The Use of DOBT in Pastoral Psychotherapy

Abstract

This article focuses on the possible use of Depth Oriented Brief Therapy, developed by Bruce Ecker and Laurel Hulley, with pastoral psychotherapy. DOBT is a coherent, non-pathologizing, psychotherapeutic perspective in which symptoms are seen as meaningful and purposeful, though those purposes are generally out of awareness. Various techniques such as visualization of a symptom-free position are used to help people experience the meaningfulness of their symptoms. Conscious awareness of the passionate purpose of symptoms can open a path for an experiential shift to occur resulting in a new way of being in the world. A clinical vignette illustrates how the symptom of the fear of flying masks a world view of dreaded punishment for being evil.

Key Words:

• Pro-symptom position
• anti-symptom position
• radical inquiry
• assumption of coherence
• assumption of immediate accessibility