The application of psychotherapeutic interventions into pastoral practice : possibilities and reflections

Ganc, Damijan (author), Jerebic, Drago (author)

Pastoral theology is seeking new forms of evangelisation to address people in the postmodern socio-cultural context and help them recognise the richness of the spiritual tradition. According to the principle of ‘logoi spermatikoi’, theology must open itself to the insights of some other disciplines, implement them and enrich them with its own content. Pastoral theology may find an important interlocutor in psychotherapy, which has developed working methods that are very attractive for people nowadays, addressing their individuality, putting their personal experience at the centre, strengthening their sense of autonomy and ability to form good relationships, and helping them use and regulate their emotions in their daily lives. We propose attachment theory as the starting point for the application of psychotherapeutic interventions in pastoral practice. Attachment theory is having a major impact on the development of contemporary psychotherapy and is also increasingly finding expression in contemporary Christian anthropology. The application of psychotherapeutic interventions in pastoral practice can make an important contribution to establishing a secure relationship between the pastoral worker and the believer, creating a foundation for sincere dialogue and spiritual accompaniment. In this article we present some basic psychotherapeutic interventions, their potential application in pastoral practice, and the expected effects of their use. We draw attention to some ethical dilemmas, to the importance of the safe transfer of interventions in pastoral care, and to the need for research to show the real effects of the use of these interventions in practice.

• Language: English
• Keywords: pastoral practice, post-modern approach, psychotherapeutic interventions, attachment theory, ethics in pastoral care
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: In print
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2024
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 177-188
• Numbering: Letn. 84, [št.] 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-163999
• UDC: 159.964:27-46
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2024/01/Ganc
• COBISS.SI-ID: 206055171
• Publication date in RUL: 15.10.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik : glasilo Teološke fakultete v Ljubljani
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Teološka fakulteta
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Uporaba psihoterapevtskih intervencij v pastoralni praksi : možnosti in razmisleki

Abstract

Pastoralna teologija išče nove poti oznanjevanja, ki bodo nagovarjale človeka v postmodernem sociokulturnem kontekstu in mu pomagale prepoznavati bogastvo duhovnega izročila. Po načelu ‚logoi spermatikoi‘ se mora teologija odpreti spoznanjem nekaterih drugih disciplin, jih implementirati in obogatiti z njej lastno vsebino. Pomembnega sogovornika lahko pastoralna teologija najde tudi v psihoterapiji. Ta je razvila za sodobnega človeka zelo privlačne metode dela, s katerimi naslavlja njegovo individualnost, v ospredje postavlja njegovo osebno izkušnjo, krepi njegov občutek za avtonomijo in sposobnost za oblikovanje kakovostnih odnosov ter mu pomaga uporabljati in uravnavati čustva v vsakodnevnem življenju. Za izhodišče aplikacije psihoterapevtskih intervencij v pastoralno prakso postavimo teorijo navezanosti, ki zelo pomembno vpliva na razvoj sodobne psihoterapije, vse bolj pa prihaja do izraza tudi v sodobni krščanski antropologiji. Aplikacija psihoterapevtskih intervencij v pastoralno prakso lahko pomembno prispeva pri vzpostavljanju varnega odnosa med pastoralnim delavcem in vernikom, kar ustvarja temelj za iskren dialog in poglobljeno duhovno spremljanje. V prispevku predstavimo nekatere temeljne psihoterapevtske intervencije, njihovo potencialno uporabnost v pastoralni praksi ter predvidene učinke njihove uporabe. Opozorimo na nekatere etične dileme aplikacije, na pomen varnega prenosa intervencij v pastorali in na potrebo po raziskavah, ki bodo pokazale na dejanske učinke uporabe teh intervencij v praksi.

• Keywords: pastoralna praksa, postmoderni pristop, psihoterapevtske intervencije, teorija navezanosti, etika v pastorali