A  Transpersonal  Treatment  

Framework  for  Understanding  Codependence  

Sharon  Joy  Ng,  Ph.D.  Professor  of  psychology  

The  Evolution    Of  

 Addiction  Treatment  Conference  Dec.  9,  2011  

Foundation  for  understanding  the  nature  of  codependence  

Treatment Framework

Multifaceted  Approach  

Inclusive  Model  

Empowerment    

Model  

Educational  

Approach    

Theoretical    

Considerations  

Reframe  the  Construct  

Consciousness  Evolution  

“Trans”  refers  to  “beyond”  

“Personal”  refers  to  that  which  is  “individual”  

Focuses  on  consciousness  

evolution  

Inclusive  model    •  Integrative,  holistic,  emphasizes  healing  

Soul  and  spirit  are  considered  in  this  approach  • Unity  or  Cosmic  Consciousness  

Transpersonal  Treatment  Framework  

Relationship  of  the  personal  to  the  transpersonal?  

Relationship  of  Self  to  Spirit?  

• Nature  of  This  Relationship?  

Concern  w/Transcendent  Aspects  

of  Individuality  

No  Boundary  Consciousness    

Blends  Western  &  Eastern  Approaches  • Path  of  awakening  

Addresses  the  levels  of  influence  upon  the  psyche  

• Perinatal Matrices (Grof)

• Biographical Realm

• Archetypal Realm (Jung,  

Krippner)  • New Biology

(Lipton)  • Mindsight      (Siegel)  • Energy Medicine

(Feinstein)  • Spectrum of Consciousness

(Wilber)  

Personal Mythology

in Need of Revision

(Feinstein  &  Krippner’s  Model)  

1.  Discover  the  thesis  

2.  Uncover  the  

antithesis  

3.  Synthesize  the  two  myths  

4.  Refine  the  new  

mythology  

5.  Weave  the  renewed  mythology  into  daily  

life  

F  Presence Centered Therapy

Family    Influences  

Societal    Factors  

History  and  Codependence    

Discourse  

Patriarchy    and    

Power  

Codependence  Profile  

Spectrum    of    

Consciousness  

Empowerment  

Awaken  Consciousness  

Symptoms,  Not    Identity  

Uncover,  Discover  

and    Heal  

Cultural  Factors  

Gender    Considerations  

Historical  emergence  in  therapeutic  settings  

1970s  

“Co”  or  partner  of  a  substance  abuser  

•  Identified  “patient”  

Self  help  industry  

popularized  the  concept  

Self  –identified  patients  

Focus    substance  abuser  (dependent  on  a  substance)    to  

the  partner    

“co-dependent”

Relationship  Addiction  

Symptoms Of

Codependence

Difficulty  Identifying/Expressing  Feelings  

Perfectionism  

Difficulty  Forming/Main-­‐taining  Close  Relationships  

Rigidity  Attitudes  &  Behaviors  

Over-­‐responsibility  

Need  for  Approval  

Difficulty  Making  Decisions  

Powerlessness  

Shame/Low  Self  Esteem  

BCI    (  Beattie  Codependency  Checklist)  

114  items  

260  character-­‐

istics  

CAI  (Codependency  Assessment  Inventory)  Friel  &  Friel  

Continuum  Severity,  Length,  #  of  CoD  

Symptoms  

60  T/F  items  

FSC  (Spann-­‐Fischer  Codependency  Scale)    

15  Items  Assessing  4  Core  Areas:  

 Expression  of  feelings    

External  focus    

Purpose  Through  Relationships  

Caretaking  

Assessment of Codependence

ADF-­‐C5    (Acquaintance  Description  Form)  Wright  &  Wright  

Intensity  &  Quality  of  Personal  Relation-­‐ships  

Endogenous  &  Exogenous  

CoD  Characteris-­‐

tics  vs  Relating  

CdQ  (Codependent  Questionnaire)  Glickhauf-­‐Hughes  &  Bruss  

Reduced  Earlier  CAI  From  60  to  36  items  

Consider  Psychometric  Measures  of  Parental  Quality  (Fisher  &  Crawford)  

Emotional  Support    

Parental  Involvement  

Parenting  Style                                                  Parental  Control    •  (induction,  coercion,  love  withdrawal

