Humility, Empathy, and Rebirth: The Dynamics of Ferenczi's Metapsychology

Abstract

Concentrating on humility, empathy, and rebirth, Sándor Ferenczi's compassionate psychology attunes itself to the fundamentals of the human condition. Unlike Freud, Ferenczi did not dismiss reports of abuse in childhood but listened in an effort to heal the wounds. Ferenczi's work with traumatized individuals reflected his nonhierarchical approach to the therapeutic relationship while his empathic method posits the transformation of the analyst as well as the client. Examined here as a metapsychology, Ferenczi's theory has correlates with modern scientific research and the philosophy of ancient civilizations. Because his psychology is congruent with aspects of linguistics; mathematics; chaos theory; catastrophe theory; Greek philosophy; Jewish, Christian, and Buddhist religious thought; humanistic psychology (especially client-centered therapy); initiation rituals; and shamanic practices, it demonstrates the universality of his ideas.

Fostering a Healing Presence and Investigating Its Mediators

“…Empathy is the ability to recognize "the other" as similar to self and makes possible the common experience of an action or emotion, embodied simulation, versus simple cognitive recognition and listening without preconception. 45 Empathy, an essential developmental task in the formation of the self/other identity, 46,47 serves as a healing force within relationships as it reduces aggression and antisocial behavior, 48 functions to discriminate abusive from healthy relationships 49 and correlates positively with forgiveness. 50 Gallese 51 puts forth a "shared manifold hypothesis of intersubjectivity" that frames the neuroanatomic and functional underpinnings for the development of empathy as an integration of cognition and emotion.…”

Fostering a Healing Presence and Investigating Its Mediators

“…Empathy is the ability to recognize "the other" as similar to self and makes possible the common experience of an action or emotion, embodied simulation, versus simple cognitive recognition and listening without preconception. 45 Empathy, an essential developmental task in the formation of the self/other identity, 46,47 serves as a healing force within relationships as it reduces aggression and antisocial behavior, 48 functions to discriminate abusive from healthy relationships 49 and correlates positively with forgiveness. 50 Gallese 51 puts forth a "shared manifold hypothesis of intersubjectivity" that frames the neuroanatomic and functional underpinnings for the development of empathy as an integration of cognition and emotion.…”

Nonlinear Dynamical Systems and Humanistic Psychology

“…Before delving into specific areas, one may recognize already some of the more obvious theoretical connections that have been made in the literature linking NDS to humanistic processes. These themes include: nonlinear growth and complex adaptation processes, holism, a focus on the uniqueness of the individual, and the health associated with structural processes such as congruence and flexibility within and among personalities (Krippner, 1994, Pincus, 2009Pincus & Guastello, 2005;Richards, 1996, Zausner, 2003. Each of these Nonlinear Dynamical Systems 9 broader themes may be recognizable within the more specific topics of emotion and resilience to follow.…”