TRAUMATIZATION FROM A PSYCHOSYNTHESIS PERSPECTIVE

Traumatization of various kinds is common among people that we work with as therapists. But what do we exactly mean by the word trauma, and how is it different from other forms of psychological suffering?

This workshop offers an understanding of the effects of traumatization on the psyche, and some practical tools for working with healing and integration. We will focus on how the models and ways of working that we already have as psychosynthesis practitioners can be adapted to meet the needs of more traumatized clients.

My inspiration for this way of understanding psychosynthesis in relation to trauma comes mainly from the theories and methods of Mentalization Based Therapy and Compassion Focussed Therapy, that have many similarities. Both these approaches see the split between parts of the personality as the main symptom of traumatization and are focused primarily on healing those internal relationships.

In psychosynthesis terms we will be referring to subpersonalities in relation to traumatization, and the grounding of transpersonal experiences since it is common among traumatized persons to have a genuine openness to the spiritual which is also used as an escape.

is a psychotherapist and supervisor in private practice, and a trainer at the Psychosynthesis Academy of Stockholm where he has been teaching for twenty five years. Fredrik has also trained in relational and affect focused psychotherapy, and most recently compassion focused therapy. He describes his therapeutic orientation as integrative and strives to adapt his way of working to the needs of each particular client.

www.flundh.se

Eros And Psyche In Practice

As Psychosynthesis practitioners, we often tend to approach our client´s presenting problem as a request for guidance on a journey of self-discovery. In the myth of Eros and Psyche it is the Beauty of Consciousness which enables Psyche to find her self in shedding light upon the relationship in which her own innocence holds her hostage; in doing so, however, Psyche unwittingly eclipses Eros.

During her journey, Psyche learns the dance of surrender and will and it is this which leads to a true union with Eros. As we can imagine, the essence of this myth often manifests itself in the therapy room- not only within the client but also within the therapist- and in the ‘field’ between client and therapist.

During this workshop we shall be using this myth as a context within which to explore and share our experiences as therapists. To quote James Hillman: “My own individuation impulse, my desire for Psyche, must be ignited. The therapist’s desire is to bring health of awareness, imagination, and beauty to life in the soul and to constellate with his/her psyche the eros of the other”.

Jaap Buijs Just a click away – meet him on

From a background as a social worker and later a Jungian archetypal astrologer, I started my training at the London Institute of Psychosynthesis in 1983. Since then, I have been working as a Psychosynthesistherapist, supervisor and trainer (currently as member of the training staff of the ‘Broedplaats’ in the Netherlands) www.jaapbuijs.org