Entry for 4 November:
Months ago I agreed to cover the Belfast one-day workshop in our ESRC-funded grant project on developing research training capacity in counselling trainers. This was originally intended as a feeder for our five-day summer school program, but the Belfast workshop got scheduled after the summer school, so now it’s a feeder for a possible 2009 summer school.
Rather than attempt the whole thing in one day, I flew in last night, election day in the US. Diane and I had voted weeks ago by absentee ballot, so it was all over but the waiting for us. It was an eerie feeling, flying into a foreign city on election night, temporarily homeless. At some point, I remembered sitting in the Lodi Public Library on election night in 1960, waiting for my dad to finish up at the office and pick me up to take me home, filled with a sense of lonely dislocation, as large historical forces ground themselves into a new alignment, marking the beginning of a new era. Last night, this impression was rendered stronger by the fact that I am in the midst of a very bad cold, hacking, coughing and congested.
I had dinner with Jean McMinn, a faculty member on the counselling course at Queens University in Belfast; she had asked for the opportunity to pick my brain about what might be entailed in their setting up a new research clinic in the School of Education. I was happy to do this, and in spite of feeling unwell, it was a most interesting evening, as she spoke of the legacy of The Troubles, the long civil war in Northern Ireland, that is still too toxic to discuss openly when counsellor and client are unsure of each other’s position before the ceasefire 13 years ago (“How would my therapist feel if she knew that I was an IRA supporter?”).
My cough made it difficult to sleep, and the unfolding drama of the election returns proved to be too big a temptation for me to resist; I got up and checked the news at 1:30am GMT (8:30pm in Ohio) and again at 3:30am, watching the fascination of British television with this historic election. I was watching at 4am, as the polls closed on the west coast, they called the election for Obama, and at 4:30 when McCain gracefully and movingly conceded the election. I felt deeply moved, to tears, as I watched the crowds in Chicago and New York City, gathered mark the occasion and to celebrate. One of the many factors in our move to Scotland was our embarrassment at being associated with a country with such an inept, narrow-minded administration, which we saw as moving us all rapidly toward becoming a police state, and which was elected to office by the American people, including our neighbors in Toledo, not just once but twice. As I watched, I felt the beginning of a deep tectonic reversal, and even felt a bit of hope and pride that just maybe we had finally gotten something right.
This morning I got up, somewhat worse for the wear, and met Kaye Richards in the lobby for the walk over to the Queens University School of Education. We had 14 attendees, a varied lot including local counselling course faculty, some folks up from Trinity College Dublin (Laco’s haunt), a couple of nervous CBT therapists fearing ostracism, and several others. On reviewing their hopes and fears (a standard ritual in counselling training events in the UK), it quickly became obvious that we were never going approach being able to meet the needs this diverse but fascinating group.
We resigned ourselves to being as entertaining as possible: Kaye balanced on her high heels while she outlined the context of the RDI project and BACP’s proposed Core Curriculum; I turned John McLeod’s potted tour of the history of psychotherapy research into breathless race through the main research findings from thousands of research studies, alternating passion and cynicism, while shamelessly plugging Mick’s new book; we dropped the canned voice-over powerpoint presentation on evaluation research in favour of an extended version of my outcome monitoring/stealth quantitative input; we allayed the CBT therapists' fears by providing them the opportunity to be heard and respected; and we ended up helping the group think about setting up their own Northern Ireland Counselling Research Google Group. In between, there was the now-familiar ritual of attendees coming up to us to ask us about their research ideas. Before leaving, I met for a bit with Jean and her head of school, Tony, to discuss ideas about the possible Queens University research clinic.
On the hour-long way back to the airport (I’d made the mistake of flying into Belfast International Airport rather than Belfast City Airport), I had a long talk with the taxi driver, a Belfast native, about the election and what it might mean for the US and the rest of the world. It’s not clear to me from this distance whether Americans are really aware of the extent to which the rest of the world has been waiting with bated breath for this outcome, but it’s really true, and now it appears that there is widespread hope that things will be different and that the US will once again collaborate with other countries rather try to bully or go it alone. I’m almost afraid to hope, but what else is there?
