Abstract
The significance of poetry in the context of pastoral psychology has not, as yet, received the attention it has in professional psychoanalytic literature. The authors of this “series” (eventually to be published at book-length) provide a terse but extensive review of such research, underscoring the therapeutic value of symbolic,intrapsychic artistry. Religious ideation, as well as other intrapsychic expressions, are incorporated by means of personal therapeutic situations focused on a patient's or client's poetry. With permission, these poems are quoted directly. From this data and their clinical experiences, the authors set forth two modes for considering unconsciously defensive or consciously self-disclosive uses of written poetry in and during psychoanalytic pastoral counseling or psychotherapy.
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References
BecausePilgrimage, a companion journal of Human Sciences Press, has consistently published articles on poetry, as well as numerous poems in each issue, it would be an unwise use of space to list references from this source. However, the reader interested in further study would do well to review: W.L. Molton, “Psyche at the Altar: The Prayer-Poem in Religion and Psychotherapy,”Pilgrimage 5 (1977): 157–166. Our other resources are too vast to reference, but the basic research related to this article includes: S. Blanton,The Healing Power of Poetry (New York: Crowell, 1960); J. Ciardi,How Does a Poem Mean? (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1959); J. Ducasse,The Philosophy of Art (New York: Dial, 1929); A. Huxley,The Doors of Perception (New York: Harper and Row, 1963); C.F. Kemp, “The Use of Free Writing as a Supplement to Pastoral Counseling,”The Journal of Pastoral Care, 27 (1973): 26–29; C.F. Perkins, “Art Therapy and the Hospital Chaplaincy: A New Partnership,”The Journal of Pastoral Care, 23 (1979): 120–125; J.J. Leedy, (ed.)Poetry Therapy (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1969); A.H. Maslow, “Cognition of Being in the Peak Experiences,”Journal of Genetic Psychology, 94 (1959): 43–66; and R.C. Wilson, et al. “A Factoranalytical Study of Creative Thinking Abilities,”Psychometrika, 19 (1954): 297–311.
J.M. Murphy, “The Therapeutic Use of Poetry,”Current Psychiatric Therapies, Vol. XVIII, J.H. Masserman (ed.) (New York: Grune & Stratton, 1979) p. 66.
S. Arieti,Creativity: The Magic Synthesis. (New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1976) p. 136.
Murphy, pp. 65–71.
Personal correspondence.
Kohut, H. “Forms and Transformations of Narcissism,”The Search for the Self, Vol. I P.H. Ornstein (ed.) (New York: International Universities Press, Inc., 1978) p. 447–448.
Our conclusions in this article and others to follow are quite similar to those described by Arthur Burton in: “Artistic Productions in Psychotherapy,”Modern Humanistic Psychotherapy (San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1968) pp. 80–91. A colleague, Prof. Kenneth Howard, introduced us to Dr. Burton's research after we had completed the initial drafts of this series.
Voices, 4, 4 (1968). The quality of this edition is matched byArt Psychotherapy: An International Journal, 3, 2 (1976). In our opinion, both publications are excellent resources.
This quotation is further clarified by D.M. Moss, “Near-Fatal Experience. Crisis Intervention and the Anniversary Reaction,”Pastoral Psychology 28 (1979): 75–96.
Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam, Trans. by Edward Fitzgerald (Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1952) p. 157. The use of this clinical vignette led us to the field of bibliotherapy: “...a process of dynamic interaction between the personality of the reader and literature-interaction which may be utilized for personality assessment, adjustment, and growth.” D.H. Russell and C. Shrodes, “Contributions of Research in Bibliotherapy to the Language-Arts Program I.”School Review, 57 (1950): 335. See also: S.H. Sclabassi, “Literature on Bibliotherapy,”American Journal of Psychotherapy, 27 (1973): 70–77. Insights gathered from this discipline will be integrated in subsequent publications about “poetry therapy.”
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Dr. Christensen is in the private practice of psychiatry, Northbrook, Illinois. He holds senior academic positions at the medical schools of Northwestern University and the University of Illinois, Chicago, as well as the post of Consulting Psychiatrist to The Community Pastoral Counseling and Consultation Center, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge. Dr. Moss is the Executive Director of The Seabury Institute for Pastoral Psychotherapy, Atlanta. He is also the co-editor ofThe Organization and Administration of Pastoral Counseling Centers, Book Review Editor of theJournal of Religion and Health, and Editor of Artistic Photography forPilgrimage: The Journal of Existential Psychology. Reprint requests should be directed to: All Saints' Episcopal Church, 634 West Peachtree Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30308.
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Christensen, C.W., Moss, D.M. Poetry as a therapeutic avenue. Pastoral Psychol 30, 21–31 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041187
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041187