September 11th, Personal Paradigms, and Mental Health – A Psychologist’s Self Help Approach
Personal constructs refer to an individual’s conception of reality. These ideas are closely tied to the belief that while there exists only one reality, its perception is subjective. In other words, people are likened to amateur scientists who test their hypotheses about people and life. Healthy people change their constructs, when faced with compelling evidence that disproves their original beliefs. Unhealthy people steadfastly affirm their constructs, even in the face of conflicting evidence.
Clients are seen as owning their solutions. Presenting problems are simply viewed as their ill-fated attempts to master some of their life challenges. Constructs lead to distinctions about how events are supposed to unfold or how people are supposed to react. Normally, these presumptions can be helpful, as when dealing with cultural differences or social mores. If an individual is too rigid with their construct, for example, it can lead to obsessive tendencies.
The therapist considers feelings to be “constructs of transition.” Within therapy, therefore, the therapist might guide his or her patient on an experimental journey. The purpose of the journey would initially consist of relinquishing problematic personal constructs, by experimenting with new associations. Once novel perspectives have become more agreeable, they are given a firmer constitution for use outside the practitioner’s office.
The therapist might be viewed as both a phenomenologist and a cognitive therapist.
Phenomenology is a philosophy wherein reality is viewed as subjective. It recognizes that “we can never see reality, if there is one, as it is, but must view our experiences as a give-and-take–a “dialectic”–of experience with an observation of reality.” The therapist employs rational reasoning; in order to assist patients to restructure their problematic self-talk.
The following serves an example of personal constructs. On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked with civilian airplanes used as “kamikaze-like” weapons. This therapist recalls watching the baffling images of burning towers falling on the live television broadcast. Although the network news announcer’s words were understood and the images were clearly visible, the message made absolutely no sense. There was no conceivable point of reference. This researcher’s personal construct (not unlike the personal construct of millions of others) did not account for the horrifying possibility of a similar event ever occurring. The confusion did not ease, until the personal construct was adjusted to account for the fact that not only was this horrific event possible, it was now happening.
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Gerald Solfanelli is a Pennsylvania licensed psychologist in full-time private practice. He hosts his professional website that helps visitors simplify their overall healthcare, by improving their emotional health with psychology-related links, best-selling e-books, hypnosis and other free self-help programs.
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