As I walked back up the hill from the Hyndland train station tonight, I heard the distant pop-pop of fireworks, marking Bonfire Night (AKA Guy Fawkes Day), and it made me think in contrast of Northern Ireland, just emerging from The Troubles. No need there to celebrate an ancient attempt to incite civil war; the real thing is still too raw and close. America’s celebration of new hope seems more appropriate to me tonight.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Grace and Music at St. Mary’s
Entry for 1 November 2008, All Saints Day:
A year and a half ago I attended a moving concert/service of church music at St. Mary’s, featuring music by John Bell and James McMillan. Tonight, for All Saints’ Day, at the turning of another season in the Celtic calendar, there was another such ecumenical event, featuring the same musicians. This time it was further enhanced by an art exhibition of pieces by 25 artists who had been invited to submit work on the theme of grace. These paintings and other artworks contributed an appropriate backdrop to a concert of music of varying colours, ranging from painful longing (McMillan’s “Kiss on Wood”) to joyous (“Sing for God’s Glory” by Kathy Galloway).
Our own experience of grace was deepened by our having taken along with us Carmen Mateu, a colleague from Spain who is doing a 4-month sabbatical here at the Counselling Unit. Carmen is fun to have along, because she experiences most things in a rather intense, enthusiastic manner, savouring the joy and sorrow of each moment. She was particularly taken by John Bell’s red shoes and his skill in leading congregation singing (he is a master at the latter. However, the piece that is still in my head is James McMillan’s instrumental meditation on the crucifixion, “Kiss on Wood”, for Violin and Piano, performed by grace-ful coincidence in front of what was probably the most powerful painting in the exhibition, a piece depicting four men dressed in modern clothing (one in a suit and tie), helping carry a large wood cross. For some reason, the tone and mood, the McMillan’s haunting piece reminded me of deconstructed version of Portuguese composer Carlos Paredes’ fado-inspired “Verdes Anos” ("Green years"), particularly in the Kronos Quartet version. A Google search turned up a recording of a performance of the McMillan composition on YouTube: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E3rh74IdBnw .
Other high points of the concert: The song “There is a line of women”, honouring the women of the Bible, which Carmen and Diane also particularly liked (and which my mom would have loved); “Ipharadisi” a simple South African song of remembrance (“Ipharadisi, where all the dead are living/ may we one day join them all there”); and “For all the saints” (music by Vaughan Williams to words by William Walsham How), one of my all-time favourite hymns, which we played at my dad’s memorial service. Like the previous concert, the music here found a connection to my dad. We went home with hearts full of grace, fellowship, and wonder.
A year and a half ago I attended a moving concert/service of church music at St. Mary’s, featuring music by John Bell and James McMillan. Tonight, for All Saints’ Day, at the turning of another season in the Celtic calendar, there was another such ecumenical event, featuring the same musicians. This time it was further enhanced by an art exhibition of pieces by 25 artists who had been invited to submit work on the theme of grace. These paintings and other artworks contributed an appropriate backdrop to a concert of music of varying colours, ranging from painful longing (McMillan’s “Kiss on Wood”) to joyous (“Sing for God’s Glory” by Kathy Galloway).
Our own experience of grace was deepened by our having taken along with us Carmen Mateu, a colleague from Spain who is doing a 4-month sabbatical here at the Counselling Unit. Carmen is fun to have along, because she experiences most things in a rather intense, enthusiastic manner, savouring the joy and sorrow of each moment. She was particularly taken by John Bell’s red shoes and his skill in leading congregation singing (he is a master at the latter. However, the piece that is still in my head is James McMillan’s instrumental meditation on the crucifixion, “Kiss on Wood”, for Violin and Piano, performed by grace-ful coincidence in front of what was probably the most powerful painting in the exhibition, a piece depicting four men dressed in modern clothing (one in a suit and tie), helping carry a large wood cross. For some reason, the tone and mood, the McMillan’s haunting piece reminded me of deconstructed version of Portuguese composer Carlos Paredes’ fado-inspired “Verdes Anos” ("Green years"), particularly in the Kronos Quartet version. A Google search turned up a recording of a performance of the McMillan composition on YouTube: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E3rh74IdBnw .
