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POSTMODERN CONCEPT OF PSYCHOTHERAPY.
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Impact of postmodern movement on the development of social and behavioral sciences.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Impact of postmodern movement on the development of social and behavioral sciences. Concept of the self as a fluid and dynamic being redefined by social and cultural contexts. Notions of the individual, definition of psychopathology and treatment methods in traditional psychotherapy. Essentialist perspective. Effects of postmodernist perspective of psychotherapy on current therapeutic approaches.
Paper Introduction:
THE POSTMODERN CONCEPTION OF PSYCHOTHERAPY AND
IMPACT ON ITS FUTURE
During the last decade, the postmodern movement has exerted a significant impact on the development of social and behavioral sciences by shattering the traditional beliefs about the nature of reality, objectivity and the self. The conception of the self as a fluid and dynamic being that is redefined by social and cultural contexts has also challenged the notions of the individual, the definition of psychopathology and the treatment methods in traditional psychotherapy (Lyddon & Schreiner, 2000). In accordance with the essentialist perspective, traditional psychotherapy upholds the belief that pre-established standards of behavior or norms exist in society. Thus, those who deviate from the predetermined “norm” in their psyche and their relations
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T. (1996). (2 1, Winter). 115-137). No longer can therapists hidebehind their façade of scientific objectivity and limit their focus ontheir interaction with the clients. With the emergence of postmodernism, several traditionalpsychotherapeutic approaches including Freud's psychoanalytic thought,Adler's individual psychology, cognitive approaches, as well as family andsystems approaches have been re-interpreted. By advocating for theneed to acknowledge different ways of knowing and understanding,postmodernism also coheres with the other two perspectives (Lyddon &Schreiner, 2 ). Moreover, effective therapeuticprocesses need to take in account factors such as gender and culture thatalso affect the clients' interpretations of reality. The emphasis on the relational processes and the clients' generationof new meanings is also significant for psychotherapists who encounterpatients with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Therefore,the integration of the postmodern perspective in cognitive therapy haseradicated the limitations raised in the previous paragraph. This integration stemsfrom the commonality between feminism, multiculturalism and postmodernism.These perspectives challenge the dominance of a singular discourse inmainstream society and emphasize the celebration of multiplicity anddiverse values. Finally, the modernists' focus on the unitary and stable self hasgiven way to the postmodernists' interest in the relational processesforged by individuals with one another. Thus, those who deviate from the predetermined "norm" intheir psyche and their relationships with others are considered to besuffering from mental disorders. (2 , November 9). Finally, the postmodern movement has contributed to the developmentof new therapeutic techniques that have proven to be highly effective inimproving the quality of the therapeutic dialogues. Traditionalpsychotherapists may regard these perspectives as indicative of apsychopathology. THE POSTMODERN CONCEPTION OF PSYCHOTHERAPY AND IMPACT ON ITS FUTURE During the last decade, the postmodern movement has exerted asignificant impact on the development of social and behavioral sciences byshattering the traditional beliefs about the nature of reality, objectivityand the self. Finally, thetraditional conception of cognitive therapy clearly undermines theobjective of therapy to empower clients to take charge of their own lives. Currently,the tendency of mental health professionals to rely on the rigid diagnosticcategories listed in the DSM-IV to label their patients and devise thetreatment is highly limiting and damaging to their clients (Linares, 2 1). Furthermore, the effects of thepostmodernist perspective of psychotherapy on current therapeuticapproaches used for treatment of clients in contemporary society will alsobe discussed. The family and systems approaches used in family therapy have alsobeen reshaped by the postmodernist perspective. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the tenets ofpostmodernism have shifted psychotherapy into a new paradigm and theimplications of this development. In this discussion, the transformation of psychotherapy from thepostmodernist perspective has radically altered the way therapists viewtheir clients, the latter's problems and the treatment process. In the postmodernworld, the rules and expectations of human behavior will vary in accordancewith the social and cultural contexts of the situations. With the postmodern approach, the concepts of the norms and standards ofacceptable behavior will be set aside to allow for a complex relationalperspective of the clients' problem. However, within thepostmodernist conception, the focus of the therapeutic process is on theprocesses of social negotiation and the interpretation, which occur in theinteractions among family members (Lyddon & Schreiner, 2 ). Rather, clients play a proactive role in understanding andinterpreting their conceptions of the world. Themes of Postmodernism and Impact on Psychotherapy In their article, Lyddon and Schreiner (2 ) highlighted fourprominent themes of postmodernism. FromAdler's point of view, therapists are not experts who can offer solutionsto the clients. Traditionally, therapists who view psychological problems asresiding primarily within individuals encourage patients to internalizetheir difficulties. No one client, relationship, story or interpretationdominates the