Psychotherapy

You go first, said the soul to the body,
he does not listen to me.
I will get sick, then he will have time
for you, answered the body.

The concept of man of Rudolf Steiner forms the basis for an anthroposophically oriented therapy. Psychotherapy, which is based on it, is addressed to the "I" of the man, has a regulating effect on different emotional reactions and gives the spiritual life the right direction. If the spiritual life is left alone to regulate itself, it can have a disturbing effect on physiological processes and can lead to organic diseases. We can also observe that an existing sometimes even serious disease can be better coped with if his own biography, his future and his past make sense to the person, if he can formulate his life goals and act according to them and does not face his emotions helplessly.

Certain troubles that first seem to be spiritual, escape the clutches of conscious I. We have to deal with functional disturbances, which means with the domain of subconscious. In this case, a specific medical treatment should take place before the psychotherapeutic treatment, or at least they should run simultaneously in order to create necessary physical foundations, to design future. The last aspect has a special meaning for an I of the person: it develops continuously, that means it is always something changing, which looks to the future.

It can make sense, that a patient first tries to attach a new meaning to his past and thus to open a way to the future. If the patient can successfully distance himself from all his problems (though keeping insight and understanding of them) then he can confront himself and look at his abilities and opportunities. It means that we always want to orient to something healthy being aware that the spirit of the man, his I, cannot get sick. In this realm, there is freedom for everyone no matter what the circumstances are. During the conversation, we try to understand together which questions the life puts to the patient through this illness and this crisis and which answers he can offer. The question how he will take responsibility is also connected with it.

An important goal of psychotherapy enhanced by anthroposophy is considering all rhythmical processes. Thus, a seven year cycle as an urrhythm of the human life has a significant meaning alongside with other biographic rhythms. New phases of life (story) create new opportunities. The transformation of the old can lead to developing of the new.

Acknowledgment of physical and spiritual abilities that a person should develope at each life stage is necessary and helps to understand the symptoms of various crises through the history of their development and to find the correct therapeutic approach. We probably perceive disturbances and difficulties that we experience in our mental-spiritual area as nuisance, which wants to obtrusively penetrate into our consciousness and which we would like to leave unnoticed if we only could. Then it can be helpful to become aware that development takes place only through overcoming resistance. A spiritual growth emerges because of this struggle, and our I can acquire new strength. The crisis that was really overcome makes the person richer, more confident and more self-assured.

The task of a psychotherapist in a hospital is primarily following: to develop together with the patient, who is often in a very acute crisis, the way which, after his dismission, enables him to be able to formulate the changes he strives for, the goals he has, the steps he can undertake for his further healing process using his own power.

Often art therapies or eurhythmy, sometimes also massages from anthroposophical medicine are needed to support this process. In some cases, it makes sense to recommend an ambulant psychotherapy, which further develops the work started in the hospital.