A Psychology of Human Dignity

Originally published in the Netherlands in 2011, this book is the result of a life's work devoted to developing the craft of psychotherapy in a way that leaves the therapist's and the client's own responsibilities intact and that stimulates a direct, open, and honest link with day-to-day reality. 

From his deep commitment to raising the consciousness of both therapists and clients regarding the profound relevance of the larger world situation we find ourselves in (history), as well as one's own current stage of life, Ad Dekkers has spent the past thirty years developing a battery of detailed, yet flexible, psychotherapeutic exercises. These organically developed exercises, useful and stimulating for both the practitioner and the general reader, constitute the core of this book. 

Although written with practicing psychotherapists in mind, anyone interested in the history of the twentieth century or the biographical stages of human life will be rewarded here with a singular and caring picture of the human experience in our time.

Contents:

Foreword by William Bento, PhD

Introduction

The Continuing Development of psychotherapy

Developing the Psychotherapeutic Craft

The History of the Exercises

The Psychological Sensation

The Natural Development of the Exercises

1. Perception, Memory, and More

Observation

Remembering

The Importance of Memories

Case—Bringing memories to the surface: A therapeutic dialogue

“Situations” and “Events”

Case—Restoring the capacity to observe after damage caused by ideological indoctrination

The Complex Term “Event”

Case—A suicide attempt. The destructive power of the ban on observation

Rudolf Steiner: Twelve Senses

The Effects of Completing Memory Depictions: About the Sentient Soul

Case—“Don’t get involved in anything that throws you off balance.” A suffocating climate for the sentient soul

Continuing the Internal Activity: The Organizing Role of the Rational-Feeling Soul

The Future Perspective. The Role of the Consciousness Soul

Case—The therapy develops: Collecting facts—making interpretations—reevaluating decisions

Exercises

2. Phases of Life: The Focus on Development

How Can Age Be Made Visible?

Case—Age as a therapeutic gateway. The 21st year of life

The Factor of Age in Therapy

Case—A trouble-free past and problems nonetheless. The “I” comes on the scene and demands its rights

An Interim Overview of the Exercises

The Power of Imagination

Case—Age as a therapeutic gateway. The 42nd year of life

Self-Knowledge

Case—Exploring the mirroring age

Exercises

3. The Impact of History: The Generations as a Conduit

Dilemmas in Psychotherapy

The Aftereffects of the First World War: An Example

Case—The absence of war memories

From Perception to Understanding to Effect: Processing the Example

Memories in the Context of History: Two Examples

Therapeutic Effect of the Historical Perspective

Case—The 1970s and 1980s: “Everything is possible” parents

The Influence of Our Material Surroundings

The Parents as Conduits

Case—The children of the spiritual revolution

Transgenerational Transference and the Differences between Parents and Children

Wibke Bruhns: Germany’s War Record

At the Back Door of History

Case—The Netherlands and slavery. The therapist is wide of the mark

The Struggle to Deal with the Past: Quelling Rebellion in the Dutch East Indies

Case—Acknowledging our colonial past

Proposal for a Transgenerational Principle

Case—“Hardened and affected by the Second World War”

An Example of Positive Transgenerational Transference: Oliver Sacks

Exercises

4. The Self-Aware “I”

The Development of the “I” during the Stages of Life. The Birth of the “I”: The First Memory

The Development of the “I” during the Stages of Life. Up to the Age of 21: The “I” Takes Possession of the Body

The Development of the “I” during the Stages of Life. The 21st Year: The “I” Ascends the Throne: The Sentient Soul

The Development of the “I” during the Stages of Life. The Hypomochlion: The Rational-Feeling Soul

The Development of the “I” during the Stages of Life. The Twin-Track Decision around the 35th Year: The Consciousness Soul

The Development of the “I” during the Stages of Life. The 42nd Year: The Midlife Crisis. The Spirit Comes on the Scene

The Awakening of Self-Awareness: Observation of the Will: Actual Intentions

Awakening Self-Awareness: About Warmth

Case—Contact with one’s own source of creation through warmth

Awakening Self-Awareness: Reincarnation as a Theme in Therapy?

Case—Ten rights of the human being. “Do you believe in reincarnation?”

Awakening Self-Awareness: Karmic Encounters

Awakening Self-Awareness: Role-reversal in “I” Perspective

Case—A conciliatory role-reversal

Awakening self-awareness: Spontaneous role-reversal during the near-death experience

Case—The end of a psychosomatic problem: compassion “His war has become part of me”

Awakening Self-Awareness: Karmic Compensation

Awakening Self-Awareness: The Conscience

Case—The broken heart; or, The conscience as real power

Exercises

This book is a translation from Dutch of Psychotherapie van de menselijke waardigheid (Christofoor, 2011). 

Written by Ad Dekkers

Translated by Ed O'Sullivan

Foreword by William Bento

424 pages

6" x 9"

Paperback