Psychotherapy as a counterculture, or going beyond the conventional

[Teacher]

I am annoyed by the tendency to talk about psychotherapy as something fashionable. Psychotherapy cannot be fashionable by definition, if only because it is a countercultural phenomenon. Certain provisions influenced popular culture, the language was filled with terms used to the place and out of place, many popular books and articles have been written, but the practice of psychotherapy itself is marginal. I'll try to answer why.

We usually deal with crises in the lives of our clients. A crisis is a state in which it is no longer possible to live in the old way, but how to live in a new way is still completely unclear. A person has already gone to the edge of the old familiar world, whatever the reason for this exit. The birth of a child, marriage, the news of a serious diagnosis, betrayal of a spouse, the collapse of a dream ... What is happening in the present makes us look for support in the experience of the past, but there is nothing suitable for a solution. Sometimes, not only is there no suitable one, but on the contrary - the experience of the past interferes, hurts and leads away from the goal. There are no ready-made solutions in edge states, they usually have a feeling of deadlock, emptiness, loss and mental pain. Anthropologist Victor Turner called these states marginality and liminality. Marginality means reaching the edge, we, in fact, say that we have "reached the edge" when they tried everything known, but it didn't get better. This forces you to go beyond the threshold of a friend, beyond the normal line, if you have the courage - to be in a liminal state. People are on the verge of being lonely. That is why psychotherapists are also marginalized, on the edge to help transition into a new state and return to life. People are on the verge of being lonely. That is why psychotherapists are also marginalized, on the edge to help transition into a new state and return to life. People are on the verge of being lonely. That is why psychotherapists are also marginalized, on the edge to help transition into a new state and return to life.

It is important for me to see the meaning of psychotherapy outside the medical approach, as, in principle, and the psychological approach. These are related practices, but there is an important nuance that I want to emphasize - psychotherapy is directly related to the construction of a new reality, a new quality of life, courageously going over the edge in order to transform oneself and return. The culture has known and continues to know a large number of rituals of transition. In traditional culture, they are regulated, in modern culture they are blurred, often discounted, everyone is forced to look for something that suits him personally. We have to discover again and again in ourselves what Paul Tillich called “the courage to be,” to find strength and move on.

Talking about our life smells of pathos and poetry. But “pathos” literally translates as “feeling”, and “poetry” as “creativity”, and, in fact, we are talking about creativity in the field of relationships and feelings, referring to psychotherapy. Reality grafting happens when we face the context of real crises and problems. Everyday life reigns here, the life of "normal people", behind which you can only guessingly see the hero of an ancient Greek tragedy. But they came to Freud's mind when he created the theory and practice of psychoanalysis, deep down we are much more complex than it seems.

Psychoanalysis turned out to be a means of doubt in the mores of its era, as it remains a means of doubt to this day. What is the true source of rules and regulations? Are they always conscious constructions? How does our past become embodied in the present and affect the future? How to become the master of your own mental space? We understand how we deceive ourselves, finding a pleasant form for fears and internal contradictions. Cruelty can be called discipline, deafness to the needs of the body - asceticism, the fear of intimacy can be replaced by immersion in business. It saves for a while, but the psyche breaks down. The process of returning oneself to oneself is reminiscent of the work of a prospector - among a series of free associations to collect bit by bit the material of the unconscious, which strives to hide. Therefore, the psychotherapist enters this process in two roles - himself and a mirror for his client. The duality of the role, the ability to be authentically present in oneself and empathically in the client is still the main skill of the psychotherapist. The therapist even questions himself by analyzing the countertransference, for which, in Paula Heimann's interpretation, any experience of the therapist in his contact with the client is accepted by default. Instead of an answer, psychotherapy poses a question not only to the client, but also to the therapist himself. The therapist even questions himself by analyzing the countertransference, for which, in Paula Heimann's interpretation, any experience of the therapist in his contact with the client is accepted by default. Instead of an answer, psychotherapy poses a question not only to the client, but also to the therapist himself. The therapist even questions himself by analyzing the countertransference, for which, in Paula Heimann's interpretation, any experience of the therapist in his contact with the client is accepted by default. Instead of an answer, psychotherapy poses a question not only to the client, but also to the therapist himself.

The principle of critical analysis of everyday life, familiar culture has only been developing since the time of Freud. Karen Korny and Erich Fromm wrote about the distorted structure of society, Françoise Dolto and Alexander Neill showed our discriminatory attitude towards children, Paul Tillich and Rollo May pointed to the pervasiveness of anxiety, James Bujenthal and Carl Rogers reminded of the importance of subjectivity. I can go on, but it is already clear that none of the authors was engaged in an apology for the world order, he became a lawyer of man in the face of the world. The hero of the tragedy has an ally who cannot eliminate his suffering, but can be compassionate and help him choose overcoming or accepting.

It's time to return to my thesis that psychotherapy is a marginal and countercultural practice. It is addressed to those who are on the edge, the guide is the person who has learned to help others by exploring his own edge of the world. It opposes part of the culture that the client has learned so that he can build something new. One might wonder if the counterculture is capable of being constructive? Capable. The answer is simple: psychotherapy is not a destructive counterattack that we are used to recognizing easily. This is a counterculture of doubt, but it is customary to fear it even more.

Doubt gradually leaves us without support. Stepping over the edge, we left everything, in the same way the one who goes through the ritual of transition leaves the past life. Perhaps he will return to his tribe even with a new name. But the meaning of the transition is to return, not leave forever. The client must choose life, himself, other people, but do it from a different perspective. What will it be? Nobody knows, choice is a leap into uncertainty.

The therapist creates a space of doubt for the client. It also creates space for self-discovery. This is a refuge in which the outside world can become silent, so that it becomes possible to hear the voice coming from within, and upon hearing it, to find that way of life in which I can be real, remaining equal with others and with myself.