Explore the relevance of metamodernism, spirituality, and depth psychology for understanding culture, trauma, and the practice of psychotherapy in the modern world. Discover insights from Carl Jung’s transcendent function and contemporary thinkers.
Fredric Jameson: The Metamodern for Therapy
Metamodernism, Post-Spirituality, and Depth Psychology: Navigating Trauma in the Contemporary Era In our increasingly complex and fragmented world, the need for frameworks to understand the psyche, culture, and the spiritual dimensions of human existence has never been greater. Two thinkers who offer profound insights into these realms are cultural theorist Fredric Jameson and depth psychologist Carl Jung. By tracing the evolution of culture through the stages of modernism, postmodernism, and metamodernism, and...
Metamodernism and the Future of Psychotherapy: Integrating Modernity, Postmodernity and the Therapeutic Encounter
Who are Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker? In their seminal 2010 essay "Notes on Metamodernism", cultural theorists Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker outlined an emerging cultural paradigm they dubbed "metamodernism". Oscillating between the opposing poles of modernist sincerity and postmodern irony, the metamodern sensibility attempts to transcend the aporia of the postmodern era without regressing to the naivete of the modern. This article will explore the implications of Vermeulen and van...
Metamodernism, Seth Abramson, and the Future of Psychotherapy
Who is Seth Abramson? As we navigate the complexities of the early 21st century, marked by rapid technological change, globalization, and a pervasive sense of existential uncertainty, the question of how to approach the healing of the human psyche has taken on a renewed urgency. In this context, the emerging philosophy of metamodernism, as articulated by thinkers like Seth Abramson, offers a compelling lens through which to re-envision the theory and practice of psychotherapy. Metamodernism, in essence,...
John D. Caputo and the Post-Secular Path to Healing Trauma
John D. Caputo’s post-secular philosophy offers a compelling framework for psychotherapists working with trauma in the modern age. By recovering the spiritual and existential dimensions of healing, Caputo charts a path beyond the impasses of modernity towards a more soulful, transformative approach to therapy.
Jürgen Habermas and the Transformation of Psychotherapy: Towards a Dialogical and Emancipatory Practice
Who is Jürgen Habermas? Jürgen Habermas (1929-) is one of the most influential philosophers and social theorists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. As the leading figure of the "second generation" of the Frankfurt School, Habermas has made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of communicative rationality, discourse ethics, democratic deliberation, and the public sphere. While not primarily a psychologist, Habermas's ideas have profound implications for depth psychology and contemporary...
Wilfred Bion: Dreaming, Science Fiction, and the Unthought Known
Who was Wilfred Bion? Wilfred Bion (1897-1979) was a highly influential British psychoanalyst known for his groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of thinking, groups, and psychosis. His dense, evocative theoretical works, often conveyed through poetic and paradoxical language, have had a profound impact on contemporary psychoanalytic theory and technique. Bion's innovative ideas about the nature of thoughts, the intersubjective field of analysis, and the importance of dreaming for mental life continue...
The Future of Therapy: Navigating the Tensions of Our Time
As a practicing therapist, I find myself constantly grappling with the widening gulf between the realities of clinical work and the priorities of the academic and research establishment in psychology. We are living through a time of profound cultural and epistemological transition, and the assumptions that have long undergirded the mental health field are showing serious cracks. If psychotherapy is to remain relevant and vital in the coming decades, we will need to radically re-envision both the form and content...
The Mythic Wisdom of Joseph Campbell: Insights for Anthropology and Psychotherapy
Illuminating the Hero's Journey of the Human Soul by [Author Name] | [Date] "Myth is much more important and true than history. History is just journalism and you know how reliable that is." - Joseph Campbell 1. Who was Joseph Campbell Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) was an American mythologist, writer, and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and religion. His work is vast, covering many aspects of the human experience. Campbell's lifelong fascination with myth and his deep knowledge of...
The Existential Psychology of Viktor Frankl:
Finding Meaning in the Face of Suffering "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning Viktor Emil Frankl (1905-1997) was an Austrian psychiatrist, neurologist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor who founded the school of logotherapy, a meaning-centered approach to psychotherapy. His harrowing experiences in Nazi concentration camps shaped...