be difficult to determine how and when PTG occurs. This study provides a literature review of the research on PTG in the aftermath of sexual violence. Important implications for future directions and trauma-based therapy are discussed and include the identification of relevant predictors, the importance of context, and how service providers might benefit from a better understanding of PTG.     

The Biblical Canon of Early Evangelical Feminists

In the earliest decades of the promotion of evangelical reform, several writers argued that in such times, women were also being called to speak out publicly, following prompting by the Spirit in interpreting Scripture. This article explores the work of three women in the upper Rhine region and in Geneva, analyzing their use of Scripture to determine the form and content of their arguments for a woman’s voice in the Church. In the process they also had to counter the Scriptures which were traditionally used to prohibit the female contribution. A brief comparison is drawn with Anne Askew in England. The study finds that these women showed broad familiarity with Scripture and significant sophistication; but it also observes how as Protestant churches developed, male theologians reasserted the traditional prohibitions, so that women found themselves again relegated to public silence.     

“Coming out” among gay Latino and gay White men: implications of verbal disclosure for well-being

We examined how verbal disclosure affects subjective well-being among gay Latino and White men. In Study 1, increased gay identification predicted increased verbal disclosure for gay White men but not for gay Latino men, who reported verbal disclosure levels in line with a tacit coming out strategy (expressing one’s sexual orientation to others more non-verbally) regardless of their gay identification. Moreover, low verbal disclosure hindered subjective well-being only for gay White men. In Study 2, we show that increased intrinsic self-expression and higher relational self-construal explained the positive relationship between verbal disclosure and well-being among gay White men. This mediational model did not hold for gay Latino men. We discuss verbal disclosure in relation to mainstream understandings of coming out.     

The Roles of Family,Friends, and Romantic/Sexual Partners in the Body Image of Sexual Minority Men

The purpose of this study was to explore the roles of family, friends, and romantic/sexual partners in the body image development of sexual minority men. Data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research methodology. Romantic/sexual partners, family, and friends were all found to play influential roles in body development, with romantic/sexual partners being the most significant and friends being the least significant. Implications for counselors and counselor educators, as well as suggestions for future research, are provided.     

男性不育症的社会心理因素

男性不育症是一种多方面因素共同作用的综合征,在临床治疗中如果只考虑其中的一方面因素是不全面的．治标不治本。因此必须多加考虑其他影响因素,其中的社会心理因素尤为重要。针对不育症的社会心理因素加以阐述。     

Gay male sexual assault survivors: the relations among internalized homophobia, experiential avoidance, and psychological symptom severity

This study explored the relations among internalized homophobia (IH), experiential avoidance, and psychological symptom severity in a community sample of 74 gay male sexual assault survivors. Results indicated that IH is associated with both depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. IH accounted for more variance than assault severity in predicting both PTSD and depression symptom severity. IH and experiential avoidance similarly predicted PTSD symptom severity. In comparison with IH, however, experiential avoidance is a stronger predictor of depression symptom severity. Results also showed that experiential avoidance partially mediated the relation between IH and both depressive and PTSD symptom severity. The implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.     

John Prine’s Images of God and Male Melancholia: Terror,Forgiveness, and the Persistence of Desire

Examines the God-representations of the country-folk singer John Prine in the light of psychological theory about male melancholia, drawing from Donald Capps and Erik H. Erikson. Describes the manner in which songwriting serves as a therapeutic enterprise to express and interpret melancholia in Prine's lyrics, especially in the songs "Saddle in the Rain" and "Fish and Whistle." At times these images evoke terror and at other times they humorously erase the authority divide between the divine and the human, suggesting that God may even need to be forgiven. Describing how melancholia is rooted in the man's experience with mother, this article interprets Prine's image of God in light of the need for sustenance, acknowledgement, and care.

公正世界信念：概念、测量、及研究热点

公正世界信念是美国心理学家Lerner最先提出的一个概念,即人们需要相信他们所处的世界是一个公正有序的世界,在这样一个世界里,人们得其所应得,并且所得即应得。公正世界信念为个体提供了一种对世界的可控制感,从而使人贯注于长远目标,并遵循社会规范行事。这对个体适应复杂的物理和社会环境具有重要意义。文章对公正世界信念的概念、测量、及当前的研究热点进行了简要介绍,并且指出,探讨公正世界信念与其他心理公正研究诸分支的区别和联系,借鉴内隐社会认知、内隐动机研究中的一些技术方法来研究公正世界信念,深入探索公正世界信念发挥作用的潜意识机制,可能是这一领域研究的发展方向     

Counsellors’ and psychologists’ experience of working with male survivors of sexual trauma: a pilot study

A qualitative study was undertaken to enhance awareness of the therapeutic needs of the male survivor of sexual trauma through exploration of counsellors’ and psychologists’ experience of working with this client group. The participants were 32 counsellors and psychologists who work for an NHS Trust department. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data which was gathered by means of a postal questionnaire. Six categories emerged from the analysis that highlighted prevalent experience. These were: (a) that the therapist's gender was important, (b) professional concerns, (c) the importance of the relationship, (d) transference/counter transference, (e) that male and female abusive experiences are the same and (f) attention to client's presenting problems. The main conclusions derived from these results and implications for practice are considered.