Healing and the 'Ground of Being'

Dynamics

...“the fault … lies not in our stars, but in ourselves” (Julius Caesar, I, ii) in favor of that proto-narcissist Lear’s protestation that we are “more sinned against than sinning” (King Lear, III, ii). “

This conglomerate bipolar view suggests no more than two points at opposite ends of a long pole.  While some would construe a both/and position with a blatantly trite rendition of ‘ambiguity’ the actualities ARE different faces of the same coin.  Additionally these are not STATIC entities but are dynamics-in-flux.  It is also incumbent on us to realize there is a psychological continuum involved in the dynamics.  Just as our bodies constantly change so do our souls and psyches.

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  ...a fundamental primal corruption...

... “syndrome of the compromise of integrity”...    ~Self in Exile

   “ They asked Him: Who sinned this man or his parents?....”

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‘The Cart before the Horse’

I was reading about this issue when I ran across an essay:

    “Winnicott’s multi-faceted thinking that stresses “egorelatedness” and the self psychology that is so congruent with this) tended to downplay intrapsychic conflict among superego, ego and id in favor of an emphasis upon trauma, deprivation, abuse and neglect by caretakers—i.e., the ways in which we are more injured than injurious.

But the Freudian and Kleinian approaches that focused on such interior conflict, on issues of “crime and punishment,” have in some quarters been marginalized over the past thirty years or so. As Horowitz (2004) has recently reminded us: “… all patients (and each of us) have had private theories of pathogenesis of neurosis and for the most part these theories have been about trauma at the hands of parents. It is still difficult to demonstrate to patients or students the

role of conflict in neurosogenesis” (p. 2).

A major contributor to the de-moralizing trend in post-Freudian and post-Kleinian

psychoanalysis is Harry Guntrip. The guilt-evasion that characterizes certain trends within contemporary psychoanalytic thought and the contemporary culture to which they have adapted mirrors that of Guntrip himself who, despite his background as a Christian minister and his years of analysis with two of the most creative analysts in the field, managed by the end (in my hypothesis) only a paranoid understanding of himself as a victim of a murderous mother, rather than a man crippled by a need to punish himself for his disowned murderous wishes toward a brother who died and toward the mother he hated and blamed. [3]

In focusing upon the roots of the “schizoid problem” (Guntrip, 1971, chapter 6) or the “disordered self” (Kohut, 1977) in defective early object relations Guntrip obscures entirely the role of guilt and the need for punishment in these conditions

and promotes a cure based on reparative re-parenting rather than analysis and resolution of inner conflict.[4]

I expect it has always been difficult to consciously bear guilt and not evade it by attacking either the other or the self. In the former case, guilt is displaced or projected onto the scapegoat. In the latter, since our narcissism renders conscious moral suffering intolerable, the superego exacts its pound of flesh

through unconsciously constructed forms of self-torment.

A few months after his death, Guntrip’s (1975) “My experience of analysis with Fairbairn and Winnicott” appeared in the International Review of Psycho-Analysis. He describes how he sought analysis for “vague background experiences of schizoid isolation and unreality” (Guntrip, 1996, p.743) and a recurrent “exhaustion illness.” In the 19th century this would likely have been diagnosed as “neurasthenia”; today it might be seen as “chronic fatigue syndrome” or a type of depression. Guntrip sought analysis to overcome his amnesia for what he had decided was the traumatic cause of his illness. [5]

I fell mysteriously ill and was thought to be dying. Her doctor said: ‘He’s dying of grief for his brother’” (p. 746).

For the next year and a half, Guntrip suffered from “repeated petty psychosomatic ills, tummy aches, heat spots, loss of appetite, constipation and dramatic, sudden high temperatures” (p. 747)... my hypothesis is that they represent forms of hysterical and psychosomatic self- torment for the phantasy-crime of having killed his brother. Around age five Guntrip replaced self-directed aggression with outright rebellion... Guntrip’s internal world of sado-masochistic struggles with his mother...”  ~ Donald L. Carveth, Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis

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This is all true, relevant and efficacious.  What concerns me is the primary, foundational need for a ‘beyond the descriptions’ view and a more profound knowledge and use of the guilt-punishment scenarios.  Additionally, the word petty could have been avoided.  A five year old cannot be harnessed with the same ‘responsibilities’ of an adult.  I have not experienced the needed ‘embracing’ of the fact that the ‘exiled, disordered, tortured’ self’s actual ‘ground of being’, the psyche, is fractured and damaged.

The self of the person continues to experience everything with the same matrix-mesh constructed from the beginnings of its life. There has to be dynamic cocoon-holding for the psychic structure in crisis to enable a safe healing ‘change-growth-dynamic’ to occur.

I am certain there are mental health and ‘spiritual’ professionals who have instinctively understood this and just do what is needed ‘to care for the hurting person’ and to lead them as much as possible back to health without all the ‘agendas’. In the different cities and states where I have resided this is not the norm.

Simply put if someone has a sword lodged in one’s chest doctor’s and nurses spring rapidly into action to save the person’s life.  All the ramifications of choice are irrelevant to the healing dynamics of the team whose goal is the same. 

I am troubled by an almost impervious disregard for the psychologically troubled person in the throes of crisis.  Assessments and judgments just don’t work because the foundational being structure CANNOT be judged and punished without further hurting.  One cannot be expected to ‘walk or run’ without legs.

Many use sublimation, adjustments and often stoic determination, to allow for some success in living and working in the world with a minimum of discomfort or crisis.

It is when the psychic foundations are no longer strong enough to sublimate or adjust or psychological boundaries are insufficient that a safe, healing place along with a competent, empathetic and caring therapist are necessary.  In an age of rampant disregard of ‘ethical and quality assurance’ in all fields, these ‘safe’ healing places are few and far between.  Even these are not only pummeled by attacks of ignorance from outside the mental health realms but more and more from within.  In both cases the bottom line seems to be a false community ‘prestige’ to be maintained along with insurance costs.

There can never be a one-size-fits-all diagnosis for human souls traumatized and neglected to the point where damage has occurred and psychological bones ‘reset’ in order to survive. Daily life is struggle enough for everyone but for those in terrible crisis whose struggle is with their own inner emotional and psychological ‘ground of being’ every moment is a war zone filled with pain and suffering.  It is not ‘inner demons’ those in crisis are dealing with but how the psychological-emotional being was put together to begin with.

Therapy involves breaking the ‘bones’ of being true but great tenderness and discernment is critical to avoid ‘killing’ the soul.  “Conviction is never condemnation.”  Those people who actually sustained the drive through the invisible mine fields of a hostile society to reach out for help in therapy are in desperate need of freedom from the damage of the stigmatization of self-righteousness and mob violence from those around them.

After a car accident a victim faces hospitalization with terrible pain often followed by even more pain in physical therapy.  This is true of those with mental illness.  They have been victimized, wounded and are handicapped in certain areas of human interaction.  There is no place for stigmatizing rash judgments in any sphere but most especially for the wounded of the ‘invisible war.’  Not only is therapy needed but a ‘safe’ support group is absolutely necessary.

Each person is unique.  Each meeting too is unique and must be cherished.  At best we can only brush against the beings of those with whom we have to do in this life.  It is hoped that especially as Christians or as moral human beings that all our ‘meetings’ with others can occur with humble respect, loving harmony, unbiased freedom and peaceful caring.  It is vital when caring for those whose inner being is painfully wounded no matter what the initial cause.

       In a life-or-death struggle, there is often no chance to "try again."