Page 19 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 17
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the therapist can assist them to imagine imagine and describe how you might live,
new options and focus outwards. interpret, and react to _______ if you were
to embrace the world God has you in?
Process 4: Imagination and Outward Focus T: What do you imagine you would be tal-
As a client’s energized focus increasingly king to God about as this occurs? What
aligns with God’s Imago Dei in the redemp- challenges might come up?
tive narrative, clients can be helped to ex- T: Given what you just shared; how might
press their new orientation. It is often less this impact your experience of loss? … Ok,
threatening (yet exciting) for clients to in- and how can you see yourself acting?
itially enact this change in artistic, poet, or T: Are there any reminders, or signs you
other forms, that allow the client to imagine have in your life to help orient you to this
themselves living in a new way, with balan- rich perspective on loss and joy that you
ced Horizons. Traditional therapeutic tech- are showing yourself right now?
niques such as the ‘empty chair’ can also
facilitate imaginal expression and embo- Conclusion
died action that assist learning. Four prac- We all face two persistent issues: our desi-
tical strategies are offered to help clients re for pleasure is often thwarted, exposing
acknowledge the consistent loss within life our corrupt hearts along the way; and we
and enact a satisfying response: first, invi- do often lose genuine good and suffer real
te clients to a new relationship with God, loss. When unaddressed, these predica-
modeling this as necessary, and helping ments can lead us to choices and reactions
them express requests, concerns, and sit that create mental anguish, and increase
within God’s perspective. Second, encou- the distress of broader habitual patterns.
rage clients to find symbols for hope and This article argued that a large amount of
‘way pointing’, such as images, ornaments, personal distress occurs because we have
or even people, and place these in areas of distorted views of three primary sources of
need or regular contact. These symbols of- meaning that orient our values and actions.
ten provide critical reminders and a chance These sources were named as Horizons of
for the client to continue reorienting them- Significance, and include: our embodied
selves. Third, discuss concrete life practices self and its experience, the influence of our
that align with the three Horizons and fa- community and history, and our place in
cilitate the expression of genuine lament, God’s world. Our experiences and choices
hope, love, and faithfulness. These practi- distort our view of the Horizons, and also
ces may be private, communal, declarative, the relationships we perceive between
or anything else that supports the client’s them. Clients can be greatly assisted to re-
formation. Fourth, help clients practice a organize their lived experience and make
fully embodied and honest response to functional choices within redemptive hi-
small losses of letting go, appropriate sad- story when therapists courageously engage
ness, looking to kingdom hope, and enac- them in the following ways: first, engage
ting current minded gratitude. These prac- and reorder their own lives, perceptions,
tices are not all easy, yet they assist clients and actions in redemptive history; second,
in actively changing maladaptive and non- provide the safety of an incarnational pre-
kingdom minded living. Below are four ex- sence; third, explore the clients personal
ample questions that may prompt clients dynamics; fourth, engage clients key emo-
to imaginatively pursue new choices. tions and responses; fifth, assist clients in
T: You have said that God’s view of His new meaning making; and sixth, utilize
world and your place in it—when experi- prophetic imagination in the exploration of
enced personally—impacts your choices, new option.
expectations, hopes, and more. Can you
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