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PsychospiritualityPsychospiritualityand and

Counseling the YouthCounseling the Youth

bybyRamon Clemente Martin F. LachicaRamon Clemente Martin F. Lachica

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Psychospirituality and Counseling the Psychospirituality and Counseling the YouthYouth

Part I. Part I. Implicit Relational SpiritualityImplicit Relational Spirituality

(Emotion and Transformation in the Relational (Emotion and Transformation in the Relational Spirituality Paradigm by Leffel, 2007)Spirituality Paradigm by Leffel, 2007)

(Psycho)Spirituality(Psycho)Spirituality

the result of nurturing one’s soul or spiritthe result of nurturing one’s soul or spirit

a way of experiencing realitya way of experiencing reality

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sensitivity, appreciation and connection sensitivity, appreciation and connection with the numinouswith the numinous

our feelings, acts, experiences as we our feelings, acts, experiences as we apprehend ourselves to stand in relation to apprehend ourselves to stand in relation to whatever we may consider divine whatever we may consider divine

has inner, phenomenological reality as well has inner, phenomenological reality as well as external manifestationas external manifestation

not necessarily religiousnot necessarily religious

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Qualities of a Spiritual PersonQualities of a Spiritual Person

1.1. Having a sense of Transcendence (i.e., capacity to go beyond Having a sense of Transcendence (i.e., capacity to go beyond one’s limitations)one’s limitations)

2.2. Having a sense of the Sacred (e.g., reality, holy, well-being, Having a sense of the Sacred (e.g., reality, holy, well-being, gratitude)gratitude)

3.3. Having a sense of Being Connected with the OtherHaving a sense of Being Connected with the Other

4.4. Being fully present to life experience; the Here and NowBeing fully present to life experience; the Here and Now

5.5. Having a sense of Communion and Oneness with NatureHaving a sense of Communion and Oneness with Nature

6.6. Having a sense of MissionHaving a sense of Mission

7.7. Acceptance of the Ordinariness of LifeAcceptance of the Ordinariness of Life

8.8. Having a sense of Compassion and IdealismHaving a sense of Compassion and Idealism

9.9. Having an awareness of the TragicHaving an awareness of the Tragic

10.10. Having the Capacity to Embrace the Polarities in Life (e.g., holding Having the Capacity to Embrace the Polarities in Life (e.g., holding on & letting go; certainty & ambiguity)on & letting go; certainty & ambiguity)

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Implicit Relational SpiritualityImplicit Relational SpiritualityEmphasizes the role of emotional processes both Emphasizes the role of emotional processes both

as mediator of, and consequences of as mediator of, and consequences of transformationtransformation

Implicit Relational KnowledgeImplicit Relational Knowledge

- a network of affectively-charged relational - a network of affectively-charged relational experiences one has acquired in the course of experiences one has acquired in the course of a lifetime; knowledge of “how to be with” (e.g., a lifetime; knowledge of “how to be with” (e.g., how to trust, empathy, reciprocate, love); forms how to trust, empathy, reciprocate, love); forms the foundation of moral characterthe foundation of moral character

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MoralMoral AffectiveAffective CapacitiesCapacities

- Emotions that serve as Moral Motives that Emotions that serve as Moral Motives that hinder/enable prosocial action (e.g., guilt, hinder/enable prosocial action (e.g., guilt, hate, empathy, forgiveness) imbedded in hate, empathy, forgiveness) imbedded in Implicit Relational StructuresImplicit Relational Structures

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Implicit Relational RepresentationsImplicit Relational Representations– – repeated relational experiences, sharing a common repeated relational experiences, sharing a common

affective core, that are conceptually encoded in affective core, that are conceptually encoded in associative memory as meaning structures; motivates the associative memory as meaning structures; motivates the person’s actionsperson’s actions

nonconscious, generated rapidly and automatically without nonconscious, generated rapidly and automatically without deliberate reflection or reasoning, can energize or deliberate reflection or reasoning, can energize or obstruct loving actsobstruct loving acts

““through exposure to relational skills first enacted by others, through exposure to relational skills first enacted by others, and then by personal participation, one acquires basic and then by personal participation, one acquires basic procedural “how to” knowledge of the capacities, and procedural “how to” knowledge of the capacities, and through practice they become increasingly implicit and through practice they become increasingly implicit and automatic” (Principle follows Skill)automatic” (Principle follows Skill)

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Implicit and Procedural vs. Explicit and Implicit and Procedural vs. Explicit and Declarative Declarative

Implicit – refers to knowledge, affect, motives Implicit – refers to knowledge, affect, motives that remain out of one’s awareness in that remain out of one’s awareness in associative memory, but may be made associative memory, but may be made conscious (e.g., mindfulness, insight) and conscious (e.g., mindfulness, insight) and symbolically represented (empty chair, symbolically represented (empty chair, transference)transference)

Procedural – refers to what is done; the “how Procedural – refers to what is done; the “how to”; method of doing; course of action to”; method of doing; course of action

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Affective, Motivational and Relational Affective, Motivational and Relational vs. vs.