Other high points of the concert: The song “There is a line of women”, honouring the women of the Bible, which Carmen and Diane also particularly liked (and which my mom would have loved); “Ipharadisi” a simple South African song of remembrance (“Ipharadisi, where all the dead are living/ may we one day join them all there”); and “For all the saints” (music by Vaughan Williams to words by William Walsham How), one of my all-time favourite hymns, which we played at my dad’s memorial service. Like the previous concert, the music here found a connection to my dad. We went home with hearts full of grace, fellowship, and wonder.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Research Clinic Marks 100th Client
Entry for 21 October 2008:
This afternoon Brian proudly announced that research clinic had logged its 100th client: Since its first client contact last November, the Strathclyde Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy has been contacted by 100 prospective clients.
Almost all of these clients have received telephone screenings; most have received intake screenings in one of our two research protocols; dozens have begun counselling; and a growing number have finished counselling. We now have a waiting list, which is a mixed blessing, but indicates the research clinic is clearly meeting a community need. We have logged several hundred sessions and sponsored three masters level dissertations by Counselling Psychology students (HSCED studies). As well as providing valuable training and practice opportunities for students and professional-level counsellors, as well as mental health services for folks from the Glasgow area, the research clinic is a research collective: That is, students and professionals contribute data as counsellors and researchers, and can then draw on the data set for their own research. As the the data archive builds, a wider variety of research projects becomes possible.
We are now interviewing the second cohort of students seeking placements in the research clinic. We are looking forward to seeing our 2nd hundred clients!
For more information, see the research clinic’s website: www.strath.ac.uk/Departments/counsunit/counselling/centre.html
This afternoon Brian proudly announced that research clinic had logged its 100th client: Since its first client contact last November, the Strathclyde Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy has been contacted by 100 prospective clients.
Almost all of these clients have received telephone screenings; most have received intake screenings in one of our two research protocols; dozens have begun counselling; and a growing number have finished counselling. We now have a waiting list, which is a mixed blessing, but indicates the research clinic is clearly meeting a community need. We have logged several hundred sessions and sponsored three masters level dissertations by Counselling Psychology students (HSCED studies). As well as providing valuable training and practice opportunities for students and professional-level counsellors, as well as mental health services for folks from the Glasgow area, the research clinic is a research collective: That is, students and professionals contribute data as counsellors and researchers, and can then draw on the data set for their own research. As the the data archive builds, a wider variety of research projects becomes possible.
We are now interviewing the second cohort of students seeking placements in the research clinic. We are looking forward to seeing our 2nd hundred clients!
For more information, see the research clinic’s website: www.strath.ac.uk/Departments/counsunit/counselling/centre.html
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The Hermeneutic Circle
Entry for 19 Oct 2008:
Note. Some time ago I was asked to write a short piece on the Hermeneutic Circle for a research website at the University of Strathclyde. After putting it off for far too long, I decided I’d try it out as a blog entry. For the past 2 weeks, it has absorbed almost all my blogging energy, but I finally finished it this weekend.
Students in research methods courses often find the word “hermeneutic” and the associated concept of the Hermeneutic Circle to be intimidating pieces of technical philosophical/research jargon. For that reason, it is worth trying to unpack and demystify these concepts.
Hermeneutics
The word “hermeneutic” is really just a technical word for interpretation, but not necessarily interpretation in the psychoanalytic sense of interpreting unconscious phenomena. Instead, by focusing on how we make sense of complicated texts, hermeneutics brings our attention to one of the central issues in human existence: how it is possible for us to understand one another at all.
