Dear Member
Welcome to the second newsletter of SIG. Our
numbers now exceed 300, which is very encouraging and a big
expansion to have taken place over our first year.
This newsletter is designed to keep members in
touch with what is happening but it is also an opportunity for
members to express their own views. Please let us hear from YOU –
by email, fax or ‘snail’ mail! Let us have your comments, views -
or offers of help.
Please note that at the end of the
newsletter there is notice of our next one-day programme, on
26th January 2001, with a reply slip, which needs to be
returned if you are able to attend. Book early to ensure a
place!
Warmest good wishes
Gillian Broster & Daphne Wallace
(editors)
1. Report
of SIG open meeting 6/7/2000
A successful open meeting was held at the
College Annual Meeting at Edinburgh when Dr. Peter
Fenwick spoke on “Intimations of Immortality –
the nature of Near-death Visions.” Much discussion
was provoked and a number of College members expressed interest in
joining the group. (Peter is currently overseas but will be
reporting his findings in the next edition of the newsletter).
2. Report
of SIG one-day meeting 20/10/2000
"AVENUES TO PEACE OF MIND"
There were 4 speakers and 43 members
attending the meeting at the Royal College of Psychiatry.
The first speaker was Dr Jeremy
Holmes, on ‘'The Secular Use of
Prayer'. Jeremy gave us a personal and what he called
a 'patchwork' presentation, central to which was his striking
reading of William Wordsworth's famous ode,
'Intimations of Immortality from Recollections
of Early Childhood'. He followed this with a brief but revealing
commentary upon the poem, leading to his conclusion that poetry,
psychotherapy and religion all help put people in touch
physiologically, emotionally and cognitively with our origins – and
hence with our spirituality. 'Heaven is where we come from,
and where we are going to', Wordsworth seems to be saying in a work
whose theme touches significantly on how it is possible to maintain
a sense of continuity in the face of loss – a theme with which
psychiatrists and psychotherapists can readily identify.
The second speaker was Dr. Denis
Scott, on 'Healing the Wounds of a
Nation'. Denis spoke about weekend workshops he and
his wife have been giving in Germany for a number of years.
Referring to a 'National Shadow', he described the collective
imprint of German history – especially that of the 20th
century and National Socialism – on individuals today, a generation
on. Witnessing certain events 20 years ago encouraged Denis to go
'beyond psychiatry' and to develop a therapeutic approach involving
subtle energy fields (the 'aura'), helping people get in touch with
the energy centres of the body (the 'chakras') and using the
Tibetan method known as 'Tonglen' for healing. Giving two
vivid case examples, he described how through first contacting his
or her own heart chakra, the healer may then guide the client
towards facing their own emotional pain and fear through a process
of active imagination, the work being carried out in the context of
a supportive group process. The book "Healing the Split" by
psychiatrist John Nelson was recommended by several members present
as a helpful text in systematically linking psychiatric disorders
with energy fields and the chakras.
After lunch, Dr Maya Spencer
spoke on ‘Alchemical Hypnotherapy –
Finding and Using the Higher Self’. Maya started by
giving us answers to the question, ‘What is Hypnosis?’ She took as
her starting point the definition ‘an altered state of
consciousness which arises when a state of hypnosis, called trance,
is induced by a hypnotist, a hypnotherapist or the individual
through self - hypnosis’. Specifically, Alchemical Hypnotherapy
(AH) is a method that can be used to access higher states of
consciousness, rather than just resolve problems. AH synthesises
techniques drawn from many transpersonal approaches within
hypnotherapy and psychology including psychosynthesis, regression
therapy, gestalt therapy, neuro-linguistic programming and
shamanism, while based on Jung’s psychological interpretation of
the alchemical process (transformation of the base metals - the
emotions - into gold - actualisation of the wisdom of the
higher self in daily life.) Like CBT, progress depends
on carrying out homework assignments, but is generated from the
person’s own inner knowledge of what has been revealed to him or
her what needs to be done. Maya concluded with details of generic
protocols used in AH for sessions with a variety of psychological
issues such as ‘inner child rescue’, psychosomatic problems and
addictive behaviours.
The final speaker was Dr. Pauline
Stevenson on ‘Groups for
Silence in and out of Psychiatry’. Pauline shared
with us the finding that the simple process of waiting on God in
silence in a small group is a life giving experience, helping us to
be open to God [named or unnamed] and open to each other.
