God as other, God as self, God as beyond: a cognitive analytic perspective on the relationship with God.

摘要

A case is made for the importance of working with religious material psychotherapeutically whilst at the same time being attentive to the pitfalls that may arise in doing so. A clinical vignette is presented illustrating some of these difficulties. Connections between constructions of self, other, and God are discussed using reciprocal roles, a concept from cognitive analytic therapy (CAT). A perspective offering a multiple and 'voiced' nature of self is explored; parallels are drawn with descriptions of God; and therapeutic implications are discussed.