Although its etymology is obscure, it appears to be related to the Greek messenger god Hermes, who provides a handy metaphor for the act of interpretation, in that he was believed to deliver messages from the gods. In ancient times, important messages, as from one king to another, were delivered in the form of a scroll contained in a carrier tube, sealed with wax and stamped with the king’s signet ring. To receive the message, one would have to break the royal seal, remove the scroll from its concealing tube, and unroll it; all of these physical acts provide metaphors for the process of interpreting a difficult text or utterance.
Although typically traced to 18th century theologian/Bible scholars, the discipline of hermeneutics in fact goes back to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle (350 BCE/2007), who wrote a book on the grammatical/logical hermeneutics, commonly referred to by its Latin title, De Interpretatione (“On Interpretation”, in English). Aristotle was of course interested in the interpretation of linguistic statements in general; however, during the medieval and renaissance periods, its main focus was on the interpretation of the Bible (Biblical Hermeneutics), in terms of its multiple levels of meaning. Hermeneutics as systematic discipline became formalized by Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) and Wilhelm Dilthey (1833-1911) in the 18th and 19th centuries (Ramberg & Gjesdal, 2008).
For Bible scholars such as Friedrich Schleiermacher hermeneutics was the discipline of unpacking the meaning of ancient biblical sources, which are complicated, often damaged texts, dense with meaning of special significance to believers. Modern Bible scholars provide interesting examples of the hermeneutic method applied intensively to a single text over time: For example, Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976) attempted to separate out the different layers of texts that had been written, revised and added to, over centuries.
Since Schleiermacher, modern hermeneutics has been developed successively by Dilthey, Heidegger, Gadamer, Habermas, and Ricoeur. Eventually, in the 1980’s, as part of the emergence of the qualitative research paradigm, this began to reach mainstream social sciences including psychology, sociology and education. Influential evaluation textbooks, such as early editions of Patton (2001) began to include sections on hermeneutic-interpretive research; Packer and Addison’s Entering the Circle (1989) marked the emergence of interest in hermeneutic methods in psychology. Today, the interpretive-hermeneutic approach is one of the main perspectives on qualitative research, alongside Grounded Theory (e.g., Strauss & Corbin, 1998) and empirical phenomenology (e.g., Wertz, 1983). In spite of superficial differences in intellectual tradition and terminology, the three overlap substantially with one another (McLeod, 2001). For example, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA: Smith & Osborn, 2003), as its name suggests, combines elements of hermeneutics and empirical phenomenology.
The Hermeneutic Circle: How is Understanding Possible?
Formulation of the hermeneutic circle goes back to Spinoza and is the central organizing concept in hermeneutics (Ramberg & Gjesdal, 2008), serving as key metaphor, narrative, paradox or puzzle: In encountering a text, especially a dense, complex text, our understanding of each part is based on our understanding of the whole, including its personal and cultural context; and yet we can only build up our understanding of the whole (and its context) by understanding the different parts of which the text is constructed. Initially, our understanding of the whole is made up entirely of a “forestructure” of the expectations or pre-understandings that we have brought to our encounter with the text we are trying to understand. Paradoxically, it is these that make understanding possible in the first place; and yet, clearly, these expectations or even prejudices are at the same time the major impediment to truly understanding the text. Furthermore, this paradox is fundamental not only to our understanding of texts, but also our coming to know any novel situation or even other human beings. The hermeneutic circle thus raises the question of how it is possible for human beings to understand one another.
The answer to this puzzle turns out to be repeated careful readings, which means that the hermeneutic circle is really more of spiral, as we circle deeper and deeper into understanding a text, qualitative interview protocol, or another human being. This is because each encounter or reading brings us into contact with new aspects of the text or person, deepening our understanding. Our reading moves tentatively at first in a kind of dialog, back and forth, gradually both deepening and opening up the text or person to us. Although this process is never really complete, it eventually reaches far enough to satisfy our immediate purposes, whether as researchers, or counsellors, or fellow human beings. (refs)
What does this have to do with Research?