Subsequent work in Africa and the acceptance of the spiritual in
that setting increased her belief in this approach. On returning
from Africa and training in psychiatry, she came to realise that
‘the ability to be in touch with one’s own inner creative “space”
is crucial to being human, no matter what one’s spiritual outlook
or beliefs may be.’ She developed her ideas further when training
as a Group Analyst, observing how free floating discussion could
lead patients to get in touch with their deeper concerns similar to
the deepening of the group through silence. Perhaps Jung’s theory
of synchronicity can be usefully applied to both situations.
Pauline’s work developed further when she moved to Australia and
introduced Groups for Silence in her psychiatric practice in a day
hospital. She had used quotes from Mary Webb’s ‘Precious Bane’ in
this context and read out some relevant passages from the book by
way of conclusion.
The speakers’ talks stimulated wide-ranging
discussion, interspersed with pauses for contemplation and
reflection.
3.
CHAIRMAN’S CORNER
At the end of this first year of the
SIG, it seems like a good moment to review what we have
accomplished so far and what we might hope to achieve over the next
twelve months.
Our one-day programmes have been well
attended, with between 30 and 50 members present. To date we have
had: ‘What do we mean by Spirituality and its relation to
psychiatry?’ (January), ‘Fear and Faith – the
quandary of the psyche under threat’ (April) and
‘Avenues to Peace of Mind’ (October). Is there a
discernable pattern to the programme? Probably not, since we have
been taking up ideas that arise within the group and availing
ourselves of speakers who have volunteered from within the group.
This has led, I hope everyone will agree, to friendly, informal
meetings in which many points of view are both expressed and
listened to with respect and the implicit recognition that we all
have a good deal to learn from each other.
We are grateful to Dr. Peter
Fenwick for giving a fascinating talk on
‘Intimations of Immortality –the nature of near-death
visions’ at the Edinburgh Annual meeting (also
memorable for me because the two of us weaved our way from Oxford
to Edinburgh through spectacular cloud formations at ten thousand
feet in Peter’s tiny single engine plane, touching down just in
time for Peter to stroll onto the platform as unflappable as
ever).
Membership of the group has until now
been restricted to members and associates of the College. I believe
this has helped us find an ease of communication, for as
psychiatrists we share the experience of working under the same
kinds of pressures and facing the same clinical dilemmas. Should we
keep the SIG this way, or has the time come to open the membership
to mental health professionals more widely? Such a change entails
gains and losses. What do you think? Please voice your thoughts on
this, either at the meetings, through the newsletter or by emailing
me (AndrewSPowell@compuserve.com).
One of the benefits of becoming a
special interest group is to find us being linked with a number of
initiatives taking place within the College. These have included
2001 – A Mind Odyssey (see Larry Culliford’s report below) and
inclusion in the development of a competency-based curriculum for
specialist registrars (Chris Holman is our representative). We have
likewise been invited to contribute formally to the 2001 College
Annual meeting (Andrew Sims chairs our conference sub -committee).
On the international front we have been contacted by WHO, who are
currently developing a module on Spirituality, Religiousness and
Personal Beliefs (SRPB) to add to the established WHOQUOL
instrument.
Our thanks to Gillian Broster and
Daphne Wallace for composing the Newsletter. It’s easy to forget
that the many tasks undertaken by everyone in the Steering Group
are done in people’s own time and freely given. Our thanks also to
Sue Duncan in the College for her invaluable help with the
administration of the SIG.
As to the coming year, I’m sure we
will be having an outstanding programme on January 26th
(Forgiveness and Reconciliation), which brings in outside speakers
for the first time (see below for programme). Our meeting booked
for May 4th will be examining ‘positive and negative’
aspects of spirituality and in the autumn we are planning a
programme on ‘spiritual emergencies’.
We firmly believe that including
matters of spiritual concern in the clinical interview is as
important as other areas of personal inquiry and we want to
encourage psychiatrists to feel confident in helping patients to
speak about such matters when they so desire, and without
embarrassment. How best to promote this educational objective with
the help of the College will be a major task for us over the next
twelve months.
Lastly, our numbers are growing apace.