Assessment of Codependence

Patriarchy Influences Our

Understanding of Codependence

Hierarchical  Standards  and  Conformity    Addiction  Prone  

Society   Characteristics  and  Behaviors  Are  Defined  by  Those  in  Power  

Maleness  Establishes  Ideals  

Layering            Power  inequities  

Dominance  &  Ranking            Subservience  

Independence  Preferred  to  

Interdependence  

• Axis  II  -­‐  Personality  Disorder  Gender  Bias  • Hysteria    Dependent        Histrionic      Borderline  

BIAS  IN  THE  DSM  

•  “Too  much”  typically  expected  feminine  behavior  is  dysfunctional  GENDER  ROLE  

EXPECTATIONS  

•  Diverts  attention  away  from  social  and  political  factors  

•  Iron  Jawed  Angels  •  Mona  Lisa  Smile  

SOCIETAL  FACTORS  

Historical Context"•  Secure

boundaries"•  Male Defined "

Separation  Model  

•  Relational problem but the “cause” is individual"

Context  is  Minimized  

•  Females fail to it is more than an individual problem"

•  No strong female role models within relationships"

Victimizes  the  “Victim”  

Dysfunctional  Environment  

Parentification  

Triangulation  Chaos  Control  

Numbing  

Family  Role  

Self-­‐Consciousness  (Private  and  

Public)  

Shame-­‐proneness  

Lower  Self  Esteem  

Inter  and  Intra-­‐

relationship  Factors  

Endogenous  vs  Exogenous  

CoD  

Attachment:  Avoidant  or  Anxious-­‐

Ambivalent  

Learned  Helplessness  

PTSD  

Arrested  Ego-­‐Development  

•  From “Within” Oneself!•  Dysfunctional Family Environment!•  Vulnerability to develop CoD!•  Preference for Exploitative

Relationships!•  Problematic Characteristics!

ENDOGENOUS  

•  From “Outside” Oneself!•  Reactionary Role to Problematic

Relationship!•  Reared in Stable, Supportive

Homes!•  Healthy Interdependence!•  Communal !

•  Problematic Relating!

EXOGENOUS  

Trauma

Nightmares

Flashbacks

Hypervigilence

Avoidance

Trust Hope!  Age  0-­‐1  

Autonomy Will!    Age  1-­‐3  

Initiative Purpose!    Age  3-­‐6  

Industry Competence!    Age  6-­‐12  

Identity Fidelity!  Age  12-­‐18  

Erikson’s Early Ego Development

•  Hierarchichal" " Layering of Power"•  Establishes Normative Standards (masculinity is better)"

Patriarchy  

•  More restrictive for females " Minority Class    

Religion/Ethnicity  

•  Haves and the Have Nots " Subservience = CoD "" " " "Behaviors"

•  Reliance on Experts    

Socioeconomic  Conditions  

•  Expected female behaviors (Just not TOO much)"

Gender  Roles  

•  Perpetuates stereotypes Exacerbates Feelings " " " " " of Powerlessness" ""

Mass  Media    

Archetypes  

•  Femininity  • Emotional  • Care  taker  • Nurturer  • Mother  • Wife  • Daughter  • Sister    

Characteristics  Associated  with  CoD  are  Expected  

Female  Roles  

Stereotyped  gender  roles  and  

identification  emerge  from  the  

selection  process  of  ancestors  

Each  gender  was  selected  for  their  contributions  to  

survival  of  the  unit  

Evolutionary  Psychology  

What  is    Reality  ?  

Enfolded Reality and

Unfolded Reality

Consciousness  is  subjective  

Language  allows  us  to  communicate  

Words  are  symbolic  

representations  

Definitions  &  Interpretations  are  individual  

Reality  differs  for  all    

“Meaning”  is  assigned  

Transformation  &  Healing  come  from  knowing  ourselves  rather  than  knowing  “about”  ourselves  

Void,  Emptiness  

Loss  of  Being  

Anxiety  Arises  Space  Emerges  

Allowing  Wisdom  to  Emerge  

Emotions  Emerge    

No  Numbing  

Implicit,  Felt  Meaning  or  Enfolded  Reality  

Can  Emerge  

“Drop  the  Ego”  Must  Be  Formed  Before  It  Can  Be  

Dropped  

Consciousness  changes  our  behavior  from  REACTION  to  RESPONSE

Loosen  Neural  Networks  

BECOME  THE  OBSERVER  

Open  to  Pain  Without  Stories  

Felt  emoJons  

Wisdom  emerges  

•  IDENTIFIES  WITH  THE  MASKS  (PERSONA)  

•  REPRESSES  THE  SHADOW  

PERSONA  LEVEL  

•  EGO    •  IDENTIFIES  WITH  THE  MIND  •  SEPARATION  OF  BODY/MIND  

EGO  LEVEL  

•  “CENTAUR”  BODY/MIND  CONNECTED  

•  DISCONNECTED  FROM  THE  ENVIRONMENT  

TOTAL  ORGANISM  

•  INTERCONNECTION  WITH  EVERYTHING  UNITY  CONSCIOUSNESS  

WILBERʼS!SPECTRUM !OF !CONSCIOUSNESS!MODEL!