Cognitivist-Rationalist Cognitivist-Rationalist (Insight-oriented)(Insight-oriented)

““people are fundamentally motivated by, people are fundamentally motivated by, and develop in the context of and develop in the context of emotionally significant relationships”emotionally significant relationships”

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Assumptions of the Implicit Relational Assumptions of the Implicit Relational Spirituality Spirituality (Benner, 1988; Hall, 2004)(Benner, 1988; Hall, 2004)

1.1. The Psychospiritual Unity of Personality The Psychospiritual Unity of Personality

““the psychological and spiritual aspects of human the psychological and spiritual aspects of human functioning are inextricably connected, and functioning are inextricably connected, and any segregation of spirituality and psychology any segregation of spirituality and psychology is, both artificial and destructive”is, both artificial and destructive”

2. Universal Prevenience (i.e., ever-present)2. Universal Prevenience (i.e., ever-present)

““psychological structures & processes form psychological structures & processes form the natural ground the natural ground for certain higher-order directional strivings”for certain higher-order directional strivings”

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3. Telic Directionality3. Telic Directionality

- Man’s direction is toward: relationality, self-- Man’s direction is toward: relationality, self-construction, transcendence construction, transcendence

4. Structural Mediation 4. Structural Mediation

- the implicit structure guide and motivate - the implicit structure guide and motivate relationships with other people and mediate relationships with other people and mediate one’s experience of the Sacred Other one’s experience of the Sacred Other

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5. Developmental Complementarity5. Developmental Complementarity

““psychological growth precedes spiritual psychological growth precedes spiritual maturity”maturity”

(e.g., Erikson’s capacity to trust)(e.g., Erikson’s capacity to trust)

6. Implicit Structural Change6. Implicit Structural Change

- the goal of counseling is to change - the goal of counseling is to change (enhance or diminish) the implicit (enhance or diminish) the implicit structures of personalitystructures of personality

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7. Intersubjective Relatedness7. Intersubjective Relatedness

The emergence of new moral capacities The emergence of new moral capacities takes place in the context of takes place in the context of relationships (natural, therapeutic)relationships (natural, therapeutic)

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Goal of the Implicit Relational Goal of the Implicit Relational SpiritualitySpirituality

““The capacity to construct, and freedom to The capacity to construct, and freedom to express a mature form of personal express a mature form of personal relatedness (through love) from an relatedness (through love) from an increasingly capable character”increasingly capable character”

- Manifested in terms of prosocial moral - Manifested in terms of prosocial moral affective capacities (such as trust, empathy, affective capacities (such as trust, empathy, reciprocity, forgiveness, love=generative reciprocity, forgiveness, love=generative care)care)

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- That these capacities become a psychological - That these capacities become a psychological resource, easily accessible and which resource, easily accessible and which contribute to the achievement of adaptive and contribute to the achievement of adaptive and rewarding intrapsychic and interpersonal rewarding intrapsychic and interpersonal functioningfunctioning

- They facilitate emotional investment in the - They facilitate emotional investment in the strengths development of self-selected othersstrengths development of self-selected others

- Freedom from afflictive (negative) motives and - Freedom from afflictive (negative) motives and emotions that obstruct one’s capacity to invest emotions that obstruct one’s capacity to invest on the otheron the other

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Strategies to Achieve the GoalStrategies to Achieve the Goal1. Action of Illumination1. Action of Illumination

- Enhancement of knowledge (mindfulness) Enhancement of knowledge (mindfulness) and facilitating Insightand facilitating Insight

- Facilitating awareness of the connection Facilitating awareness of the connection between past hurtful relationships and between past hurtful relationships and present unloving motives, attitudes and present unloving motives, attitudes and relational patternsrelational patterns

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2. Action of Subtraction2. Action of Subtraction

- Enhancement of knowledge (mindfulness) Enhancement of knowledge (mindfulness) and facilitating Insightand facilitating Insight

