Orthodox psychotherapy
Psychotherapy became a science several decades ago, when it became evident to physicians that the spiritual state of an individual to a great extent determines his health. It was said in ancient times that the art of healing rests upon three pillars: the knife, the curative plant, and the word. The knife represented surgery, curative plants are the basis of all medications, while the word represents the physician’s concern for and active participation in the fate of the sick person.
Psychotherapy has been called upon to comfort ill and sorrowing individuals, to help them achieve an emotional balance. The goals are benevolent. However, a totally different situation exists in practice. If the physician’s soul is not cleansed through repentance, if he says one thing but practices another, how will he be able to help anyone? It is impossible to help a person without possessing one’s own spiritual values. For “can the blind lead the blind? Will not both fall into a pit” (Luke 6:39)? The spiritual paucity of a psychotherapy without spiritual values has made it vulnerable to an attack by a great multitude of occult psychiatric techniques (Western, Eastern, all kinds), which are impossible to count. But they do have a name. Their name is – legion.
The tragedy of modern psychotherapy also lies in the fact that it encourages man’s sins and passions, and tries in all ways to elevate his self-pride. It urges the patient to disentangle himself from a mass of problems mainly with the aid of occult methods. What kind of help is that? The psychotherapist’s main instrument is the word. However, psychotherapy is primarily called upon to exert not a verbal, but a spiritual influence upon the individual. Because if it is falsehood which stands behind the words, there will be no benefit from them whatsoever. Without the life-giving power of the Spirit, the word will only be an empty sound.
At present there are three leading schools of thought which dominate non-Christian psychology, namely: behaviorism, psychoanalysis, and humanistic psychology. The basis of behaviorism is the concept that man is an animal who is distinguished by verbal behavior. Such was the assertion of one of the founders of this branch of psychology, John Watson. It is quite understandable that behaviorism is logical materialism. Its therapeutic technique is behavioral psycho- therapy.
Psychotherapy became a science several decades ago, when it became evident to physicians that the spiritual state of an individual to a great extent determines his health. It was said in ancient times that the art of healing rests upon three pillars: the knife, the curative plant, and the word. The knife represented surgery, curative plants are the basis of all medications, while the word represents the physician’s concern for and active participation in the fate of the sick person.
Psychotherapy has been called upon to comfort ill and sorrowing individuals, to help them achieve an emotional balance. The goals are benevolent. However, a totally different situation exists in practice. If the physician’s soul is not cleansed through repentance, if he says one thing but practices another, how will he be able to help anyone? It is impossible to help a person without possessing one’s own spiritual values. For “can the blind lead the blind? Will not both fall into a pit” (Luke 6:39)? The spiritual paucity of a psychotherapy without spiritual values has made it vulnerable to an attack by a great multitude of occult psychiatric techniques (Western, Eastern, all kinds), which are impossible to count. But they do have a name. Their name is – legion.
The tragedy of modern psychotherapy also lies in the fact that it encourages man’s sins and passions, and tries in all ways to elevate his self-pride. It urges the patient to disentangle himself from a mass of problems mainly with the aid of occult methods. What kind of help is that? The psychotherapist’s main instrument is the word. However, psychotherapy is primarily called upon to exert not a verbal, but a spiritual influence upon the individual. Because if it is falsehood which stands behind the words, there will be no benefit from them whatsoever. Without the life-giving power of the Spirit, the word will only be an empty sound.
At present there are three leading schools of thought which dominate non-Christian psychology, namely: behaviorism, psychoanalysis, and humanistic psychology. The basis of behaviorism is the concept that man is an animal who is distinguished by verbal behavior. Such was the assertion of one of the founders of this branch of psychology, John Watson. It is quite understandable that behaviorism is logical materialism. Its therapeutic technique is behavioral psycho- therapy.
