no abstract available / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / (M.Th.(Pastoral Therapy)

The purpose of this study was to determine the role and function of family recreational storytelling across the lifespan from the perspective of parents and their adult children. Twelve adults, (six pairs of adult children and their parents) were interviewed. Questions focused on ascertaining the meaning of storytelling (including the role, purpose, and function) from the perspectives of the parents and children from the same family unit. Interviews were transcribed and themes were identified and reported. Participants reported that stories generated feelings of safety, comfort, and security, and often helped create a sense of importance and belonging for individual family members. Family bonding appeared to be the overarching theme under which all other noted themes were grouped. The high degree of enjoyment and fun during family recreational storytelling, reported by both parents and their adult children in this study, suggested that fun was an impetus for family recreational storytelling. Storytelling appeared to facilitate teaching and learning, promote the transfer of values, inspire children to emulate their parents 19 beliefs and values. Participants reported that stories enabled them to see situations from another person 19s perspective. Adult children reported positive changes in attitudes toward their parents as a direct result of family recreational storytelling. Family history stories appeared to be related to the creation of a family identity. The role and purpose of storytelling in the family seemed to change consistently across the lifespan, therefore, a developmental model of storytelling in the family is suggested and recommendations for future research are given.

Industrial and Organisational Psychology / (D.Litt. et Phil. (Industrial Psychology))

This study is an account of the development of a personal, intuitive epistemology for psychotherapy, and an exploration of some possible implications thereof for a general professional epistemology. Initial analysis of the author's problematic clinical cases revealed that assumptions regarding the nature and process of therapy predisposed the author to a reliance on rational, theoretically founded therapeutic praxis. When rationality was perceived not to be achieving the desired ends in therapy, the author experienced escalating, critical self-consciousness, and worked ever harder at improved rational problem-solving. This constituted a self-reinforcing problem cycle during 'stuck' consultations. The premise that effective action is rational was seen to constitute a weltanschauung of the therapist, and understood to be inconsistent with the postmodern frame of ecosystemic theory. A hermeneutic .action research process was initiated, its concern to accommodate spontaneity as an antidote to rigidifying rationality in the author's clinical and academic praxis. The exploration of spontaneity and intuition was massively influenced by the author's unexpected immersion in shamanic tradition, itself predicated on mythological and intuitive construction of "a" world, rather than denotive description of 'the' world, as is the case in logocentric practice. i'he social disjunction and existential challenge occasioned by immersion in such tradition occasioned angst in the author, and it took years to find an uneasy rapprochement between the different contexts of the author's life. Nonetheless, a change in the author's epistemology and clinical praxis were effected, and the initial problematic clinical situation - partly a consequence of a relational stance entailed in notions of objectivity, a hidden concomitant of logocentrism - has not recurred. A case which evokes the revised epistemology and cognitive-affectiverelational stance of the author is presented. The possibility of an intuitive psychotherapy and its coherence with ecological thought and the tenets of postmodernism and narrative therapy are explored. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Industrial and Organisational Psychology / (D.Litt. et Phil. (Industrial Psychology))

This study is an account of the development of a personal, intuitive epistemology for psychotherapy, and an exploration of some possible implications thereof for a general professional epistemology. Initial analysis of the author's problematic clinical cases revealed that assumptions regarding the nature and process of therapy predisposed the author to a reliance on rational, theoretically founded therapeutic praxis. When rationality was perceived not to be achieving the desired ends in therapy, the author experienced escalating, critical self-consciousness, and worked ever harder at improved rational problem-solving. This constituted a self-reinforcing problem cycle during 'stuck' consultations. The premise that effective action is rational was seen to constitute a weltanschauung of the therapist, and understood to be inconsistent with the postmodern frame of ecosystemic theory. A hermeneutic .action research process was initiated, its concern to accommodate spontaneity as an antidote to rigidifying rationality in the author's clinical and academic praxis. The exploration of spontaneity and intuition was massively influenced by the author's unexpected immersion in shamanic tradition, itself predicated on mythological and intuitive construction of "a" world, rather than denotive description of 'the' world, as is the case in logocentric practice. i'he social disjunction and existential challenge occasioned by immersion in such tradition occasioned angst in the author, and it took years to find an uneasy rapprochement between the different contexts of the author's life. Nonetheless, a change in the author's epistemology and clinical praxis were effected, and the initial problematic clinical situation - partly a consequence of a relational stance entailed in notions of objectivity, a hidden concomitant of logocentrism - has not recurred. A case which evokes the revised epistemology and cognitive-affectiverelational stance of the author is presented. The possibility of an intuitive psychotherapy and its coherence with ecological thought and the tenets of postmodernism and narrative therapy are explored. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

