Sensitivity and
Responsibility
Dr. med. Samuel Pfeifer
Presentation
ACC Strassbourg
March 2011
Biblical text
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Ephesians 4
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of
Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves,
and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and
craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the
truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of
him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and
held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in
love, as each part does its work.
Characteristics of gentile life style:
– Futility of their thinking
– Sensuality
– Anger
more?
The «shadow»
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C.G. Jung speaks of the «shadow» in our lives
The inacceptable drives
«The flesh»
Galatians 5:17: For the flesh desires what is contrary to
the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not
to do whatever[a] you want.
What are conflicts between flesh and spirit?
 Which conflicts do you encounter in couselling that
involve a conflict between «the flesh» and «the spirit»?
 Sin and psychopathology
– Are these terms equivalent? Why not?
– How would you distinguish the two?
Meanings of the term «Responsibility»
 The source of a problem («Who / What / which behavior
is responsible for this?»)
– Danger: blaming, causing guilt feelings, religion as an
instrument to create neurotic guilt and condemnation
 Accountability for my behavior
 Efforts (basic attitude, will power, and actions) to live a
life compatible with Biblical values.
Ambivalence is a core feature of
neuroticism
Ambivalence
Impaired
contact
On the one hand –
on the other hand
Vegetative
Complaints
Inhibitions
Emotional
lability
Reduced
ability to
perform
Zones de tension
I D E A UX
Expérience
Intérieure
Besoins, Désirs
Motivations, Impulsions
Emotions
Je veux faire ce qui est juste
et bien pour plaire à DIEU
*** d’autres idéaux ??
RESPONSABILITE
lois et
limitations
(Sub)culturelles
REALITE
“Pourquoi dois-je souffrir?”
situation de vie- réseau
social – constitution
physique /émotionelle
Construction
Extérieure
Brain activity and mental conflict
 When a test person
gets conflicting
informations, there is
an increased brain
activity. There is a
biology of conflicting
value decisions.
 Conflicts cost energy
Binder, J. R. et al. J. Neurosci. 1997;17:353-362
Decision: “Du you hear a tone or a voice?”
Irresponsibility: «Flies in the ointment»
 "Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfumer to putrefy
and send forth a vile odor; so does a little folly (in him
who is valued for wisdom) outweigh wisdom and honor"
(Amplified). – (Ecclesiastes 10,1)
 We are „a fragrance of Christ“
(2 Corinthians 2:15)
The following slides are inspired by Kelly O’Donald’s essay on «foxes and flies»
Flies in the fragrance of Christ
 Like flies in perfume, our folly – our sin – can alight in our
souls, and wreak havoc on our wisdom, honor, and work.
 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough, as Paul
says (I Corinthians 5:6).
Typology: Small flies and dangerous insects
 Some types of folly are more damaging than others.
 Household flies are a nuisance: unwanted habits in our
life and minor character weaknesses of which we are
trying to rid ourselves.
 Dangerous flies, can bite, sting, and carry diseases, could
really hurt us. Serious folly: unconfessed sin,
unrecognized arrogance, hidden compulsive addictions,
and pervasive personality patterns that are unhealthy/unholy.
 Just one public or even private manifestation of such
serious folly -- these wrong behaviors and attitudes -- can
neutralize our work effectiveness, compromise our
integrity, destabilize our emotional life, and hurt others?
 "Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner
destroys much good" (Ecclesiastes 9:18).
Folly and Dis-grace
 Folly leads to disgrace. Just a bit of it is all it takes
to damage our reputation -- and God's
 Examples: rash words, questionable financial
dealings, physical and emotional affairs
 Disgrace not only results from the actual content
of the folly.
 Problem 1: external shame and disgrace
 Problem 2: denying or minimizing our
problem/sin.
 Problem 3: not believing in God's restorative
desire to forgive and help us in our time of need
(Hebrews 4:16).
Desire – Temptation – Fear / Values
 James 1:14ff:
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but each person is tempted when they are dragged away
by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire
has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fullgrown, gives birth to death.
14
 Temptation reveals the desires in us that are at conflict
with the values of stability, order, tradition
 DISCUSS: What are Christian / Biblical values which
conflict with human desires? (If applicable, use examples
from your counseling experience).
Humanistic philosophy vs. Counseling
 If it feels good – it is good
 IN COUNSELLING
– Is it o.k. to look for happiness?
– Is it good for my health to give up legitimate desires?
– May I test the limits in pursuit of happiness?
Encouraging integrity
 Tension in counselling
– Accepting legitimate desires for closeness, love, security
– Encouraging integrity
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Is it o.k. to establish rules?
Is it o,k, to encourage resistance?
How can we establish a «healthy conscience»
What is «freedom»?
Responsibility in Therapy (B. Narramore)
1. The individual is immediately responsible for altering the
problem behavior (regardless of who was responsible for
its origin).
2. The individual is responsible for maturing in a way that
alters his or her inner sinful patterns (nature) that led to
the problem.
3. The individual is responsible for altering both the sins
and the sinful nature.
4. Parents, spouses, therapists or others are responsible for
evoking specific behavioral changes.
Narramore B. The concept of responsibility in psychopathology and psychotherapy.
Journal of Psychology and Theology 13:91-96, 1985.
Responsibility in Therapy (B. Narramore)
 “A comprehensive view of responsibility avoids both
irresponsible acting out and unhealthy repression. It
acknowledges both that we have been sinned against and
that we are sinners. It acknowledges that both our
specific sinful choices and the sinfulness inherent in our
fallen natures contribute to our problems. And it
acknowledges that we are responsible even for our
unconscious sins – not because we purposefully choose
them but because they grow out of our own fallen
natures.”
Narramore B. The concept of responsibility in psychopathology and psychotherapy.
Journal of Psychology and Theology 13:91-96, 1985.
The limitations of conscience
 Romans 14
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1
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable
matters.
So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.
Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23
But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is
not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
 1. John 3
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If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and
he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we
have confidence before God