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I used to be all about the Drew Westen framing of research like this as providing empirical support for psychodynamic unconscious processing and therapy. However, upon reading the study, I find myself more sympathetic to the Kilhstrom view this ain’t it.1/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2215036620302856
The most generous interpretation in support of psychodynamic theory is that the research points to the important of unconscious processes in psychopathology with implications for intervention aimed at unconscious processing that can extend beyond spider phobia into 2/
into psychodynamic hypothesis about core underlying unconscious conflicts corresponding to different symptom presentations. This research would be cool & interesting, potentially fruitful. 3/
However, the study in question reduced symptoms of anxiety via implicit exposure to the feared stimulus ie the brain went through habituation but consciousness was spared the felt anxiety observed during classical exposure therapy to spiders. I think actually classic ET has 4/
more in common with the psychodynamic approach than bypassing felt conscious experience altogether via implicit exposure and neural functioning even though the term unconscious is dynamic and applies to this latter, psychodynamically historically rooted paradigm 5/
eg “mommy and me are one.”
Beyond abstract conceptual leaps at overlap, implicit exposure to a feared stimulus that reduces conscious symptoms of anxiety w/out fear from conscious exposure strikes me as anathema to both classical exposure therapy (Skinner) theory & 6/
Beyond abstract conceptual leaps at overlap, implicit exposure to a feared stimulus that reduces conscious symptoms of anxiety w/out fear from conscious exposure strikes me as anathema to both classical exposure therapy (Skinner) theory & 6/
psychoanalysis (Freud). Both of these traditional approaches place a premium on the patient tolerating painful affect, working through it, and ultimately decreasing fear by virtue of these therapeutic processes. How implicit exposure operating unconsciously to reduce symptoms 7/
once impressed me as psychodynamic but no longer does. In fact, it appears to be based on a totally antithetical model to theories of techniques proffered by the Freudian view. Maybe Kilhlstrom had it right where it mattered & Westen had it right in an abstract theoretical way8/8
cc @DrSusanDavidson @OliverTurnbul15 @jordanbpeterson @westen_drew @PeterFonagy @shedler @DebiecJacek @AllenFrancesMD @ethicalpsycholo @paulsummergrad @klevyphd
cc @JRBneuropsiq @davidbusspsych @DrKhan_do @SharonRavitch @DrDanPsych @HengartnerMP @AAJDeVille1 @DrDanPsych @DrCraigMalkin
Half asleep when thread was written so hoping someone understands wtf I wrote. That. Is. All.
cc @ChicagoAnalysis @awaisaftab @CFSNYDCAdm1n @Div39Section8 @div39nola @MarkLRuffalo @MaryLTrump @psychoanalysis_ @theNYPSI, @GoldfriedMarvin @psychunseen @psychmag @PsychChatter @SameiHuda
Background:
Westen view: http://www2.psych.utoronto.ca/users/peterson/psy430s2001/Westen%20D%20Scientific%20Legacy%20of%20Freud%20Psych%20Bull%201998.pdf
Kihlstrom view: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp275 (MFer updated that shit in 2015. Yikes)
Original: http://www.baars-gage.com/furtherreadinginstructors/Chapter08/Chapter8_Cognitive_Unconscious.pdf
Kihlstrom is too rigid and radical imo. Dogmatic, concrete, and rigid despite my sympathy for his logic above
Westen view: http://www2.psych.utoronto.ca/users/peterson/psy430s2001/Westen%20D%20Scientific%20Legacy%20of%20Freud%20Psych%20Bull%201998.pdf
Kihlstrom view: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp275 (MFer updated that shit in 2015. Yikes)
Original: http://www.baars-gage.com/furtherreadinginstructors/Chapter08/Chapter8_Cognitive_Unconscious.pdf
Kihlstrom is too rigid and radical imo. Dogmatic, concrete, and rigid despite my sympathy for his logic above