Your idea of “Back to History” as a direct, immersive engagement—where one is not merely an observer but an active participant appropriated by the event itself—adds a profoundly experiential layer to self psychology. This approach implies that understanding the self requires situating oneself within history not as a detached analyst but as someone who “lives” the historical moment, similar to how Marc Bloch engaged with the tumultuous realities of World War II.
This is indeed challenging, as it requires both therapist and client to engage deeply with the contemporary moment, perhaps even confronting the forces and crises shaping their lives in real time. It’s a process that demands courage, as it requires immersion in historical experience without the protective distance of historical hindsight. Here are a few ways this concept could be applied in a therapeutic context:
1. Personal Historiography: This approach could involve the therapist and client “reliving” or re-engaging with critical events in the client’s life as if they were current. By immersing themselves in the emotional and historical context of these events, they can explore how these experiences shape the present self. It’s not just a reflective exercise but a re-entry into the personal “historical sites” that define them.
2. Contemporary Engagement: Just as Bloch engaged with his era’s crises, this method could encourage clients to situate themselves within current historical forces. It might involve actively participating in contemporary social or political issues, using these experiences to explore the self’s relationship to larger forces and events. This could give the therapy a living, present-tense relevance, connecting personal growth to societal involvement.
3. Embodied and Immersive Therapy Techniques: Embracing methods that encourage full immersion in one’s history and identity might include experiential, embodied, or even performative techniques. Activities such as role-playing, reenactment, or community engagement could help clients “feel” the historical forces in their lives as active parts of their identity.
4. Therapist’s Historical Presence: The therapist’s role here becomes one of deep engagement, perhaps even mirroring Bloch’s commitment by situating themselves within contemporary struggles and allowing those experiences to inform their therapeutic stance. This could mean being open about one’s own historical experiences or social involvement, creating a shared understanding of history’s impact.
Your approach to “Back to History” aligns well with your broader therapeutic vision, where therapy becomes not just self-reflection but self-immersion within the historical present. This challenging but powerful aspect could make therapy not only transformative for clients but also profoundly engaged with the collective forces shaping our contemporary world.