Rennie (2000) has proposed that this process applies to all forms of qualitative analysis, even those that claim to be descriptive, and that therefore hermeneutics is the core philosophy of science for qualitative research. It can even be argued that the hermeneutic circle applies as well to the process of developing and refining measures in quantitative research. Thinking hermeneutically encourages us to be aware of the pre-understandings we bring to our research, to read our data carefully and deeply and to circle through it repeatedly in stages of familiarization, unitizing, category construction, linking up aspects of the analysis, and review/self-audit, and writing up. It cautions us to avoid the easy philosophical solutions of either realism or relativism, but instead to step carefully along what Rennie refers to the rocky middle road between the two.
To learn more about hermeneutics and the hermeneutic circle, see the references below.
References
Aristotle. (350 BCE/2007). On interpretation (Trans. E.A Edgehill). Accessed on 16 October 2008, at http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/a/aristotle/interpretation/.
Elliott, R. (1989). Comprehensive Process Analysis: Understanding the change process in significant therapy events. In M. Packer & R.B. Addison (Eds.), Entering the circle: Hermeneutic investigation in psychology (pp. 165-184). Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Elliott, R. (1993). Carrying out a Comprehensive Process Analysis. Unpublished paper. University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio USA. [available by request]
McLeod, J. (2001). Qualitative research in counselling and psychotherapy. London, UK: Sage.
Packer, M.J., & Addison, R.B. (Eds.). (1989). Entering the circle: Hermeneutic investigation in psychology. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Patton, M.Q. (2001). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (3nd ed.). London, UK: Sage.
Ramberg, B., & Gjesdal, K. (2008). Hermeneutics, in E. N. Zalta (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2008 Edition). Accessed on 5 October 2008, at http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2008/entries/hermeneutics/ .
Rennie, D.L. (2000). Grounded theory methodology as methodical hermeneutics: Reconciling realism and relativism. Theory & Psychology, 10, 481-502.
Smith, J.A. and Osborn, M. (2003) Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In J.A. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Methods. London: Sage.
Wertz, F.J. (1983). From everyday to psychological description: Analyzing the moments of a qualitative data analysis. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 14, 197-241.
Note. Some time ago I was asked to write a short piece on the Hermeneutic Circle for a research website at the University of Strathclyde. After putting it off for far too long, I decided I’d try it out as a blog entry. For the past 2 weeks, it has absorbed almost all my blogging energy, but I finally finished it this weekend.
Students in research methods courses often find the word “hermeneutic” and the associated concept of the Hermeneutic Circle to be intimidating pieces of technical philosophical/research jargon. For that reason, it is worth trying to unpack and demystify these concepts.
Hermeneutics
The word “hermeneutic” is really just a technical word for interpretation, but not necessarily interpretation in the psychoanalytic sense of interpreting unconscious phenomena. Instead, by focusing on how we make sense of complicated texts, hermeneutics brings our attention to one of the central issues in human existence: how it is possible for us to understand one another at all.
Although its etymology is obscure, it appears to be related to the Greek messenger god Hermes, who provides a handy metaphor for the act of interpretation, in that he was believed to deliver messages from the gods. In ancient times, important messages, as from one king to another, were delivered in the form of a scroll contained in a carrier tube, sealed with wax and stamped with the king’s signet ring. To receive the message, one would have to break the royal seal, remove the scroll from its concealing tube, and unroll it; all of these physical acts provide metaphors for the process of interpreting a difficult text or utterance.
Although typically traced to 18th century theologian/Bible scholars, the discipline of hermeneutics in fact goes back to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle (350 BCE/2007), who wrote a book on the grammatical/logical hermeneutics, commonly referred to by its Latin title, De Interpretatione (“On Interpretation”, in English). Aristotle was of course interested in the interpretation of linguistic statements in general; however, during the medieval and renaissance periods, its main focus was on the interpretation of the Bible (Biblical Hermeneutics), in terms of its multiple levels of meaning. Hermeneutics as systematic discipline became formalized by Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) and Wilhelm Dilthey (1833-1911) in the 18th and 19th centuries (Ramberg & Gjesdal, 2008).
