檢視你被誰，內化了什麼名堂 （自體的心理學）

前者 （被誰）屬外，後者（被）（內化了什麼） 屬內，有趣的是，既已（被）內化，你遂以為，那就是你，的唯一可能，所以你會，不捨的說，如果我不這樣，我就不是我，意思是說，你遂不膽，失去那個，帶來無限魔難糾結的，所謂 （so called) 自己和關係，

至此，你可以理解，心理治療，關鍵詞，就是「內化」（internalization)，和它帶來的魔難糾結 （perils)，

弔詭的是，若無內化在先，你根本不存在，

好消息是，內化永遠有其裂縫（有懈可擊），所以你仍有望，炸掉三峽大壩，恢復長江生機，

內即是外，外即是內，

可見，釐清內外，有多麼，難以道盡，

內化，問的是，你是誰 （who are you)，你是什麼作的  (what are you)，你是怎麼被作出來的 (how were you made of)，

客體關係理論，講的就是，你是客體關係作的 （you are made of object relations)，

關係學派精神分析，講的就是，你是你和他者發生的事件作的 （you are made of inter-personal events)，

菊次郎十六式，講的就是，你是宇宙塵埃作的 （you are made of cosmic dust)，

意思是說，前者，治療者，就是客體，就是關係；次者，治療者，就是他者，就是事件；後者，治療者，就是宇宙，就是塵埃，

至此，你不禁長嘆，治療者，詐（乍） 現人身，何以得以，以宇宙，以塵埃，行世，

意思是說，菊次郎十六式，何其不可行矣，

這時，你在五結，看著遠方，暗夜沙洲，漁火點點，你不禁覺悟，你的治療者，就是暗夜，就是沙洲，就是漁火，就是隱而不顯的繁星，

至于拉岡，他會說，客體關係是想像，語言是象徵，一針見血的語言，就是一窺真實的事件，意思是說，他的位置，界于上述，前者到次者的半途 （半途就是，只強調事件，但少了關係學派最喜歡的互相演出性）（mutual enactment)，意思是說，拉岡基本上還算守規矩的安全 （play safe)，他不會跟他的病人，一起燃燒起來，燒成灰燼，我想，這是因為，巴黎的夜空，見不到星星，意思是說，拉岡只有介語言操弄的結構主義，但沒有超過語言盡頭的宇宙論，勉強 objet petit a， Le sinthome，jouissance，算是打算，趨近那個盡頭，意思是說，schizoanalysis 義在跨過那個盡頭，逕往宇宙虛空而去 （interstellar)，

當然，以上，是我誤會的拉岡，意思是說，他和他的病人，的確曾經，一起燃燒起來，意思是說，前者加上次者，看著後者，是關于治療，最大的恭維，意思是說，貫穿前次後者的，就是陌生人的善意，或正確的說，是漠然 （indifferent) 宇宙的陌生人善意，意思是說，給漠然宇宙帶來生命的，就是陌生人的善意，意思是說，菊次郎十六式，就是給漠然宇宙帶來生命的陌生人的善意，

Another example of Lacan’s clinical work comes from the documen-

tary Rendez-vous chez Lacan (G. Miller, 2011). Suzanne Hommel, born in

Germany in 1938, witnessed the rise of the Nazis as a young girl. She lived

through World War II in a state of constant horror, hungry even as Hitler

“promised bread,” wishing to run away from the terror that haunted her

dreams. In her first session with Lacan, she asks “if it was possible to cure me

of this suffering,” to which he responded with his first “interpretation.” Lacan

looked at her “in this way that made me understand I would have to live with

this for the rest of my life.” A later session in which she recounts the dreams

tormenting her bears quoting at length,

… I told him, ‘I wake up every morning at 5 o’clock… [when] the Gestapo

came to get the Jews in their houses.’ At that moment Lacan jumped up from

his chair… and gave me an extremely gentle caress on my cheek. I understood

it as ‘geste à peau’ [gesture to skin] … a very tender… extraordinarily tender

gesture. And that surprise, it didn’t diminish the pain but it made it something 

else… years later, when I recall that gesture, I can still feel it on my cheek. It

was a gesture as well which was an appeal to humanity…

Lacan’s tenderness came through not in words, but action. What makes

this an interpretation evoking a “chance encounter” is his non-verbal use of

the signifier. The Real irrupts into Hommel’s experience and Lacan springs,

the Ferenczian in me would say, spontaneously responds, with a gesture that

transforms the traumatic association. She is struck with surprise —a bit of

Real—deriving a new association, “geste à peau,” or “gesture to skin,” which

phonetically in French sounds like “Gestapo.” Lacan’s surprising responsive-

ness did not erase her pain but allowed her to bear it through her sinthome ,

a memory of tenderness restoring her humanity. （Gaztambide, 2024, pp. 140-141)

Cf. https://radiolacan.com/en/podcast/interview-with-susanne-hommel/1

What’s the relationship between intersectionality and critical race theory? (ChatGPT, 2024-11-30)

 Intersectionality and Critical Race Theory (CRT) are deeply interconnected, with intersectionality emerging as a key analytical framework within CRT. Both aim to understand and challenge systemic inequalities, though their focus and scope differ. Here’s an overview of their relationship:

1. Intersectionality as a Framework within CRT

• Origins in CRT: Intersectionality was introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a legal scholar and foundational figure in CRT. In her seminal works (Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex and Mapping the Margins), Crenshaw demonstrated how traditional legal frameworks often failed to account for the unique experiences of Black women, who face overlapping forms of oppression from both racism and sexism.