A dream can impact a person so profoundly that it may permanently alter his or her life, beliefs, or behaviour. Most of the time, these gifts of insight happen to only a rare few and usually occur without intention. These life-altering dreams are spontaneous and unpredictable. While most studies focus on the content or meaning of dreams after they occur, this study explores the possibility of using dreams to influence behavioural changes in the waking world. This study examined three of the dream elements associated with profound dreams that could potentially be used to develop a systematic method of using dreams to create behavioural changes. The three elements are (a) Emotion: the ability to generate high-emotion states within a dream; (b) Narrative: the formation of narratives within a dream; and (c) Reality: the ability of the dreamer to perceive and accept the dream as reality. This study was conducted using a qualitative research design with a narrative analysis approach in order to explore and understand the subjective experiences of two participants. Data were collected through the participants‘ interviews and dream journals to help determine themes emerging from each of the participants‘ individual experiences. The themes were then analysed for any information regarding the three elements of dreaming as well as the dreams‘ personal significance to the dreamer. Further analysis explored whether lucid or non-lucid dreaming was able to intentionally produce an experientially-based shift in a specific target behaviour. The results of this research study suggest that there is potential for using dreams to induce behavioural change. The research provided a preliminary inquiry into this new field of dream therapy. This exploration of key elements to a potential dream method may prove essential to defining a basic framework and the tools that may be required to implement a new dream method. Future studies are necessary to uncover the correct combination of elements that will produce profound dream experiences at will. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

This study explores Durant Sihlali’s documentation of traumatic events during apartheid in South Africa, with specific focus on his watercolour paintings documenting the forced removals and demolitions that took place in Kliptown and Pimville during the seventies of the previous century. The argument can be made that Sihlali used the process of creating art as a type of narrative therapy, and that each artwork functions as a form of externalisation. Based on the assumption that each artwork is representative of a specific narrative in the broader context of the forced removals and demolitions, it is argued that the problem which Sihlali experienced, namely the trauma caused by the forced removals, is separated from himself through the process of creating an artwork. This made it possible for him to assume a more objective and external perspective towards the oppression afflicted by apartheid. Furthermore it is argued that Sihlali could not only manifest his emotions in an external format, namely the artwork, but that he also assumed a positive and optimistic position towards the conflict and oppression suffered during this time. The idea that he would have liked to open a museum of his artworks, where the South African community could learn more about him and the real “truth” of South African history, did not only suggest that his work harboured the potential to bring his own trauma to resolution, but could also bring peace to other South Africans, albeit as victim or oppressor. The cathartic characteristics of his artworks are conveyed through the delicate handling of his subject matter through his watercolour medium. This is not only reinforced by the delicate and sensitive brushwork in his paintings, but also by the nostalgic characteristics of his paintings, where memories are remembered without pain. / MA (History of Art), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study explores Durant Sihlali’s documentation of traumatic events during apartheid in South Africa, with specific focus on his watercolour paintings documenting the forced removals and demolitions that took place in Kliptown and Pimville during the seventies of the previous century. The argument can be made that Sihlali used the process of creating art as a type of narrative therapy, and that each artwork functions as a form of externalisation. Based on the assumption that each artwork is representative of a specific narrative in the broader context of the forced removals and demolitions, it is argued that the problem which Sihlali experienced, namely the trauma caused by the forced removals, is separated from himself through the process of creating an artwork. This made it possible for him to assume a more objective and external perspective towards the oppression afflicted by apartheid. Furthermore it is argued that Sihlali could not only manifest his emotions in an external format, namely the artwork, but that he also assumed a positive and optimistic position towards the conflict and oppression suffered during this time. The idea that he would have liked to open a museum of his artworks, where the South African community could learn more about him and the real “truth” of South African history, did not only suggest that his work harboured the potential to bring his own trauma to resolution, but could also bring peace to other South Africans, albeit as victim or oppressor. The cathartic characteristics of his artworks are conveyed through the delicate handling of his subject matter through his watercolour medium. This is not only reinforced by the delicate and sensitive brushwork in his paintings, but also by the nostalgic characteristics of his paintings, where memories are remembered without pain. / MA (History of Art), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This thesis is an exploration into the integration of a pastoral, narrative and family therapy approach with the purpose of developing an integrated family workbook that ministers, pastors, counsellors and families can use as a pro-active guide in counselling. It is a qualitative exploratory study using in-depth literature studies as well as in-depth interviews and research into existing family counselling models. Participants to the study were social workers, ministers, pastors, counsellors and psychologist. The in-depth-literature study focused primarily on the theory and practice of a pastoral, narrative and family approach and secondly on the history of psychology and theology integration.Both the literature study, research into existing family therapy models and in-depth interviews confirm to the research questions: Is it possible to integrate a pastoral, narrative and family therapy approach? Is there a need for an integrated family therapy workbook?-in that - families do not only struggle to cope on a socio-economic level (lack of income and housing for example) but the lack of morals and values and “get together” also plays a vital role. In the voice of participants: “Families need to discover their own family belief and faith system and hear the voices of one another, they need to be understood in terms of their religion, culture, tradition, history and life story”.Many counsellors use one preferred approach in counselling. Harm can come to clients in counselling who are expected to fit all the specifications of a given theory. Practitioners need to challenge and tailor their theory and practice to fit the unique needs of clients/families. This requirement calls for counsellors to possess knowledge of various cultures, be aware of their own cultural heritage, and have skills to assist a wide spectrum of clients in dealing with reality. Each theory has its unique contributions and its own domain of expertise. By accepting that each theory has strengths and weaknesses and is, by definition, “different” from the others, practitioners have some basis to begin developing a theory that fits for them. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Narrative and Family counselling)