Integration of emotion-focused therapy and prayer in overcoming a dissociative process --- a Chinese counsellor’s self-as-subject heuristic inquiry

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper is a self-as-subject heuristic inquiry on the integration of EFT and Christian prayer in treating a dissociative process. Heuristic inquiry is an experiential research methodology that values the researcher’s subjectivity and upholds disciplined spontaneity. The data analysis consists of significant therapy events taken from personal journals during the research period. The two main mechanisms in EFT for treating trauma are emotional co-regulation in a relationship and emotion processing. EFT procedures are effective in penetrating emotion self-interruption including dissociation, making emotion processing possible. Meanwhile, prayer inviting God’s presence provides enhanced safety when the client reexperiences trauma. By following the unknown sadness using EFT, I found an infant girl of myself who was forgotten but had bodily memories of trauma(s), who kept people at arm’s length despite her loneliness. While reaching the bottom of the pain (core pain), God’s presence transformed my lack of self-worth into self-compassion. This work shows one way of overcoming a dissociative process by using EFT and prayer, particularly emotion-focused prayer.KEYWORDS: Spiritualitytraumaprayerdissociationself-soothingPsychotherapy and counselling Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).