2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 02:26
The best gestaltist -
a weak-minded autist …
Opinion…
In a professional environment, there are humorous statements that a good therapist should be stupid, autistic, immoral, etc. One of these statements I put in the epigraph of this article.
Despite the seeming absurdity of such statements, they have their own rational grain. In this article I will speculate about “ therapeutic dullness as an important professional quality of a therapist.
How can “therapeutic dullness” manifest itself in the therapeutic process? In what situations can it be a useful tool for the therapist?
I think that the applied manifestation of "therapeutic stupidity" will be the presence in the arsenal of the therapist naive therapeutic stance … It is clear that the therapeutic arsenal of the therapist is not limited only to this tool.
To the naive therapist alien to narcissistic omniscient arrogance, he can afford not to know something, not to do something, but somewhere and specially "slow down" or "blunt".
Naive therapeutic stance (hereinafter naivete therapist) will be appropriate and useful, in my opinion, in the following situations:
- At the stage of diagnosing the personality and problems of the client;
- In the process of further work with the client;
- At the stage of his assimilation of experience.
Consider how a naive therapist will behave at the stages of work with a client highlighted above?
Naive therapist in the research phase will not be in a hurry to make hasty diagnostic conclusions. He will remain in a deep phenomenological position.
How will this be manifested? The naive therapist will not draw quick, clairvoyant conclusions. He will carefully and scrupulously investigate the phenomena of the client that appear in contact. In relation to the client and his problem, the therapist's naive position will manifest itself in his interest and curiosity: How does this work for you? How is it for you? How do you feel? What do you mean by that? How do you do it? and etc.
This kind of naivety of the therapist will prevent him from drawing hasty premature conclusions. And then he has a chance to see the client as a person, to break through the symptomatic perception of his problem, to look behind the symptom. Thus, he will be able to avoid typification, generalizations, classifications, to notice the uniqueness and specific individuality of the client and his inner world.
Naive therapist in the process of further work with the client will accompany the client in the research and solution of his problems, not to rush him, and not to rush himself. He will not do his work for the client, he will not prompt him with ready-made solutions. The naive therapist will enable the client to find answers and discover their own truths.
A naive therapist will not push the client towards any choice, much less make this choice for him. Even if this choice will be obvious to him. He will help the client to explore the very situation of choice, to consider together with him the likely options, to recognize possible fears and resistances on the path of choice. And wait … Wait as long as necessary, until the client matures and makes his choice.
A naive therapist will not evaluate the client's choice, no matter how he treats him. He can express his opinion here, warning the client about the possible negative consequences of his choice (for example, the client's decision to remain in a codependent relationship). But at the same time, the naive therapist will accept the client's choice, and will support him along the path of following this choice. He will respect the client's choice and his right to his unique life.
Naive therapist at the final stage of therapy will not draw conclusions for the client.
He will not discount his personal findings. Together with the client, he will sincerely rejoice at his discoveries, realizing the importance of such for him. The naive therapist will allow the client to determine the value of the new experience he has discovered and will help assimilate it into his new identity.
A naive therapist will not rush the client to set and solve new problems. He will help the client to slow down and enjoy what has been achieved.
Can you afford to be naive sometimes?
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