Psychophobia: How does it come into our practice and how might we reduce its impact?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65828/mmd3n483Keywords:
Psychophobia, existential shattering, dark night of the soul, being with clients 'in crisis'Abstract
This SEA workshop offered a space for participants to confront and explore their own psychophobia and its impact on the way they work with clients in extreme distress. The aim of this exercise was to (i) to reflect upon our own internalised psychophobia and its impact on the way we practice, and (ii) learn from another and share 'best practice'.
Complete access to the full archive of articles is available with SEA membership. Existing members: please log in with your membership password to view full text. Non-members can buy a single article or issue by registering an account on this website, then selecting a padlocked full text button to purchase.
References
Hetherington, H. (2025). Pensamientos 3: Further thoughts on paradox and polarity; the failings of language; psychophobia; and moral certainty and truth. Hermeneutic Circular. April 2025. 13-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt211qxkn.14
Hoffman, L. & Vallejos, L. (2018). Existential shattering. In Leeming, D. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Springer. 847-850. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_200193
Hoffman, L. & Singer, J. (2025). Existential shattering. Existential Analysis: The Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. 35.1: 247-261. DOI: https://doi.org/10.65828/mysv5e12
Jaspers, K. (1970 [1932]). Philosophy (Vol. 2). Trans. Ashton, E.B. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Jung, C.G. (1954). The Practice of Psychotherapy. Vol 16 Collected Works of C.G. Jung. London: Routledge DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315725284
Laing, R.D. (1987). Did you used toe be R.D. Laing? Documentary. Dir. Kirk, A. London: Third Mind Productions. Cited in Montgomery, M. (2025) (see below).
Moncrieff, J. (2025). Chemically Unbalanced: The making and unmaking of the serotonin myth. Cheltenham: Flint Books.
Montogomery, M.R. (2025). Psychophobia and its cure: An existential phenomenological perspective. Existential Analysis: The Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. 36.1: 51-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.65828/q3kwza68
Spinelli, E. (2005). The Interpreted World: An introduction to phenomenological psychology. 2nd ed. London: Sage.