For Bible scholars such as Friedrich Schleiermacher hermeneutics was the discipline of unpacking the meaning of ancient biblical sources, which are complicated, often damaged texts, dense with meaning of special significance to believers. Modern Bible scholars provide interesting examples of the hermeneutic method applied intensively to a single text over time: For example, Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976) attempted to separate out the different layers of texts that had been written, revised and added to, over centuries.
Since Schleiermacher, modern hermeneutics has been developed successively by Dilthey, Heidegger, Gadamer, Habermas, and Ricoeur. Eventually, in the 1980’s, as part of the emergence of the qualitative research paradigm, this began to reach mainstream social sciences including psychology, sociology and education. Influential evaluation textbooks, such as early editions of Patton (2001) began to include sections on hermeneutic-interpretive research; Packer and Addison’s Entering the Circle (1989) marked the emergence of interest in hermeneutic methods in psychology. Today, the interpretive-hermeneutic approach is one of the main perspectives on qualitative research, alongside Grounded Theory (e.g., Strauss & Corbin, 1998) and empirical phenomenology (e.g., Wertz, 1983). In spite of superficial differences in intellectual tradition and terminology, the three overlap substantially with one another (McLeod, 2001). For example, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA: Smith & Osborn, 2003), as its name suggests, combines elements of hermeneutics and empirical phenomenology.
The Hermeneutic Circle: How is Understanding Possible?
Formulation of the hermeneutic circle goes back to Spinoza and is the central organizing concept in hermeneutics (Ramberg & Gjesdal, 2008), serving as key metaphor, narrative, paradox or puzzle: In encountering a text, especially a dense, complex text, our understanding of each part is based on our understanding of the whole, including its personal and cultural context; and yet we can only build up our understanding of the whole (and its context) by understanding the different parts of which the text is constructed. Initially, our understanding of the whole is made up entirely of a “forestructure” of the expectations or pre-understandings that we have brought to our encounter with the text we are trying to understand. Paradoxically, it is these that make understanding possible in the first place; and yet, clearly, these expectations or even prejudices are at the same time the major impediment to truly understanding the text. Furthermore, this paradox is fundamental not only to our understanding of texts, but also our coming to know any novel situation or even other human beings. The hermeneutic circle thus raises the question of how it is possible for human beings to understand one another.
The answer to this puzzle turns out to be repeated careful readings, which means that the hermeneutic circle is really more of spiral, as we circle deeper and deeper into understanding a text, qualitative interview protocol, or another human being. This is because each encounter or reading brings us into contact with new aspects of the text or person, deepening our understanding. Our reading moves tentatively at first in a kind of dialog, back and forth, gradually both deepening and opening up the text or person to us. Although this process is never really complete, it eventually reaches far enough to satisfy our immediate purposes, whether as researchers, or counsellors, or fellow human beings. (refs)
What does this have to do with Research?
Rennie (2000) has proposed that this process applies to all forms of qualitative analysis, even those that claim to be descriptive, and that therefore hermeneutics is the core philosophy of science for qualitative research. It can even be argued that the hermeneutic circle applies as well to the process of developing and refining measures in quantitative research. Thinking hermeneutically encourages us to be aware of the pre-understandings we bring to our research, to read our data carefully and deeply and to circle through it repeatedly in stages of familiarization, unitizing, category construction, linking up aspects of the analysis, and review/self-audit, and writing up. It cautions us to avoid the easy philosophical solutions of either realism or relativism, but instead to step carefully along what Rennie refers to the rocky middle road between the two.
To learn more about hermeneutics and the hermeneutic circle, see the references below.
References
Aristotle. (350 BCE/2007). On interpretation (Trans. E.A Edgehill). Accessed on 16 October 2008, at http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/a/aristotle/interpretation/.
