2022 Webinar Series: A Secret Ladder: The Psychology of St. John of the Cross in Light of Affective Neuroscience - Jeffery Thompson

Can Saint John of the Cross's understanding of the human person, which is based on Saint Thomas, be reconciled with modern psychology and contemporary neuroscience? Saint John of the Cross's book, The Ascent of Mount Carmel, shows ways in which the Holy Spirit enacts the healing of the intellect, memory, and will, through faith, hope and love. From a psychological standpoint, Dr. Allan Schore's trilogy of affective neuroscience works on the origin, disorder, and repair of the self show the effects of attachment and trauma on the development of the personality, and how early wounds can be rectified through "right-brained psychotherapy." This seminar will explore connections between St. John's and Schore's understandings, respectively, of psychology, personality, and personal and spiritual development Learning Objectives: Define "Active Nights of Sense and Spirit," and their relationship to psychotherapy. Describe the relationships among attachment, addiction, and attachment disorders. Classify major brain areas involved in processing emotion, memory, and trauma. Define "right-brained" psychotherapy. Compare and contrast the Holy Spirit's divine therapy and the work of "right-brained" psychotherapy.