Related Experiment Videos
Passion in group: thinking about loving, hating, and knowing.
1Adelphi Postdoctoral Programs in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Derner Institute, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, USA.
International Journal of Group Psychotherapy
|June 27, 2002
Summary
This study explores Wilfred Bion's concept of "passion" as essential for psychotherapy groups to function effectively. Passion involves using core emotions like loving, hating, and knowing (LHK) to achieve emotional awareness and group cohesion.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychoanalysis
- Group Therapy
Background:
- Wilfred Bion's early work focused on basic assumptions in psychotherapy groups.
- Later, Bion introduced
- passion
- as a central concept in his structural theory of affect.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define and explore the concept of
- passion
- in the context of psychotherapy groups.
- To illustrate how therapists can foster passion through managing their own affects.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical exploration of Bion's concept of
- passion
- and basic affects (loving, hating, knowing - LHK).
- Clinical example demonstrating therapist's role in mobilizing group passion.
Main Results:
- Passion is identified as the necessary and sufficient condition for a psychotherapy group to become a work group.
- Passion is an intersubjective process enabling emotional awareness through utilizing basic affects.
- Therapist's self-awareness of affects is key to fostering group passion.
Conclusions:
- Passion transcends traditional transference-countertransference dynamics.
- Optimal personal meaning derived from loving, hating, and knowing (LHK) facilitates emotional participation.
- Understanding and utilizing passion enhances group therapeutic function.