therapeutic discourse, as the therapists and clients learn tolisten, reflect and provide feedback about the stories in a fluid meaning-making process (McNamee, 1996). Traditional psychotherapy thus revolvesaround the treatment of the dysfunctions of the individuals so as to helpthem blend into mainstream society (McNamee, 1996). This change of perspective has a transformative impacton individuals who are able to dissociate themselves from their problemsand construct new stories about their lives and situations-one that is notattached to their problems (Linares, 2 1). The conception of the self as a fluid and dynamic being thatis redefined by social and cultural contexts has also challenged thenotions of the individual, the definition of psychopathology and thetreatment methods in traditional psychotherapy (Lyddon & Schreiner, 2 ).In accordance with the essentialist perspective, traditional psychotherapyupholds the belief that pre-established standards of behavior or normsexist in society. Rather, the usefulness and themeaningfulness of knowledge shift across time and space. Within the therapeuticsetting, clients are free to explore different voices, roles andperspectives. Kuehlwein (Eds.), Constructing realities: Meaning-making perspectives for psychotherapists (pp. However, in the postmodern world, the traditional conceptionof cognitive therapy is completely undermined as cognitive therapists mustcome to terms with the fact that realities are subject to the social andcultural constructions of individuals. This type of therapeutic approachdemonstrates tremendous openness and respect to the clients who are enabledto interpret their experiences of their diseases from their perspectives.This active inquiry within a supportive therapeutic environment may beimportant in encouraging mentally ill patients to persist with theirtreatment (Lachenmeyer, 2 ). Through their generation ofmultiple stories from different perspectives, clients may be able todecipher new meanings in their novel interpretations of their situation.In this new therapeutic approach, therapists collaborate with their clientsto help the latter construct new stories of their past, present and futurelives to lend meaning to their existence. Rather, this awareness of the relationship between the therapistand the client vis-à-vis the client's relationships with others within thelarger social and cultural contexts mirrors the postmodern view ofpsychotherapy (Lyddon & Schreiner, 2 ). Postmodernism and psychotherapy. Throughcommunication and narratives, human beings are forever engaged in theprocess of weaving new stories as a means of interpreting their existence.More than just a passive recounting of their past experiences, thenarrative process is a tool for human beings to create new versions ofthemselves and new perspectives of the same events, as well as interactwith others in the larger societal and cultural context. Very often, clients from minoritybackgrounds may entertain worldviews and interpret life and situations,which deviate radically from those of the mainstream society. Shifting the focus from the individual to the processesand the social and cultural contexts, psychotherapy in the postmodern worldbecomes a stimulating forum for human dialogue unconstrained by pre-existing standards of appropriate behavior. A related impact of postmodernism on psychotherapy is thus thecelebration of diversity. In traditional cognitive therapy, therapists consider psychologicalproblems to be located within individuals in the form of irrational ideasor cognitive distortions. Family Process, 4 (4), 4 1-412.Lyddon, W., & Schreiner, G. Only byhelping their clients author their lives and interpret their realities fromtheir perspectives meaningfully will therapists be effective in helping theformer deal with the complexities of contemporary society. Apart from the re-evaluation of the traditional therapeuticapproaches, postmodernism has also contributed to the development of newmodels of psychotherapy. (2 ). Clearly, these aspects coherewith the postmodernist conception of psychotherapy (Lyddon & Schreiner,2 ). Though theapplication of their cognition, clients can interpret and understand theirown experiences in an effort to move forward in their lives. According to Adler, humanbeings' cognitive conceptualizations of the external world can constitute abasis for their behavior. Techniques of circularquestioning and externalization described earlier in the paper are usedfrequently in narrative therapy. Psychotherapy as a social construction. Postmoderntherapists do not view their clients as stable entities with problems thatneed to be eradicated so that they may adhere to prescribed social norms.Instead, they regard clients as fluid and dynamic individuals who need toexplore their multiple voices and roles in their social and culturalcontexts. As a result of this new awareness of the postmodern perspective,cognitive therapists have shifted their emphasis towards the constructiveperspective. One of the techniquesis circular questioning in which different individuals not only presenttheir perspectives of the situation, but also provide feedback on theperspectives of one another. Through their subjectiveinterpretations that are derived from a combination of their characters andtheir experiences, they are creators of their own realities. Rosen, & K. First, the postmodernist conception of psychotherapy has ledto the re-assessment of the traditional therapies and brought to thesurface aspects of the therapeutic approaches, which have been neglected orsuppressed. In reality, what seems to be psychopathology may be aresult of the cultural barriers between the clients of minority backgroundsand psychotherapists from mainstream society (Lyddon & Schreiner, 2 ). The rise of narrative therapy represents one of the most importantcontributions of postmodernism to psychotherapy. Furthermore, theconception of universal laws that govern standards of behavior has