Transitions are an inevitable part of the human experience. This inquiry aimed to investigate how psychologists experienced some personal transitions in relation to their clinical work. The two examples of transitions investigated were a personal bereavement and the decision to live without a Christian faith. There were two purposive samples of psychologists in this inquiry, one for each transition. This phenomenological study used an adapted version of Moustakas‟s heuristic inquiry which emphasised co-construction. This inquiry found that transitions affected the author‟s and participants‟ therapeutic practice in each study in idiosyncratic ways. Some effects were changes in personal philosophy, increased empathy and an increased ability to work therapeutically with clients experiencing transitions. Some of the implications of these affects were on the therapists‟ use of personal experiences in clinical work, fitness to practise and the development of empathy. Conducting this inquiry led to the researcher‟s personal and professional development, comparable to personal therapy. Examples of the researcher‟s personal development were increased self-reflection and ability to cope with vulnerability. Examples of the researcher‟s professional development were an increased understanding of transition theory and its application in clinical work, and a greater focus on facilitating clients to identify specific resources and coping mechanisms during transition. The implications of the findings of this inquiry for Counselling Psychology were on the importance of therapists‟ self-care and its promotion within applied psychology, the role of reflexive research methods in psychology training and the content of clinical supervision. Specific areas of further research were highlighted including targeted aspects of self-care, the personal effects of leaving religious sects and the relevance of research in the personal development requirement of training. Limitations of the studies were critiqued with reference to phenomenology and phenomenological methods and the use of an adapted version of heuristic inquiry.

No description available.

The aim of the research was to examine how Counselling Psychologists perceive dependency in their clients and also how they experience the phenomenon in their therapeutic practice. Research suggests that dependency is relevant to the formation and continuance of relationships and that it can influence the strength and quality of those relationships and as such has a role in therapeutic relationships. Open-ended semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 Counselling psychologists with in excess of 5 years experience. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. 4 master themes were identified. ‘The therapeutic relationship as the context for dependency’ was consistent with existing literature on the importance of the therapeutic relationship. Participants were generally resistant to clients becoming dependent on them and maintained firm boundaries to avoid it and believed that greater experience made it easier to work with dependency. Participants’ reluctance to approach dependency issues was consistent with western societal values that seem to reject vulnerability and neediness. Significant for training and practice was the theme ‘feelings engendered by dependency’, with challenging reactions to dependency rarely being discussed in training or supervision and for which there is little professional support. The theme ‘impact of the theoretical approach and environment on dependency’ suggests that longer term therapy, such as psychodynamic approaches, encourage an over reliance on the therapist. The fourth theme ‘power’, indicated that participants recognised the influence of power in therapy and in general felt empowerment was an appropriate therapeutic goal.

