Bergquist: Social Construction
“Each of four perspectives regarding “reality” defines one’s sense of self in a quite different manner. They do not simply involve different belief systems and different ways of viewing relationships. They encompass different notions about the very nature of a belief system and a relationship. In this sense, these perspectives are profoundly different from one another—and profoundly important in understanding the push and pull of interpersonal relationships.”
“Robert Bellah and his colleagues propose that there is “glue” that holds a community together and provides support for the nurturing of interpersonal relationships. They base this proposition on their exploration of communities where “habits of the heart” prevails. There is a glue of coherence. I would expand on their “secular analysis” regarding coherence and the glue. I propose that coherence is created and maintained in what Eliade identified many years ago as both the sacred and profane domains of life. The profane is to be found in the secular institutions of a community, while the sacred is to be found in its spiritual institutions. I suggest that coherence requires that we attend to both the secular and sacred visions held by members of a community.”
Helping Relationships
Lou Breger I: The Case Study of Yael
Lou Breger II: The Case Study of Yael
“In this essay, we present one of the cases from Psychotherapy: Lives Intersecting and then provide our own comments regarding this case, exploring the inter-subjectivity perspective that underlies Lou Breger’s work, while also exploring implications for understanding the dynamics underlying this case from a perspective offered by those in the emerging field of social neurobiology. The case presented by Breger consists of three elements. Breger first offers a brief overview of the case. The assessment provided by the client (“Yael”) is then offered in her own words. Lou Breger occasionally inserts his own comments [placed in brackets] in the midst of Yael’s statement. Lou Breger concludes the case with an update about Yael and offers a few closing comments.” [Note: we have provided the link to two commentaries on the Breger case.]
David Skibbins: Co-Active Coaching
“As one of the interviews being conducted regarding the history of professional coaching, William Bergquist has met with David Skibbins, an early practitioner of the coaching processes presented by Coach Training Institute. As an experienced psychotherapist, Skibbins reflects not only on the nature of co-active coaching (the foundation of CTI practices), but also the shift for him from conducting psychotherapy to engaging in professional coaching.”
