Page 108 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 12

Lowell W. Hoffman &
Marie T. Hoffman (USA)

How Our Christian Faith

Helps Us

Our Christian faith--as exemplified in the life
of Christ--is the comprehensive template for
our psychotherapy practice. It guides, inspires,
and encourages us in all aspects of our work.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan was given
by Jesus in response to the question: „Who is Marie T. Hoffman, Ph.D. is Assistant Clini-
my neighbor?“ (Luke 10). As Christian psycho- cal Professor of Psychology (Adjunct) at NYU
logists, we accept our patient as a neighbor to Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and
love. How do we love our neighbor? We imita- Psychoanalysis, Co-Director of Society for
te Jesus in our therapeutic relationship (Matt. Exploration of Psychoanalytic Therapies and
11:29 – “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Theology, Director of Brookhaven Institute for
me, for I am gentle and humble in heart ....”). Psychoanalysis and Christian Theology.
We begin a journey with our patients that was Lowell W. Hoffman, Ph.D.is a psychoana-
first traveled by Jesus - incarnation, crucifixion, lyst, clinical psychologist, and Co-Director of
resurrection (Hoffman, M.T., 2010). We empa- Brookhaven Center in Allentown.
thically sit with them (incarnation), suffer with
them (crucifixion), and survive destructiveness Former article:
with them in order to find renewed life for them https://emcapp.ignis.de/11/#/4#p=24
(resurrection). As we incarnate, we commit to
deeply knowing and loving our patients, avoi-
ding assumptions or the temptation to fit them
into what is often an insufficient category such
as co-dependence, addiction or idolatry, etc. We
enter their world.

We expect that there will be crucifixion. We
commit to the months or even years that will
be required to bring healing (Hoffman, L.W.,
2010), surrendering ourselves to each patient’s
transferences and reproaches and thus following St. Paul’s words: „Love bears all things, believes
the way of Jesus: „God made him ... to be sin all things, hopes all things, endures all things....
for us“ (2 Cor. 5:21) [See Hoffman, M.T., 2011]. [God‘s] love never fails“ 1 Cor. 13:7. It is the life
Hopeful of resurrection, we have eyes to see and love of Christ that animates our work.
the image of God in our patients, and imagine
who they can become. God‘s love in us and our References
love for our patients is the „active ingredient“ Fairbairn, W.R.D (1958). On the nature and aims of psy-
in our treatment, aiding them to move beyond choanalytic treatment. Int. Jour. of Psycho. (39) 5.
Hoffman, L.W. (2010). Suffering, glory, and outcomes in
repetition of the past to future potentials (Fair- psychotherapy. Journal of Psychology and Christianity,
bairn, 1958). Resurrection brings clear sight for 29, 130-140.
patients as well. They no longer see the ghosts Hoffman, M.T. (2010). Incarnation, crucifixion, and re-
of the past in present relationships, but emer- surrection in psychoanalytic thought. Journal of Psycho-
ge into contact with reality, truth, and newness logy and Christianity, 29, 121-129.
Hoffman, M.T. (2011). Toward mutual recognition: Rela-
of life. From this position of freedom, realizing tional psychoanalysis and the Christian Narrative. Lon-
potentials is possible. Ultimately, we hold fast to don: Routledge.
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