Faith in the therapeutic process†

Abstract

The ‘social dreaming matrix’ raises significant questions about unconscious communication and the arena within which dreams are formed. Put simply: is psyche ‘in’ us, or do we live ‘in’ psyche? Beginning with some of Freud's early thoughts about unconscious communication and telepathy this paper explores aspects of post-Freudian, Jungian and Group Analytic thinking, and suggests that quantum field theory may have important implications for psychological understanding. The paper is also an appeal for analytical psychotherapy organizations not to lose their nerve, in the present rather daunting legal and managerial climate, but to seek ways of attending to the ‘wisdom of the unconscious’ in their collective deliberations. An attempt to do this, at St Marylebone Healing and Counselling Centre, is described. This may provide a link to more ancient religious understandings that supplied one of the roots that grew into the analytical psychology movement. Copyright © 2005 The British Association of Psychotherapists