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cognitive change. Of course the brevity of in light of past experiences, and after cla-
the article does not really allow space to rifying underlying secondary (inhibiting)
illustrate the possible depth of exploration and primary (activating) feelings, meaning
of feelings. But each of the four processes making can ensue in a natural way. Becau-
could gain in strength in the following ways: se all these (often ambivalent) feelings flow
1. More can be done to soften defenses, by forth from deep attachment needs. This
not just reflecting and exploring but also is the integrative and enriching perspec-
validating them. Of course defenses sup- tive which Emotionally Focussed Therapy
press and minimalize difficult feelings, but (Johnson, 2018) has outlined. And it is pre-
they are also usefull and widely used co- cisely these attachment needs - the need
ping strategies to protect the vulnerability for loving connection and the need to be
of feelings (McCullough, Kuhn, Andrews, et able to share self-experience within this
al., 2003). The client in the dialogues surely connection – which form the intrapersonal
needed defenses to protect sadness from basis for meaning making. When people
family criticism. get in touch with their activating primary
2. Phase two, a focus on emotions, runs feelings, which are closely linked to attach-
parallel to what emotionally focused thera- ment needs, they naturally move from de-
pist strive to do: help clients connect more fensive coping strategies to more open and
deeply to previously suppressed feelings by connecting strategies. Maybe this process
providing a supportive and facilitating envi- is what Proverbs 4:23 points to when it
ronment and by the therapist empathically says: “Above all else, guard your heart, for
connecting to client feelings. Here, the the- everything you do flows from it.” The con-
rapist interventions could gain in strength nection which attachment needs strive for,
by differentiating between secondary (in- have an emergent property in and of them-
hibiting) emotions like frustration and pri- selves; feeling that makes one sense a “life-
mary (activating) emotions such as the forward direction”, as Gendlin (1996) would
sadness the client mentions and the fear of call it. Feeling this deep inside is more than
rejection which is touched on but not ex- an individual experience; it is also energizes
plored. The work with emotions could be and urges from within towards interperso-
enhanced by integrating focusing (Gendlin, nal experience. Furthermore, attachment
1996) into psychotherapy, which can help longings maybe very well be experien-
to deepen experiential processing of newly ced and enacted in relationship with God
discovered feelings. (Granqvist, 2020).
3. In the third stage, meaning making, 4. The fourth therapeutic process Loose-
I sense Loosemore’s proposal is lacking more mentions, would gain in strength if
something important. Maybe it’s the re- the prophetic imagination and exploration
sult of not validating defenses and not hel- he proposes would be linked to attachment
ping the client to understand and accept needs.
feelings well enough, which is paying off.
The emphasis on (assisting the client in) This brings us to the main thrust of
criticizing distorted aspects of his under- Loosemore’s article. The first half of the
standing of life, is not therapeutically re- article appears to me to be something like
commendable. Therapists should be aware a critique on our individualistic therapeu-
that when wanting to criticize or confront, tic culture, borrowing critical assessments
a stance ‘against’ defensive cognitions or from a philosopher and some renowned
behaviors is not what is helpful. Rather, it theologians, especially the ‘prophetic ima-
is the clarification of defenses and under- gination’ part from Walter Brueggemann.
lying feelings which is therapeutic (McCull- Interesting, but may I suggest: please lea-
ough, L., et al., 2003). After clarifying de- ve the criticizing up to them. And surely,
fenses and making them understandable please don’t extend it to the consulting
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