So far, we have held our day programmes at the College, very
conveniently and at no cost to us. But there is a limit of 50, due
to the size of the Council room. Would you like us to find other,
more spacious venues? If so, would you be willing to pay a charge
for the benefit? Please let us have your views!
In the meantime, all good wishes for
Christmas and the New Year.
Andrew Powell (chair)
4. ‘2001 –
A MIND ODYSSEY’ BRIEFING
Royal College of Psychiatrists 24 October 2000
Report from Larry Culliford, SIG
Representative
There were about twenty people
representing various Divisions, Faculties and SIG's, at the 90
minute briefing, which was enthusiastically introduced by the
President, John Cox. 2001: A Mind Odyssey is
a celebration of the arts, psychiatry and the mind, which aims to
inspire those involved in mental health services – both
professionals and service users – to explore creativity and the
emotionally healthy aspects of people's lives, and thereby to
facilitate people in expressing themselves. The idea is to
help raise awareness of the therapeutic benefits of artistic
expression.
2001: A Mind Odyssey
will be launched at the Annual Meeting in London, July
9th to 13th 2001, and will finish at the
Annual Meeting in Cardiff, 24th to 28th June
2002.
At the briefing, Deborah Hart, Head of
External Relations, spoke briefly on, 'Where we are now', outlining
a dozen events already planned for next year's Annual Meeting: Art
therapy workshops, film study sessions and a world premiere, a
reception at the National Portrait Gallery, an Indian dance troupe,
a children's art exhibition, music concerts and theatrical events
among them. Other exciting events are also planned throughout
the year and for the sign-off in Cardiff in 2002.
Next, Alexi Wedderburn, Events
Organiser, told us, 'What you can do', encouraging individual
College members as well as SIG's, faculties etc. to organise events
in our localities, with or by amateur and professional groups,
taking advantage of our Regional Arts Boards/Councils, and local
resources such as art galleries, art centres, libraries and our own
Trusts and hospitals. There were plenty of suggestions and
further advice from her, and then about fundraising, from the next
speaker, Chris Beynon, all of which was repeated in the text of an
extensive and helpful 'briefing pack' handed out – extra copies
available from Deborah or Alexi.
David Hart, currently poet in
residence at South Birmingham Mental Health Care Trust. gave a
presentation on his work in the 'older adults' department.
Dr. Akmal Makhdum from the College's Eastern Division and the
Psycho-pharmacology SIG then spoke about enterprising local,
divisional and national initiatives, mainly coupled also with the
College's 'Changing Minds' campaign against stigma, already running
or planned, for example involving 30 local schools and even some
local restaurants.
There was discussion and finally, we
were told, the rest is up to us but also that the College would
answer every question and provide all the support needed.
Once Alexi has approved your idea, you will be able to use the
2001: A Mind Odyssey logo. Even if you only
have a vague idea about a possible project, who not contact her and
discuss it?
I have already been able, on behalf of
the Spirituality and Psychiatry SIG, with the support of the
steering committee, to put the events organisers in touch with a
musician and music therapist, Nikki Slade, and the group of mental
health service users from Chiswick that Nikki works with, known as
CARSOS (Creative Arts Resource for Sanity of the Soul).
Funded by a Mind Millennium Award, they have produced an excellent
popular music CD 'Breakthrough'* with spirited, poignant and some
humorous songs arising out of first hand illness experience.
The hope is that they will perform at least one concert, and Nikki
is also available to give workshops on bringing out 'The Inner
Voice'. A very special person, she reached her own
breakthrough after a psychotic breakdown in 1989. Contact her
through me (01273-749500 or LDCULLY'mistral.co.uk), or find out
more by calling 07932 043277.
*Copies of the CD can be ordered
through www.peoplesound.com
(where you can listen to 2 tracks) or for £11.99 plus £1.00 p&p
– in advance – from me at CMHC, 79 Buckingham Rd,
Brighton BN1 3RJ.
5.
INTRODUCING THE SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL NETWORK
This organisation may be of considerable interest to members of
the Spirituality
SIG.
The Scientific and Medical Network was
founded as an educational charity in 1973, and now has approaching
3,000 members worldwide. Full members have a university
degree or equivalent, and include all professions, not just doctors
and scientists. As our leaflet puts it, our members are
people who "question the assumptions of much contemporary ...
thinking, so often limited by exclusively materialistic
reasoning". They are "prepared to asking searching questions
about the nature of existence and the nature of the human
being." It aims to "deepen understanding in science, medicine
and education by fostering both rational analysis and intuitive
insights."
