Walking in the lost child's tracks: revisiting the therapeutic nature of reclaiming

This paper outlines the research methodology used as part of a professional doctorate in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The project researched the maternal state of mind following the loss of an infant or small child and the birth of the next baby. Three mothers were seen for psychoanalytic psychotherapy on a weekly basis as part of this research. They were encouraged to bring their new baby to sessions. The author describes how an interest in this area of research developed as a result of working as a child psychotherapist with 'replacement children' (Cain and Cain, 1964). An argument is made to show that the psychoanalytic method is unique and that the psychoanalytic setting may be considered an 'ideal laboratory' (Fonagy and Moran, 1993) for psychoanalytic psychotherapeutic research. Clinical material is used from one case study to show how material can be analysed and demonstrates the research methodology used within the project. The material explores the developing therapeutic relationship and focuses on the way one mother in the research group experienced the loss of a small child prior to the birth of her next baby. Cet article décrit brièvement la méthodologie de recherche employée dans le cadre d'un doctorat professionnel en psychothérapie psychanalytique. Le projet de recherche porte sur l'état psychique maternel à la suite de la perte d'un nourrisson ou d'un enfant en bas âge lorsque un nouveau bébé vient à naître. Dans le cadre de cette recherche, trois mères ont bénéficié d'une psychothérapie psychanalytique à raison d'une séance hebdomadaire. Il leur était proposé d'amener leur bébé aux séances. L'auteur décrit comment son intérêt pour ce champ de recherche s'est développé à partir de son travail de psychothérapeute d'enfants auprès d'"enfants de remplacement" [A. Cain & B. Cain 1964]. Elle affirme que la méthode psychanalytique à sa propre valeur et que le cadre psychanalytique peut être considéré comme un "laboratoire idéal" [P. Fonagy & G. Moran 1993] pour la recherche en psychothérapie psychanalytique. Le matériel clinique d'une étude de cas montre comment l'analyser et illustre la méthodologie de la recherche employée dans ce projet. Ce matériel explore l'évolution de la relation thérapeutique et traite en détail de la façon dont une des mères de l'échantillon a vécu la perte d'un enfant en bas âge avant la naissance de son bébé actuel. Questo articolo mette in rilievo la metodologia di ricerca utilizzata come parte di un dottorato professionale in psicoterapia psicoanalitica. Il progetto di ricerca studiava lo stato mentale materno conseguente la perdita di un neonato o bambino piccolo e la nascita del bambino successivo. Come parte della ricerca tre madri furono seguite una volta alla settimana in psicoterapia psicoanalitica, ed incoraggiate a portare alle sedute i loro nuovi bebe'. L'autore descrive come il suo interesse in questa area si e' sviluppato conseguentemente al suo lavoro come psicoterapeuta infantile con 'bambini sostituti' (Cain e Cain, 1964. Si cerca di mostrare l'unicita' del metodo psicoanalitico e come esso possa essere considerato un 'laboratorio ideale' (Fonagy e Moran, 1993) per la ricerca in psicoterapia psicoanalitica. Viene usato il materiale clinico di un caso per mostrare come esso possa essere analizzato e illustrare il metodo di ricerca usato nel progetto. Il materiale esplora la relazione terapeutica nel suo evolversi e si concentra sul modo in cui una madre nel gruppo di ricerca visse la perdita di un bambino piccolo precedente la nascita dell'altro bebe'. Dieser Artikel umreisst die Forschungsmethodik, die als Teil einer Doktorarbeit in psychoanalytischer Psychotherapie verwendet wurde. Das Projekt erforschte den müterlichen Gemütszustand nach dem Verlust eines Babys oder kleinen Kindes und der Geburt des nächsten Babys. Als Teil dieser Forschung wurden drei Mütter einmal wöchentlich in Psychotherapie gesehen. Sie wurden ermuntert, ihr Neugeborenes zu den Stunden mitzubringen. Die Autorin beschreibt, wie das Interesse in diesem Forschungsbereich sich als Folge ihrer Arbeit als Kinderpsychotherapeutin mit 'Ersatzkindern' entwickelt hatte. (Cain und Cain 1964). Es wird argumentiert, dass die psychoanalytische Methode einzigartig ist und das psychoanalytische Setting als ein 'ideales Labor' (Fonagy und Moran,1993) für psychoanalytische psychotherapeutische Forschung angesehen werden kann. Es wird klinisches Material einer Fallstudie benutzt, um zu zeigen, wie das Material analysiert werden kann und es demonstriert die Forschungsmethodik, die im Projekt benutzt wird. Das Material erforscht die sich entwickelnde therapeutische Beziehung und legt den Schwerpunkt auf die Art und Weise, wie eine Mutter in der Forschungsgruppe den Verlust eines kleinen Kindes vor der Geburt ihres nächsten Babys erlebte.     