Elliott, R. (1989). Comprehensive Process Analysis: Understanding the change process in significant therapy events. In M. Packer & R.B. Addison (Eds.), Entering the circle: Hermeneutic investigation in psychology (pp. 165-184). Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Elliott, R. (1993). Carrying out a Comprehensive Process Analysis. Unpublished paper. University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio USA. [available by request]
McLeod, J. (2001). Qualitative research in counselling and psychotherapy. London, UK: Sage.
Packer, M.J., & Addison, R.B. (Eds.). (1989). Entering the circle: Hermeneutic investigation in psychology. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Patton, M.Q. (2001). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (3nd ed.). London, UK: Sage.
Ramberg, B., & Gjesdal, K. (2008). Hermeneutics, in E. N. Zalta (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2008 Edition). Accessed on 5 October 2008, at http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2008/entries/hermeneutics/ .
Rennie, D.L. (2000). Grounded theory methodology as methodical hermeneutics: Reconciling realism and relativism. Theory & Psychology, 10, 481-502.
Smith, J.A. and Osborn, M. (2003) Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In J.A. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Methods. London: Sage.
Wertz, F.J. (1983). From everyday to psychological description: Analyzing the moments of a qualitative data analysis. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 14, 197-241.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) training with Les Greenberg, PhD
Les Greenberg has asked me to let people know about his upcoming EFT training workshops. He certainly keeps himself busy! -Robert
EFT Institutes provide participants with a solid grounding in the skills required to work more directly with emotion in psychotherapy. Participants receive in-depth skills training through a combination of brief lectures, video demonstrations, live modeling, case discussions, and extensive supervised role-playing practice.
Les Greenberg, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at York University. He is the Founder of Emotion Focused Therapy and the Director of the York University Psychotherapy Research Center.
The Applied Psychology Institute is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. API maintains responsibility for all programs.
Couples EFT Institute, Level I
November 9-12, 2008 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, Ontario
Individual EFT Institute, Level I
August 10-13, 2009 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, ON
Individual EFT Institute, Level II (option #1)
October 21-24, 2008 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, Ontario
Individual EFT Institute, Level II (option #2)
February 23-26, 2009 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Palm Desert, California
Individual EFT Institute, Level II (option #3)
August 17-20, 2009 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, ON
Individual EFT Institute, Level III
October 2-4, 2009 (18 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, Ontario
See www.emotionfocusedtherapy.org <http://www.emotionfocusedtherapy.org/ > for registration details.
--
Leslie S. Greenberg
Professor, Dept. of Psychology
York University
4700 Keele St. Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3
Phone (416) 736-5115 x66111
Fax (416) 736-5814
http://www.EmotionFocusedTherapy.org
http://www.psych.yorku.ca/greenberg
EFT Institutes provide participants with a solid grounding in the skills required to work more directly with emotion in psychotherapy. Participants receive in-depth skills training through a combination of brief lectures, video demonstrations, live modeling, case discussions, and extensive supervised role-playing practice.
Les Greenberg, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at York University. He is the Founder of Emotion Focused Therapy and the Director of the York University Psychotherapy Research Center.
The Applied Psychology Institute is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. API maintains responsibility for all programs.
Couples EFT Institute, Level I
November 9-12, 2008 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, Ontario
Individual EFT Institute, Level I
August 10-13, 2009 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, ON
Individual EFT Institute, Level II (option #1)
October 21-24, 2008 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, Ontario
Individual EFT Institute, Level II (option #2)
February 23-26, 2009 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Palm Desert, California
Individual EFT Institute, Level II (option #3)
August 17-20, 2009 (24 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, ON
Individual EFT Institute, Level III
October 2-4, 2009 (18 CEUs)
Presented by Les Greenberg, PhD
Toronto, Ontario
See www.emotionfocusedtherapy.org <http://www.