Members receive an excellent journal three times a year, containing
original articles, reviews, correspondence and news. The
Network's programme includes major residential conferences (such as
the three 'Beyond the Brain' conferences in Cambridge), The May
Dialogue on a topical theme, lectures and specialist seminars, and
local group, Continental and (recently) Caribbean meetings,
including an Annual Gathering just for members. The
confidential Directory, in addition to members' details, contains
lists of professional grouping, geographical location, interests
and publications.
All activities are undertaken within our guidelines of
open-mindedness, rigor, and care for others. The Network is
committed to no dogma or creed, and "seeks to pursue truth wherever
it leads." It provides both a 'safe house' for professionals
to share in private unorthodox or groundbreaking ideas and
research, and also a public platform where new data and methods can
become known and examined more widely.
For me the attraction of the Network
lies not just in its exciting programme and activities, but equally
in the opportunity for meeting a wide spectrum of stimulating and
caring people, all the way from researchers into the paranormal,
via fellow psychiatrists who take the 'psyche' in our title
seriously, to spiritual healers, and lots besides. It’s
refreshing to know that within 30 seconds of meeting someone new
you can be talking about things that really matter to you both – no
need for social chitchat! (Though the party at the Annual
Gathering is always a memorable occasion ...)
If you're interested, contact Graham
Gordon at Lake House, Vann Lake Road, Ockley, Nr Dorking, Surrey
RH5 5NS, tel 01306 710072, or look at our web site at
www.scimednet.org
– you can join directly from the site.
Julian Candy
Vice-Chair, Council, Scientific and
Medical Network
6.
Attention Members!
Do you have difficulty claiming
expenses for SIG meetings? In 1992 the then College Treasurer, Dr W
D Boyd, wrote in the Bulletin (November issue) drawing attention to
a DOH circular issued in November 1972 which the NHS
Management had confirmed in 1992 still stood as departmental
policy. Apart from the policy of your employer with regard to
payment of expenses for CPD (which is mandatory in NHS contracts)
you may otherwise have been put off volunteering for Committees,
which organise College activities etc. The circular made it clear
that regarding ’expenses of practitioners engaged on official
college business it is reasonable to give assistance with time-off
and expenses.’ In any debate with your employer on
this issue it may be appropriate to quote from the College Charter
(Para 3) which defines the objectives of the College as to
‘advance the science and practice of psychiatry and related
subjects; further public education therein’ and to
‘promote study and research work in psychiatry.’
If your problems persist it may be
worth discussing it with the College.
Snippet from
Larry! "Some SIG members at the last meeting were
wondering why the College was not flying a flag from its pole over
the doorway. There was a flag flying the day before so
I enquired about it. That flag – with a motif drawn from the
College crest – is flown on days when Council are meeting.
The other flag flown is a Union Jack – on the Queen's birthday,
etc.”
7. THE SEA
OF FAITH NETWORK
Dr John Edmondson has sent in
information about this network, which may be of interest to SIG
members.
I have been a member of the Sea of
Faith network almost from the beginning. So far there have
been 13 annual conferences. Parallel organisations are
developing in other parts of the world.
The network began when a number of
people asked Don Cupitt to expand further on his thoughts as
contained in his television series, followed by a book, called "The
Sea of Faith". Interest expanded and the developing
organisation defined itself as dedicated to "exploring and
promoting religious faith as a human creation". The term "Sea
of Faith" is derived from Matthew Arnold's poem and was preferred
to the other possible title, "radical theology" because of the ease
with which this expression can be misunderstood. Membership
is very widespread throughout religious organisations although it
is a matter of concern that support from non-Christian religions is
still poor. We hope this will change. Most members have
rejected the supernaturalist understanding of religion although
many have come from very religious backgrounds. There are
some committed atheists. Some members join up with humanist
organisations as well although the more traditional humanist groups
look askance at the idea that their views too are seen as a human
creation.
The membership includes quite a number
of the clergy and church leaders, but many occupational backgrounds
are represented. There are several psychiatrists as well as
psychologists and psychotherapists. One member, a lecturer at
a teacher training college, gave a talk on her doctorial thesis on
the impact of religious belief on the child's capacity to cope with
bereavement. This attracted, among others, no less than five
Child Psychiatrists.