- Facilitating detachment from the Facilitating detachment from the compulsion to repeat unloving motives, compulsion to repeat unloving motives, attitudes and relational patterns (through attitudes and relational patterns (through narrative emotion disclosure)narrative emotion disclosure)

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3. Action of Addition3. Action of Addition

- Engagement in more mature interactive Engagement in more mature interactive experiences with others (therapist, experiences with others (therapist, others)others)

- Internalization of more mature others; Internalization of more mature others; acquisition of virtues through “moments acquisition of virtues through “moments of meeting”of meeting”

* Transformation is Cyclical/Spiral* Transformation is Cyclical/Spiral

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II. Praxis/ApplicationII. Praxis/ApplicationConstructing The Story of the “Good Life”/ The Constructing The Story of the “Good Life”/ The

“Quest”“Quest”

- weaving the events and details of their lives weaving the events and details of their lives into a more or less coherent story providing into a more or less coherent story providing them with a meaningful past, and a hopeful them with a meaningful past, and a hopeful futurefuture

- the story could be in the form of:the story could be in the form of: a written/verbal narrativea written/verbal narrative an illustration (drawing, multi-material)an illustration (drawing, multi-material)

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Guide Questions in Constructing the Story:Guide Questions in Constructing the Story:

““What is your Goal in Life?” (practical and What is your Goal in Life?” (practical and ideal)ideal)

““What (Who) are the problems/obstacles you What (Who) are the problems/obstacles you face(d) in your journey?” (external & face(d) in your journey?” (external & internal)internal)

““What (Who) helped you conquer these What (Who) helped you conquer these obstacles? (external & internal) obstacles? (external & internal)

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Process QuestionsProcess Questions::

Focuses on meaning-making, creation of new Focuses on meaning-making, creation of new meanings, sense of purpose, self-realization, meanings, sense of purpose, self-realization, constructing an identity and re-interpretation of constructing an identity and re-interpretation of identity, virtue acquisition through identity, virtue acquisition through Mindfulness, Insight questions, Art, Mindfulness, Insight questions, Art, Imagination, Empty chairImagination, Empty chair

““Is your life good?” “If life is not good, what Is your life good?” “If life is not good, what makes it so?”makes it so?”

““What does this tell u about your identity, What does this tell u about your identity, strengths, weaknesses?”strengths, weaknesses?”

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““In what way are they an obstacle?” “How did In what way are they an obstacle?” “How did they come about?”they come about?”

““What good can come out of them?”What good can come out of them?”

““Could they be interpreted as good?” “If not, How Could they be interpreted as good?” “If not, How could they be transformed to be good?”could they be transformed to be good?”

““What can u do (specific behaviors) to enhance What can u do (specific behaviors) to enhance your strengths/virtues? And diminish vices? To your strengths/virtues? And diminish vices? To achieve your goal?”achieve your goal?”

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Questions for the CounselorQuestions for the Counselor::

What is the client’s moral stance? (refers to What is the client’s moral stance? (refers to the person’s perspective from which he/she the person’s perspective from which he/she can judge the quality of his/her own life and can judge the quality of his/her own life and the loves of others)the loves of others)

What is the client’s conception of the What is the client’s conception of the good/virtue and the bad/vice?good/virtue and the bad/vice?

What is the client’s sense of life meaning and What is the client’s sense of life meaning and purpose?purpose?

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Are there “neurtue” or neurotic virtues?Are there “neurtue” or neurotic virtues?

What are the existing relationships, emotions What are the existing relationships, emotions that serve as hindrances to the client’s that serve as hindrances to the client’s growth? How did these come about?growth? How did these come about?

What are the client’s opportunities for What are the client’s opportunities for emotional investment on the other (e.g., emotional investment on the other (e.g., romantic relationships)romantic relationships)

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Not All “Good Life” Stories are Not All “Good Life” Stories are Good:Good:

1. A clear conception of its final 1. A clear conception of its final telostelos (end, future, (end, future, goal)goal)

2. An education both as to the character of that 2. An education both as to the character of that which is sought (Goal, God, Self) and an which is sought (Goal, God, Self) and an education in self-knowledgeeducation in self-knowledge

3. Specifies particular practices that enable 3. Specifies particular practices that enable acquisition of the virtues necessary and acquisition of the virtues necessary and appropriate to the quest, and as envisioned appropriate to the quest, and as envisioned within some specific social traditionwithin some specific social tradition