Positive psychotherapy for distressed cancer survivors: Posttraumatic growth facilitation reduces posttraumatic stress

Background/Objective

There is increasing evidence that positive life changes, such as posttraumatic growth (PTG), can result from the experience of coping with cancer. However, no interventions have been specifically designed to facilitate the development of PTG in cancer. In this article, we describe and assess the results of Positive Psychotherapy for Cancer (PPC) survivors. It aims to facilitate PTG as a way of achieving significant reductions in the symptoms of emotional distress and posttraumatic stress. In addition, the corroboration of this PTG facilitation is assessed using interpersonal indicators. Method: We allocated 126 consecutive survivors of cancer with high levels of emotional distress and who were seeking psychological support to either an experimental group (PPC) or a waiting list group. Results: The PPC group obtained significantly better results after treatment than the control group, showing reduced distress, decreased posttraumatic symptoms, and increased PTG. The benefits were maintained at 3 and 12 months’ follow-up. Participants’ PTG was correlated to the PTG that their significant others attributed to them, corroborating PTG facilitation. Conclusions: PPC appears to promote significant long-term PTG and can reduce emotional distress and posttraumatic stress in cancer survivors. In addition, PTG facilitation induced by PPC is corroborated by significant others.     

Integration versus conflict between schools of dream theory and dreamwork: integrating the psychological core qualities of dreams with the contemporary knowledge of the dreaming brain

The various ways schools of psychotherapy relate to dreams have been marked by isolationism and mutual conflict rather than self-examination and then integrating the discoveries and methods of other schools. Jung’s method was in opposition to Freud’s psychoanalysis. Existential psychology was dismissive of Freud’s and Jung’s discoveries, while cognitive dream interpretation and cognitive therapy sought other roads entirely. In addition, scientific and neuropsychological dream research has been only insignificantly tied to the psychotherapeutic dream theories. These conflicts and the lack of a comprehensive dream theory has made it convenient for the current rationalist collective consciousness and treatment systems to reject the often times challenging knowledge about ourselves that dreams can provide. This paper describes how contemporary theories of complex cybernetic information networks can create an overriding, constructive framework for uncovering common traits within the above-mentioned branches of dream research and dreamwork. Within this framework, ten core qualities are delineated, supported by both therapeutic knowledge as well as scientific research: 1) Dreams deal with matters important to us; 2) Dreams symbolize; 3) Dreams personify; 4) Dreams are trial runs in a safe place; 5) Dreams are online to unconscious intelligence; 6) Dreams are pattern recognition; 7) Dreams are high level communication; 8) Dreams are condensed information; 9) Dreams are experiences of wholeness; 10) Dreams are psychological energy landscapes. For each core quality I describe short dreamwork sequences from my own practice and a schematic image of how I perceive the overriding interaction between systems in the dreaming brain. For each core quality recommendations for practical dreamwork are provided. Finally, I draw attention to dreams as a huge psychological resource for humankind.