alsobeen questioned. Does history end with postmodernism? In traditional familytherapy, in spite of the recognition that the locus of pathology inindividuals has shifted to family systems, standards of acceptableindividual and family behavior are still enforced. The therapists' feedback to theclients is now regarded as an alternative perspective, or stories that canbe used by the clients to adjust their own perspective. The first model is the integration of feministand multicultural perspectives into psychotherapy. While the emphasis is still on human cognition, the therapynow addresses how human thought processes vary in accordance with changesin time, contexts and life development. Effects of Postmodernist Perspective of Psychotherapy on Current and New Therapeutic Approaches In this section, the effects of the postmodernist perspective ofpsychotherapy on transforming the field of psychotherapy will be discussedin two ways. The outsider: A journey into my father's struggle with madness. By expanding the treatment of theclients' problems beyond their psyches to the social and cultural contexts,therapists must now take into account the clients' existence within alarger social and cultural context. Rather than conceive oflanguage as a means of representing an objective reality and recountingevents, language is viewed in narrative therapy as a dynamic tool that canbe used to create the clients' own realities. In the feminist and multicultural models, the perspectivesof females and minority groups are just as important as the white maleperspective that has dominated mainstream discourse. The objective of cognitive therapists is toenable the clients to modify their irrational thoughts by helping themdevelop rational thought processes in accordance with prescribed standardsof cognition. However, with the technique of externalization,clients are asked to treat the problems as independent entities that existoutside themselves. In psychoanalysis, the analysand not only performs thepassive function of recounting past events, but is also involved in theactive process of generating new meanings and interpreting the events.Furthermore, psychoanalytic concepts such as transference that places thefocus on the relationship between the analyst and the analysand do notmerely represent a repeat of past conflicts and relationships with oneanother. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass. The impact of postmodernism on psychotherapy is evidenced by therejection of traditional notions of the self and the perception ofpsychological problems as residing within the individual. Second, human experience cannot be reduced to a set of universal lawsand principles that can be generalized. The re-evaluation of traditional therapeutic approaches and theemergence of new therapeutic models reflect the growing recognition thatpsychotherapists have to be open to multiple perspectives andinterpretations in order to respond effectively to their clients. L. Although Freud sought toemphasize the scientific and objective nature of his theories, manypostmodern therapists have regarded his book, Interpretation of Dreams, asan important work in demonstrating the self-reflective dimension ofpsychoanalysis. Furthermore, Adler also argues that theobjective truth does not exist; rather, it is a product of theinterrelationship between the cognitive and the external worlds. Operating from their premiseof how clients should be treated, traditional psychotherapists do notrealize that women may be more responsive to other types of treatments.Similarly, multicultural therapists highlight the socioeconomic andcultural differences between clients from minority backgrounds and theircounterparts from mainstream society. Unlike the modernists' unchangingand integration conception of the self, the postmodern self ischaracterized by fluidity, multiplicity and a lack of stability. First, the modernists' celebration oftruth and knowledge as data and facts has been replaced by knowledge thatis dependent on the individual social and cultural construction.Essentially, individuals' effort to derive meaning from theirinterpretations of their situations lies at the heart of the search forknowledge. More specifically, feminist therapists contribute to the postmodernlandscape of psychotherapy by highlighting the fact that traditionalapproaches of psychotherapy often ignore the unique and distinctiveexperiences of women and marginalized groups. ReferencesLachenmeyer, N. The technique of externalization has also been instrumental inhelping clients adopt an alternative perspective of their problem andsituation. Moreover, the traditional role of the therapist has also beenredefined in the postmodernist conception. This technique heightens the awareness ofindividuals' relationships to one another and the need to acknowledgedifferent perspectives of the same events (Linares, 2 1). In H. Retrieved February 16, 2 3, from http://www.aleteia.it/complexity/article4.htmMcNamee, S. Second, new therapeutic approaches have emerged that conformto the fundamental tenets and practices of postmodernism (Lyddon &Schreiner, 2 ). Toward an ultramodern family therapy. Third, more than just finders of objective truths, human beings playan active role in creating their own knowledge. Therapists who strive to provide relevant andeffective treatments need to be able to understand their clients' realitiesin an increasingly complex society characterized by increasing social andcultural differences, as well as the mixtures that blur such boundaries(Linares, 2 1). Because of this new development,therapists in the postmodern world have to adopt an open stance andconsider different therapeutic approaches in order to be responsive to themultiple realities of their clients (Linares, 2 1). Adler's individual psychology has also been framed within thepostmodernist and constructivist framework. New York: Broadway Books.Linares, J.
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