The purpose of this study was to explore whether and in what ways an intensive eight-week Mindfulness-Based Symptom Management (MBSM) program might shape the therapeutic experiences of therapists. I used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to interview and develop in-depth descriptions of four therapists’ experiences in relation to mindfulness and their therapeutic practices. The data collection consisted of: (1) a telephone screening interview; (2) pre-mindfulness training interview; (3) post-mindfulness training interview; (4) field notes based on my observations, subjective experiences, and beginning analyses; (5) and member-checks to verify the accuracy of my interpretations of participants’ interview responses. The results pointed to several common themes indicating the changes therapists described after participating in the mindfulness program. Themes denoting the reported changes were organized into three categories: (1) personal relationship with mindfulness; (2) relationship between mindfulness and therapeutic experiences; and (3) mindfulness-oriented interventions performed in therapy. The findings indicated that mindfulness training is associated with the enhancement of important relational attitudes and skills of therapists, including more acceptance of where clients are at, more presence in therapy, increased capacity to listen, openness and curiosity, and more compassion and empathy. In addition, mindfulness training may be linked to improved reflexive abilities, which has implications for more intentional and ethical decision-making in therapy. Further, the findings also indicated that mindfulness training may be linked to improvements in emotion regulation by decreasing stress, increasing feelings of relaxation and calmness, improving awareness of negative emotional and cognitive states as well as the ability to interrupt these negative cycles. As such, this study pointed to several potential benefits for the inclusion of mindfulness training in therapists’ self-care practices as well as in therapist education.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A presente tese é fruto de três anos de trabalho de campo durante os quais foram acompanhados grupos holotrópicos através de sete módulos teóricos e vivenciais do treinamento no trabalho de Respiração Holotrópica e Psicologia Transpessoal do Grof Transpersonal Training. O objetivo central da pesquisa é apresentar uma versão acerca do modo pelo qual se constituiu a prática terapêutica nos referidos grupos. Mediante a associação entre diversos elementos considerados agentes do campo (actantes), foram ganhando forma no set e setting holotrópico, complexos e singulares cenários de fabricação do que foi denominado de "oportunidades para curar", ou seja, situações em que se criaram condições para a emergência de experiências voltadas para o "autoconhecimento" e "transformação pessoal" entre os integrantes dos grupos. A realização da pesquisa ganhou seus contornos por meio da utilização de algumas ferramentas teórico-metodológicas da Teoria Ator-Rede em particular aquelas propostas por Bruno Latour e autores afins - que, durante a elaboração do presente texto-laboratório, entraram em cena como aliados no trabalho de cenarização do processo de fabricação das "oportunidades para curar" nos grupos holotrópicos. / This doctoral thesis is a result of a three-year fieldwork among holotropic groups in the course of seven theoretical and experiential modules of Holotropic Breathwork and Transpersonal Psychology workshops offered by Grof Transpersonal Training. The main objective of this research is to present a version of how therapeutic practice came about in these groups. By means of the association between several elements considered field agents (actants), complex and unique fabrication scenarios called "opportunities to heal" were taking place in the holotropic set and setting. These scenarios were situations which created conditions for the emergence of experiences related to "self-knowledge" and "personal transformation" among the groups members.The research was conducted employing some theoretical and methodological tools derived from Actor-Network Theory - in particular, those ones proposed by Bruno Latour and others. During the elaboration of this "laboratory text", these tools showed up as allies in the scenarization work of the "opportunities to heal" fabrication process in the holotropic groups.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A presente tese é fruto de três anos de trabalho de campo durante os quais foram acompanhados grupos holotrópicos através de sete módulos teóricos e vivenciais do treinamento no trabalho de Respiração Holotrópica e Psicologia Transpessoal do Grof Transpersonal Training. O objetivo central da pesquisa é apresentar uma versão acerca do modo pelo qual se constituiu a prática terapêutica nos referidos grupos. Mediante a associação entre diversos elementos considerados agentes do campo (actantes), foram ganhando forma no set e setting holotrópico, complexos e singulares cenários de fabricação do que foi denominado de "oportunidades para curar", ou seja, situações em que se criaram condições para a emergência de experiências voltadas para o "autoconhecimento" e "transformação pessoal" entre os integrantes dos grupos. A realização da pesquisa ganhou seus contornos por meio da utilização de algumas ferramentas teórico-metodológicas da Teoria Ator-Rede em particular aquelas propostas por Bruno Latour e autores afins - que, durante a elaboração do presente texto-laboratório, entraram em cena como aliados no trabalho de cenarização do processo de fabricação das "oportunidades para curar" nos grupos holotrópicos. / This doctoral thesis is a result of a three-year fieldwork among holotropic groups in the course of seven theoretical and experiential modules of Holotropic Breathwork and Transpersonal Psychology workshops offered by Grof Transpersonal Training. The main objective of this research is to present a version of how therapeutic practice came about in these groups. By means of the association between several elements considered field agents (actants), complex and unique fabrication scenarios called "opportunities to heal" were taking place in the holotropic set and setting. These scenarios were situations which created conditions for the emergence of experiences related to "self-knowledge" and "personal transformation" among the groups members.The research was conducted employing some theoretical and methodological tools derived from Actor-Network Theory - in particular, those ones proposed by Bruno Latour and others. During the elaboration of this "laboratory text", these tools showed up as allies in the scenarization work of the "opportunities to heal" fabrication process in the holotropic groups.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Since the second half of the last century the therapeutic communities that employ religion to treat chemical addicted have been spreading all over the world and statabilishing them-selves as a therapeutic alternative. The proposition of this communities is based on reception, complete abstinence from any psychoactive substance, occupational therapy, group therapy (Monitored by a psychologist or not) and mainly religious therapy and its set of ethic, spiritual and subjective principles in order to promote recovery by employing a new approach religion. The research universe of this work is the Comunidade Terapêutica Desafio Jovem de Sergipe. Withen this empiric universe aims to reporter the therapeutic itinerary, the profile of the community and their available assistance, and the possible practices employed on the recovery of addicted people. This research intends to demonstrate through the narrative of the therapists and chemical addicted in recovery, their notion of disease, health and religion in order to comprehend the process that involves the employment of religious practices on the treatment of the chemical addicted, within the symbolic universe that involves the therapeutic practices. So, this dissertation intended to be a practical exercise of the sociological, anthropological and religious studies on the disease as well as a source of information about the management of religious therapy for chemical addicted. / Desde a metade do século passado as comunidades terapêuticas que utilizam a religião para tratar pessoas que sofrem de dependência química estão se espalhando por todo o mundo e vêm se firmando como uma alternativa terapêutica. A proposta dessas comunidades é baseada no acolhimento, na abstinência total do uso de qualquer substância psicoativa, nas terapias ocupacionais, nas terapias em grupo acompanhadas ou não por psicólogo e, principalmente, nas terapias religiosas e seu conjunto de princípios éticos, espirituais e subjetivos com o intuito de promover a recuperação através da absorção de uma nova linguagem a religiosa. Este trabalho tem como universo de pesquisa a Comunidade Terapêutica Desafio Jovem de Sergipe. Dentro desse universo empírico um dos objetivos da pesquisa é descrever o itinerário terapêutico, o perfil da Comunidade, os serviços que ali são prestados e as possíveis práticas terapêuticas utilizadas para a recuperação dos drogadictos. Interessa também demonstrar, por meio das narrativas dos terapeutas e drogadictos em recuperação, principais interlocutores desta pesquisa, a ideia que eles têm sobre doença, saúde e religião, para compreender o processo que envolve a utilização de práticas religiosas no tratamento da dependência química dentro do universo simbólico que envolve as práticas terapêuticas. Nesse viés, a presente dissertação pretendeu ser um exercício prático sobre os estudos da sociologia da religião e da antropologia da doença, como também sobre a pesquisa na fonte de informações concernentes ao manejo de terapias religiosas para o tratamento da drogadicção.

