Intrapsychic Conflicts Arising While Meeting Ultraorthodox Patients

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Religious Studies

Background:

• The ultraorthodox (Haredi) community in Israel maintains strict isolationism to preserve its religious identity and culture.
• Community leadership enforces boundaries to protect against external influences and maintain distinct rules of conduct.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychological conflicts arising from integrating analytical psychotherapy with the Haredi community's values.
• To explore the tension between rabbinic authority and psychoanalytic emphasis on self and subjectivity.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of psychological issues within the Haredi community.
• Review of internal conflicts between ultraorthodox beliefs and dynamic psychotherapy principles.
• Presentation of two case studies illustrating the incongruity between religious and psychoanalytic viewpoints.

Main Results:

• Conflicts emerge between the Haredi belief system and dynamic psychotherapy.
• The concept of God as the "analytic third" influences the therapeutic space.
• Fear of knowledge and existential questioning challenges unquestioning acceptance of community authority.

Conclusions:

• Psychoanalytic therapy faces challenges within the Haredi community due to differing views on authority and self-discovery.
• The sanctity of rabbinic authority in the Haredi community contrasts with the psychoanalytic goal of promoting self and subjectivity.