Attunement can be considered the deepest level of rapport, a foundation of empathy. We will learn how to attune to affect,behavior, cognition, attitude, perception, and relationship patterns – even how to attune to the preconscious associations that drive behavior. A precursor to every intervention, attunement will be described from the perspective of hypnosis, psychotherapy, and social psychology. Clinical applications will be demonstrated and discussed. Includes small-group practice exercises.
There is a vast wisdom describing the capacity for self-transformation and healing central to Buddhist psychology, now a focus of current neuroscience research as well. We will delineate the principles and clinical/therapeutic applications of mindfulness, compassion and forgiveness trainings, attunement, mental health and well being, as well as the profound shift of identity that has parallels in eastern psychology and recent neuroscience research. We will explore the wedding of a spiritual psychology of the heart in tune with clinically sound modern science.
Mindful awareness has been scientifically proven to promote social, emotional and physical well-being, and is an effective part of treatment to prevent relapse of drug addiction and chronic depression. Mindfulness also enhances empathy, and in that way may promote healthy interpersonal relationships. This ancient practice of being fully aware in the present moment, without grasping onto judgments, has been found in cultures around the world. At the heart of this proposal is that the state of mindful awareness harnesses specific social and emotional circuits in the brain. The development of these “resonance circuits” creates an integrated brain state that creates the benefits of improved immune and cardiac function, enhanced empathy and self-understanding, and a deeper connection to oneself and others.
The importance of therapeutic alliance is described. Therapeutic alliance, transference, and transference acting-out are defined and distinguished from each other and the therapeutic task of helping the patient to convert transference acting-out to therapeutic alliance and transference is outlined. The differences in the form and content of the intrapsychic structure are described to show why different therapeutic techniques are necessary to establish the therapeutic alliance: Confrontation with the borderline and mirroring interpretation of narcissistic vulnerability with the Narcissistic Personality Disorder. A brief case illustrates each.