When Does Psychotherapy Encourage Selfishness?
This paper explores how psychotherapy, with its inherent focus on the self, may inadvertently contribute to problematic selfishness. By comparison with religious traditions which have encouraged humility and dedication to serving others, psychotherapeutic schools have historically emphasized ways to...
| Main Author: | |
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| Contributors: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2024
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| In: |
Religions
Year: 2024, Volume: 15, Issue: 1 |
| Further subjects: | B
Selfishness
B Psychotherapy B Religion |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | This paper explores how psychotherapy, with its inherent focus on the self, may inadvertently contribute to problematic selfishness. By comparison with religious traditions which have encouraged humility and dedication to serving others, psychotherapeutic schools have historically emphasized ways to meet one’s own needs. We review here the evolution of ego-centric approaches toward more relational and growth- and virtue-oriented ones, before considering four clinical contexts which risk fostering undue absorption with oneself and one’s therapy. A greater awareness of these risks can help clinicians and patients appreciate the role of moral values, world views, and religious commitments in shaping the direction of their work. |
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| ISSN: | 2077-1444 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religions
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.3390/rel15010008 |