•  SIMPLE  COUNSELING  •  SUPPORTIVE  THERAPY  

PERSONA  LEVEL  

•  PSYCHOANALYSIS  •  PSYCHODRAMA  •  TRANSACTIONAL  ANALYSIS  •  COGNITIVE  THERAPY  •  EGO  PSYCHOLOGY  

EGO  LEVEL  

•  ROGERIAN  THERAPY  •  GESTALT  THERAPY  •  EXISTENTIAL  ANALYSIS  •  HUMANISTIC  PSYCHOLOGY  

TOTAL  ORGANISM  

• EASTERN      RELIGIONS  • MEDITATION  •   YOGA  • HOLOTROPIC  BREATHWORK  

UNITY  CONSCIOUSNESS  

THERAPIES !IN THE !SPECTRUM!OF !CONSCIOUSNESS!

To  be  fully  responsive/aware  to  what  is  transpiring  within  the  resonance  between  client  and  

therapist  

“Heart…is  a  direct  presence  that  allows  a  complete  a<unement  with  reality…What  shuts  down  the  heart  more  than  anything  

is  not  le>ng  ourselves  have  our  own  experiences  but  instead  judging  it,  

criBcizing  it,  or  trying  to  make  it  different  from  what  it  is…”  Welwood, 2002, p. 163-­‐164  

YOU

Unconditional  Presence  

Allow  Space:  Wisdom  Emerges  

Heart  

Attunement  Mutual  path  of  discovery  

Condition  of  the  Spirit  is  Primary  

Beliefs  Create  Reality  

Own  Your  

Buttons  

Beginner’s    

Mind  

Openness  Flexible  

Consciousness  

Personal Mythology

in Need of Revision

(Feinstein  &  Krippner’s  Model)  

1.  Discover  the  thesis  

2.  Uncover  the  

antithesis  

3.  Synthesize  the  two  myths  

4.  Refine  the  new  

mythology  

5.  Weave  the  renewed  mythology  into  daily  

life  

REFRAME  CODEPENDENCE  

Pathological behaviors represent the soul’s cry for attention

Not a condition to be rid of

Opportunity to awaken the heart

Deepen one’s connection to life

EMPOWERMENT

Reframe  to  a  Relational  Focus  

Extent  of  CoD  Relating  

Group  Therapy  

Experiential  Techniques  •  Psychodrama  •  Journalizing  •  Empty  chair  (Gestalt)  •  Active  Imagination  •  Relaxation  Techniques  •  Positive  Affirmations  

Holistic  Recovery  Aftercare  •  Intellectual    Spiritual  •  Social                              Emotional  •  Occupational    Physical  

Personal  Factors  That    

Enhance  Empowerment  

Assertiveness  Recognize  and  Express  Feelings  

Nurture  Self  More  Than  Others  

Scrutinize  the  Laws,  Rules,  

Norms,  Values,  Sanctions,  

Prejudices  that  Limit  

Empowerment  

Self parenting!

Stop Over-functioning!

Stop Shame w/Self

Empathy!

Problem focused!

Decentralize Family of

Origin Trauma!

Build Self-Esteem Boundaries

• HERE  &  NOW  • PLANE  OF  POSSIBILITIES  

•  HOLOTROPIC  BREATHWORK  

•  ART  THERAPY    

•  EFT  •  CHI  KUNG  •  AIKIDO  •  EMDR  

•  MEDITATION  

TRADITIONAL  TECHNIQUES  

ENERGY  WORK  

PERINATAL  REALM  

MINDFULNESS/MINDSIGHT  

Clinicians and Clients Can Enroll to Learn

More Human Services 32: Relationship

Addiction/Codependence

(1 Unit)

Psychology Consciousness Series: Psych

30A, 30C & 30D (1 unit each)

Offered in a 6-week format

Taken for Credit/No Credit or

Grade