Psychology

Joy Hilliker writes about the problem of stigmatizing addiction, and the need for care that affirms dignity, sees fully, and does not turn away in disgust.

Jeffrey Batstone presents “Opening to Grief Through Self-Compassion”—an examination of our relationship with grief through a posture of self-compassion.

Dr. Roy Barsness discusses the vision behind the Relational Perspectives Series, and why he looks forward to this year’s guest, Dr. Annie Rogers.

Shauna Gauthier sits down with Jeremy Dew (MA in Counseling Psychology, ‘10) to talk about uncertainty in faith and how his work as a therapist aligns with his growth as a father.

Dr. Derek McNeil sits down for a conversation with psychiatrist and author Dr. Curt Thompson about the spirituality and science behind resilience, integration, and human flourishing.

Dr. Curt Thompson, who will visit The Seattle School April 20-21, writes about empathy that compels us to action on behalf of each other.

Shauna Gauthier sits down with Smruti Desai (MA in Counseling Psychology, ‘09) to talk about Smruti’s therapeutic work, primarily with people of color, and about the decision to take what she learned in Seattle back to her home state of Georgia.

In this issue of The Other Journal, we will explore the valences of identity, both individual and communal, personal and public. We will take up the theme of identity in multiple ways, examining its interconnections with sexuality, pluralism and authenticity, the dissolution and reconstitution of borders, racial divisions, and, yes, even the 2016 presidential campaign.

The woman who anoints Jesus’ feet is a familiar story that appears in each of the four gospels. However, as I read it this year, in the midst of deep political and social unrest, it occupied my imagination in a new way and left me curious about the psychological and theological implications of a universal human emotion: disgust. Do we really see one another?

Dr. Roy Barsness, Professor of Counseling Psychology, has released a new book, Core Competencies of Relational Psychoanalysis: A Guide to Practice, Study, and Research. Inspired and challenged by his students, Dr. Barsness embarked on a significant qualitative research project with the aim of demystifying the what and the how of relational psychotherapy.

Heather Stringer (MA in Counseling Psychology ‘10) is a mental health therapist with a BFA in painting. In this presentation from Symposia 2016, Heather illustrates the need for developing creative rituals around that which we see as sacred and set apart

It happens when a loved one is missing in a hurricane. It happens when a husband with Alzheimer’s doesn’t remember the day he married his partner. It happens when a child can’t get the attention of a depressed parent. An unnamable uncertainty creeps up in us. Family therapist Dr. Pauline Boss coined a term for this developing psychological area of study known as ambiguous loss.