Philosophically the organisation
generally represents the non-realist position of
post-modernism. Don himself admits to being very influenced
by the French language philosopher Jacques Derrida. But it is
certainly not a requirement of membership to be committed to this
point of view particularly as members who are not trained in
philosophy sometimes take a little time grasping this idea.
In fact the membership welcomes all those who discuss and share
their views about values and spirituality with an open mind.
The term network was chosen to express this idea of a widely based
discussion group rather than anything resembling a traditional
religious organisation or pressure group. On the other hand
it would also be true to say that most people in the network see
religion and the spiritual life as important one way or
another.
The annual conference usually attracts
about 250 and last three days. There are usually three main
speakers but there is plenty of opportunity for smaller papers,
workshops and so on. The conference breaks up into smaller
groups for these. An attempt is made to summarise the main
points at the end. Each conference has a theme like, "What on
Earth is Spirituality" or "Faith in the Future".
In addition to the conference there is
a magazine, published bi-monthly and there is an attempt to create
a network of local groups.
Anyone interested in joining can write
to the Network Secretary, Ronald Pearse, 15 Burton Street,
Loughborough LE11 2DT.
8.
Forthcoming Events
Spring SIG Meeting. Note the date for your diary:
Friday, May 4th
Title and programme to be announced.
College Annual Meeting,
London: 9th – 13th July
2001
Larry Culliford and Sarah Eagger have
been given two 90-minute workshop slots for the first day of the
College's Annual Meeting (Monday 9th). They are entitled
‘WISDOM AND SCIENCE, COMPASSION AND CARING: Spiritual and
Material Values in Psychiatry’ and ‘MEDITATION TECHNIQUES: An
Introduction for Psychiatrists’, to be held morning and afternoon
respectively. For the lecture programme, the SIG contribution will
include at least two distinguished guest speakers giving on the
subject of research on religion, spirituality and psychiatric
outcome.
Other meetings of
interest:
‘ILLUSION OF KNOWLEDGE AND
BELIEF: a psychodynamic perspective’ February 26th
2001, an afternoon seminar, Britannia Street Conference
Centre.
‘Michael Jacob's new book takes
Winnicott's idea of a life-long series of illusions and
disillusionment in making sense of the meeting of external and
internal worlds, and proposes five modes of knowing and believing
which are frequently used to fill the space between inner and outer
reality. The scheme setting out the five modes can be applied
to psychoanalytic thought, religious belief and many other forms of
discourse. In this workshop the author will explain the difference
between Freud and Winnicott in their views of illusion, and discuss
types of worldview. He will then draw upon different sources
outside psychotherapy and counselling as well as music, to
illustrate the different modes of intuitive pre-thinking and
belief, authority thinking and belief, and un-knowing – the last
being the point at which both Freud's and Winnicott's views on
illusion can be integrated with Bion’s concept of O as well as,
controversially, with Eastern and Western mysticism.’ Contact Mole
Conferences – Tel. 01273 242634.
Address for enquiries, correspondence or
articles for the Newsletter:
Dr. Gillian
Broster
or
Dr. Daphne Wallace
Child Guidance
Centre
Tel: 01282
841608
Avenue House, 8 Bycullah
Avenue
Fax: 01282 842291
Enfield EN2
8DW
Daphne@drwallace.nildram.co.uk
Tel: 020 8367 8844 / Fax:8366 0789
GB@lbe-eps-avenue.demon.co.uk
Attention please! Some members overlooked the need to book in
for the last programme and were then disappointed, so be sure to
check the next page for details of the January meeting
PROGRAMME FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 26,
2001
‘FORGIVENESS AND
RECONCILIATION’
Venue: Royal College of
Psychiatrists
10.15
Coffee
10.45
Preliminary notices Dr. Powell (Chair)
11.00
Dr. J.
Dominian
11.40
Dr. Fraser Watts
12.20
Professor F. Oyebode
1.00
Lunch
2.00 Plenary
discussion with speakers
participating
3.15 Tea
3.30 Plenary
discussion with speakers participating
5.00 End
of Meeting
5 CPD CREDITS HAVE BEEN AWARDED FOR THIS
PROGRAMME