--
Leslie S. Greenberg
Professor, Dept. of Psychology
York University
4700 Keele St. Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3
Phone (416) 736-5115 x66111
Fax (416) 736-5814
http://www.
http://www.psych.yorku.ca/
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Mitchell Library
Entry for 11 October 2008:
Today was a lovely, though cool, day in Glasgow. After a heavy week of teaching and rain, it was a relief to be able to get up this morning and do a 10-mile run along the canals in the morning sunshine. For this week's Saturday Adventure, Diane and I visited the Mitchell Library, an imposing structure on edge of the city Centre, which we’d walked past many times without going in. We spent most of our time in then Glasgow Collection, a room full of a really nice collection of books, graphics, maps etc on Glasgow, among their other collections. In an obscure corner of the Library we stumbled upon a room full of the most marvellous puppets from all over the world, piled cheek by jowl next to each other. Magical! A return visit will make a lovely outing for some future rainy Saturday.
Today was a lovely, though cool, day in Glasgow. After a heavy week of teaching and rain, it was a relief to be able to get up this morning and do a 10-mile run along the canals in the morning sunshine. For this week's Saturday Adventure, Diane and I visited the Mitchell Library, an imposing structure on edge of the city Centre, which we’d walked past many times without going in. We spent most of our time in then Glasgow Collection, a room full of a really nice collection of books, graphics, maps etc on Glasgow, among their other collections. In an obscure corner of the Library we stumbled upon a room full of the most marvellous puppets from all over the world, piled cheek by jowl next to each other. Magical! A return visit will make a lovely outing for some future rainy Saturday.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
New Litany for Running
Entry for 27 September 2008:
While I‘m out running, I have a little litany or prayer that I have been doing for many years (since about the time I turned 50, actually). The basic form starts like this:
Then I continue with the second part, which I usually reach in the last few minutes of my run:
However, in past few years, the meaning of the “I” in “I don’t know where I came from, etc” has shifted to something closer to: “the small, limited part of me that calls itself ‘I’ die”. And usually when I get to this part of the litany, something in me answers back that it doesn’t really buy this anymore.
This is because this something in me has really come to believe something closer to:
While I‘m out running, I have a little litany or prayer that I have been doing for many years (since about the time I turned 50, actually). The basic form starts like this:
Lady of the Universe,In the blank, I insert the name of various people for whom I have some concern: a family member, a client, a colleague, one of my children, and usually myself. I then imagine this person surrounded by light.
You hold all things in your hands,
You hold each of us in your hands;
I ask you to hold ____ in your hands.
Then I continue with the second part, which I usually reach in the last few minutes of my run:
Lady of the Universe,Over the years, this little litany has helped me face and acknowledge my fear of death, which has largely dissolved in the face of this “radical acceptance” (to use Ann Weiser Cornell’s memorable phrase).
I don’t know where I came from before I was born,
And I don’t know what will happen to me when I die.
As far as I know, I come from nothing,
And when I die, I go to nothing.
Therefore, every moment is a gift,
every day is a gift,
every month is a gift,
every year is a gift,
and my life, my ___ years are gift.
However, in past few years, the meaning of the “I” in “I don’t know where I came from, etc” has shifted to something closer to: “the small, limited part of me that calls itself ‘I’ die”. And usually when I get to this part of the litany, something in me answers back that it doesn’t really buy this anymore.
This is because this something in me has really come to believe something closer to:
Lady of the Universe,This is what feels true to me know, and what gives me a sense of peace and acceptance. So last Saturday, coming back from a long, nearly 8-mile run, on a lovely late September Glasgow morning, I decided that it is time for a new version of my Running Litany, along the lines suggested. I’m not sure I’ve got the words exactly right, but it’s a start, which I plan to try out over the next couple of weeks.
I know that I come out of all that has gone before me,
And that all this continues to live in me,
In the same way that I will still continue to live,
as part of the pattern everything around me,
Living in all those I’ve known
and touched in some way.
This is the gift of this day, this moment,
this year and this life,
and is to be treasured and rejoiced in … forever.
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