The purpose of this study was to explore whether and in what ways an intensive eight-week Mindfulness-Based Symptom Management (MBSM) program might shape the therapeutic experiences of therapists. I used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to interview and develop in-depth descriptions of four therapists’ experiences in relation to mindfulness and their therapeutic practices. The data collection consisted of: (1) a telephone screening interview; (2) pre-mindfulness training interview; (3) post-mindfulness training interview; (4) field notes based on my observations, subjective experiences, and beginning analyses; (5) and member-checks to verify the accuracy of my interpretations of participants’ interview responses. The results pointed to several common themes indicating the changes therapists described after participating in the mindfulness program. Themes denoting the reported changes were organized into three categories: (1) personal relationship with mindfulness; (2) relationship between mindfulness and therapeutic experiences; and (3) mindfulness-oriented interventions performed in therapy. The findings indicated that mindfulness training is associated with the enhancement of important relational attitudes and skills of therapists, including more acceptance of where clients are at, more presence in therapy, increased capacity to listen, openness and curiosity, and more compassion and empathy. In addition, mindfulness training may be linked to improved reflexive abilities, which has implications for more intentional and ethical decision-making in therapy. Further, the findings also indicated that mindfulness training may be linked to improvements in emotion regulation by decreasing stress, increasing feelings of relaxation and calmness, improving awareness of negative emotional and cognitive states as well as the ability to interrupt these negative cycles. As such, this study pointed to several potential benefits for the inclusion of mindfulness training in therapists’ self-care practices as well as in therapist education.

No description available.

Cette thèse a pour objectif d'analyser les tentatives conceptuels et méthodologiques déployées par des acteurs du monde académique, médical, industriel et politique pour étudier l'usage des médicaments en Allemagne de l'Ouest entre 1950 et 1980. Elle étudie la « mise en problème » de la consommation comme une menace sociale. Enfin, la thèse décrit les traductions scientifiques qui permettent de faire circuler le concept de consommation de médicaments entre différentes sphères sociales. Au niveau méthodologique cette thèse combine l'histoire des concepts comme l'a suggéré Reinhart Koselleck avec une histoire des technologies (pharmaceutiques). La thèse mobilise les archives de l'entreprise IMS Health Allemagne qui ont pu être exploitées pour la première fois. Au-delà de ce corpus important, un certain nombre d'archives publiques et privées a été exploité. / This thesis examines the conceptual and methodological attempts academics, physicians, industrialists and policymakers used for investigating drug use in West Germany between 1950and 1980. lt studies the "problematization" of consumption as a social threat. Finally, the thesis describes processes of scientific translation that allowed the concept of drug consumption to circulate between different social spheres. Methodologically this thesis relies on Reinhart Koselleck's works on the history of concepts (Begriffsgeschichte), which are then combined with a history of (pharmaceutical) technologies. For the first time, IMS (Medical Statistics lnstitute in West Germany later IMS Health) pharmaceutical market and prescription data for West Germany from 1959 to 1980 could be analyzed in a historical study. Beyond this important body, research was done in several public and private archives.