Exploring How Unresolved
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EXPLORING HOW UNRESOLVED TRAUMA CONTRIBUTES TOWARDS STUCKNESS WITHIN INTRAPERSONAL AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: APPLYING SOMATIC EXPERIENCING AND LOGOTHERAPY INTERVENTIONS by Julie Daymon McLeod E Silva Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the subject PSYCHOLOGY at the University of South Africa Supervisor: Professor M.M.L.F. dos Santos June 2018 i DECLARATION I declare that ‘Exploring how unresolved trauma contributes towards stuckness within intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships: Applying somatic experiencing and logotherapy interventions’ is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted are indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. ___________________________ Julie Daymon McLeod E Silva June, 2018 0731-058-7 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Change has been a constant and common denominator in the process of commencing and completing this thesis. The need to relocate and live abroad has increased my understanding of immigration trauma, with its many nuances of loss, adjustment, and reintegration. In the culmination of this study, I extend my gratitude for the input, patience, guidance and support I have received from my supervisor Professor Monika dos Santos. Professor dos Santos rescued me ‘at sea’ due to a change in my supervisor of the dissertation. At times, she has ‘anchored’ me and I am thankful for her stepping in and motivating me during ‘waves, which felt at times, too big to ride’. I am grateful for the many souls I have been privileged to encounter along my journey of discovering more about human behaviour. The shared experience of another’s pain, subsequent healing and individual empowerment, in a process of resolution, as well as recovery, is an honour for me to both witness and to be a part of. The working through of unresolved issues with those that I am fortunate to meet in my daily work, is a blessing. In particular, the participants in this research and the changes I have witnessed, leave the landscapes of my inner being considerably richer, as well as deepen feelings of humility. I am thankful for the training received, as well as the ongoing learning in respect of Peter Levine’s somatic experiencing. In addition, I have experienced new learning, as well as meaning and purpose from Victor Frankl’s Logotherapy work. I acknowledge the constant presence, support and guidance of my God as I perceive this noetic Energy, my country of birth, South Africa, UNISA and my supervisor Professor Monika dos Santos. In particular, I acknowledge my children, Francheska, Gabriella and Vincenzo who have, and continue to be, three of the most meaningful people in my existence. They continue as adults, to provide the greatest blessings in my life. They too, have learned so much about trauma and the resolution thereof, as well as about living their lives from a perspective of meaning. I am grateful for them as individuals, as well as their high levels of consciousness and for the awareness and growth that has come out of my trauma journey work. iii ABSTRACT The study undertook to explore the notion of stuckness within interpersonal and intrapersonal relationship dynamics. Stuckness has different presentations and can pertain to an individual’s’ inability to move beyond a particular challenge, or find resolution to one or more persistent problems. Alternatively, the stymied dynamic could manifest as a person becoming consistently highly activated or triggered. This has negative ramifications, within both interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. Therapeutically, psychological stuckness is frequently encountered, and a lack of resolution of past trauma, is speculated as being a contributory factor. A qualitative, explorative research study was conducted over a period of one year, to collect data. The research design consisted of five case studies of participants who engaged in approximately one year of therapy. Participants were seen fortnightly, by a clinical psychologist, who is also the researcher of the study. The notes taken in the therapy sessions, as well as other qualitative methods, were utilised to collect the data. The data was analysed for themes formulated by the researcher, which themes correlated with the principles of the two schools of thought applied in the study. Logotherapy and somatic experiencing are the therapeutic interventions, which were included in the research method. These approaches were utilised in an endeavour to explore their efficacy, in resolving stuckness, speculated as being due to unprocessed trauma. Participation in the study was voluntary and boundaries of ethical codes, as well as values of psychotherapeutic therapy adhered to. There was no monetary exchange for the therapy received, and no costs incurred to the participants, in the research study. The presence of a long-standing persistent problem, or issue (stuckness) that had belied resolution, was the main criteria for inclusion in the study. The research explored the possible association between unresolved trauma, as well as various types of interpersonal, and intrapersonal stuckness. Impulsivity, explosive tempers, irrationality, emotionality and bizarre acting out behaviours, are some of the presentations, that the study speculated, as being due to unprocessed traumatic iv energy. A contribution of this research is that there is an absence of any prior studies conducted which explores stuckness and its correlation with unresolved trauma. In addition, no other research assessing the combined, top-down, and bottom-up efficacy of the therapeutic approaches of logotherapy and somatic experiencing were sourced. Payne, et al. (2015 b) state that they could not find evidence of more than five papers which provided case studies on somatic experiencing as a trauma intervention. The number of studies undertaken on somatic experiencing in general, is also significantly limited (Changaris, 2010; Samardzic, 2010). This adds to the value, meaning and purpose of this research, as it is a unique endeavour, motivated by the researcher’s intention to add more value to individuals’ lives, especially when the presenting problem, appears to be unfathomable stuckness. In an absence of any understanding for the reasons for such stuckness, these people may experience significant distress at being stymied, within the self, or in relation to others, as well as feel at a loss for any possible recourse. This study could prompt other researchers to conduct similar investigations, not only of the combined body-based, and cognitive psychotherapuetic interventions, but also of the link between stymied interpersonal, as well as intrapersonal relationship dynamics, and trauma. The application of a mind, body and soul approach in the study, through the inclusion of logotherapy, is also relevant. In reviewing the direction of psychological fields, one can detect that the trends are towards constructs such as meditation, enlightenment, consciousness, meaning, purpose, mindfulness, presence, and spiritual identity. Individuals are seeking more enlightenment, and want to explore more of the noetic dimension, which I believe psychotherapy has to include, in order to meet the needs of an evolving society. v Key terms: activations, body psychotherapy, impact of unresolved trauma, interpersonal relationships, intrapersonal relationships, logotherapy, somatic experiencing, stuckness, stymied, triggered vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration ................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... iii Abstract ..................................................................................................................... v Key terms .................................................................................................................. vi Table of Contents ..................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY Orientation to the study ............................................................................................. 2 Orientation to the context of the problem .................................................................. 7 Rationale for the research ......................................................................................... 8 Analysis of the problem: Trauma and relationships .................................................. 8 Motivation for the research study ............................................................................ 10 Limited research and literature on the subject ......................................................... 10 Personal motivation for the study ............................................................................ 10 Research domain .................................................................................................... 11 The structure of the dissertation .............................................................................. 11 Contributions of the research study ......................................................................... 12 Concluding remarks ................................................................................................ 12 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction: A review of how unresolved trauma can have a detrimental impact on intrapersonal and/or interpersonal relationships ................................................