Page 43 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 24

Lowell W. Hoffman, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and a
cer�fied psychoanalyst trained at the New York University
Post-doctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.
For forty years he was co-founder and co-director of the
Brookhaven Center in Fogelsville, PA, in 2007 co-founder and
co-director of Society for Explora�on of Psychoanalysis and
Chris�an Theology, and in 2009 co-founder and co-director
of the Psychoanaly�c Track in the Chris�an Associa�on for
Psychological Studies. He is the author and co-author of nu-
merous ar�cles and book chapters, and guest editor of a spe-
cial journal issue on Psychoanalysis and Chris�anity.

Marie T. Hoffman, Ph.D is a clinical psychologist and a
www.brookhavencenter.net cer�fied psychoanalyst trained at the New York University
mhoffman@aol.com Post-doctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.
lowellwmhoffman@aol.com
For forty years she was co-founder and co-director of The
Brookhaven Center in Fogelsville, PA, in 2007 co-founder and
co-director of Society for Explora�on of Psychoanalysis and
Former contribu�ons of Marie and Chris�an Theology, and in 2009 co-founder and co-director
Lowell Hoffman: of the Psychoanaly�c Track in the Chris�an Associa�on for
emcapp.ignis.de/11/#/4#p=24 Psychological Studies. She is author of Toward mutual reco-
emcapp.ignis.de/12/#/4#p=108 gni�on: Rela�onal Psychoanalysis and the Chris�an Narra�-
emcapp.ignis.de/20/#p=34
ve, and When the roll is called: Trauma and the soul of Ame-
rican Evangelicalism.

A Theology of Suffering for a Profession of Sufferers

Mental health prac��oners are trained to un- The ubiquitous denial of suffering
derstand human mental, emo�onal and embo- More so for us as Chris�an psychotherapists
died suffering through the lens of a manualized than for many Chris�ans, we are tasked with
nosology (ICD-11) of symptom clusters. We are encountering the ubiquitous problem of suffe-
taught and are commi�ed to adherence to the ring. As Chris�ans, we understand that suffe-
most efficient and effec�ve techniques that are ring remains in our present sojourn between
empirically supported by a randomized con- the already present and not yet fully realized
trolled trial (RCT) methodology as the treat- kingdom of God. Yet, all too o�en we sit with
ment of choice for symptom reduc�on and the Chris�an pa�ents who experience their suffe-
ethical prac�ce of psychotherapy. ring as a consequence of a failure of their faith,
or a state of spiritual immaturity and stagna�-
As Chris�an prac��oners, we are commi�ed to on, or even an abandonment by God. Their
providing a psychotherapy that integrates our comprehension of knowing Christ is limited to
faith in the transforming death and resurrec�- knowing Christ in “ … in the power of His resur-
on of Jesus Christ as the ul�mate change agent rec�on, …” (Phil. 3:10). They have not received
in our work with each pa�ent. We rely on this and applied Chris�an instruc�on emphasizing
ul�mate Truth in our work, and we trust in the that an in�mate knowing of Christ is to know
presence of the Spirit of God in our consulta�- Him in both the “… the power of His resurrec�-
on rooms to guide, comfort and sustain both on, and the fellowship of sharing in His suffe-
therapist and pa�ent alike. rings ,…. “

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