• Purpose: Intersectionality helps CRT analyze how multiple systems of power and oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, classism) interact, rather than treating forms of discrimination as separate or additive.

Example:

A workplace discrimination case might overlook the specific challenges faced by Black women if it only addresses racism or sexism independently, without recognizing how these forms of oppression intersect.

2. Shared Focus on Structural Inequality

• Both CRT and intersectionality are concerned with systemic power dynamics and seek to uncover how institutions, laws, and cultural norms reinforce hierarchies of privilege and oppression.

• CRT often uses intersectionality to critique how laws and policies disproportionately impact individuals at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities.

Example:

Housing policies might disproportionately disadvantage low-income women of color, not simply because of their race or class, but because of the compounded effects of both.

3. Focus on Marginalized Voices

• CRT emphasizes the importance of centering the experiences and voices of those most affected by racism. Intersectionality extends this by ensuring that attention is paid to the complexity of identities within marginalized groups (e.g., LGBTQ+ Black individuals, disabled women of color).

• Both approaches resist essentialism, rejecting the idea that any one aspect of identity (e.g., being Black) defines a person’s experience.

Example:

A CRT analysis might examine how racism affects Black communities, while intersectionality would highlight how Black queer individuals might experience racism differently from Black cisgender heterosexual individuals.

4. Analytical Depth

• Intersectionality as a Tool: Intersectionality broadens CRT’s analytical scope by enabling a more nuanced understanding of how overlapping forms of oppression operate.

• CRT as a Foundation: CRT provides the broader theoretical and historical framework for analyzing race and racism, within which intersectionality operates as a methodology.

Example:

In education, CRT critiques systemic racism in schools, while intersectionality can analyze how racial disparities intersect with gender or disability to create unique barriers for certain groups.

5. Activism and Praxis

• Both CRT and intersectionality are committed to social justice and transformative change. Intersectionality enhances CRT’s capacity to address issues at the intersection of multiple oppressions, ensuring advocacy efforts are inclusive and effective.

Example:

A campaign for police reform informed by CRT might address systemic racism, while an intersectional approach would also highlight how police violence disproportionately affects Black trans individuals or disabled people of color.

Key Differences

• Focus:

• CRT’s primary focus is on analyzing and dismantling systemic racism and white supremacy.

• Intersectionality examines the interaction of multiple axes of oppression, including but not limited to race.

• Application:

• CRT originated as a legal framework but has expanded to various fields like education, sociology, and cultural studies.

• Intersectionality is a broader analytical tool applicable across disciplines, including CRT and beyond.

Conclusion

Intersectionality is an essential component of CRT, providing a nuanced lens to explore how race interacts with other forms of identity and oppression. While CRT focuses on systemic racism, intersectionality ensures that analyses and solutions are inclusive of the diverse experiences within marginalized communities. Together, they create a robust framework for understanding and challenging social inequalities.

How to use intersectionality in psychotherapy? (ChatGPT, 2024-11-30)

 Using intersectionality in psychotherapy involves integrating an understanding of clients’ intersecting identities and the systemic inequalities they may face into the therapeutic process. This approach acknowledges that people’s experiences of mental health are shaped not just by personal issues, but also by broader sociopolitical factors like racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and other forms of oppression.

Here’s how to use intersectionality in psychotherapy:

1. Develop a Deep Understanding of Intersectionality

• Educate Yourself: Learn about the systemic structures that shape individuals’ experiences based on their race, gender, class, sexual orientation, disability, and other social identities.

• Reflect on Your Own Position: Understand how your own intersecting identities (as a therapist) influence your perspective, biases, and the therapeutic relationship.

2. Create a Safe, Affirming Space

• Acknowledge Power Dynamics: Recognize the inherent power dynamic in the therapist-client relationship and how this may intersect with other dynamics (e.g., racial or gender-based).

• Validate Experiences: Create a space where clients feel seen and heard in all aspects of their identity.

• Example: Acknowledge systemic injustices if a client mentions experiences of racism or sexism, rather than minimizing or ignoring them.

3. Understand Clients’ Intersecting Identities

• Holistic Intake Assessments: During initial sessions, ask about clients’ identities and how they perceive their impact on their lives. Avoid assumptions based on appearances or stereotypes.

• Example: A client who is both LGBTQ+ and a person of color may face unique challenges compared to someone who holds only one of these identities.

• Tailored Interventions: Adapt interventions to reflect the complexity of clients’ intersecting identities and lived experiences.

• Example: A Latina immigrant woman facing workplace discrimination may benefit from exploring cultural, gender, and socioeconomic stressors in therapy.

4. Address the Role of Systems and Social Context

• Explore External Stressors: Acknowledge how systemic oppression and discrimination contribute to the client’s mental health struggles.

• Example: Highlight how societal racism might contribute to anxiety in a Black client, rather than framing it solely as an internal issue.

• Advocate for Structural Change: Where appropriate, help clients identify ways to advocate for themselves in oppressive systems or connect them to resources and community support.

5. Use Culturally Affirming and Inclusive Practices

• Cultural Competence: Incorporate an understanding of the client’s cultural background into the therapeutic process.

• Example: Acknowledge the importance of collective family values for clients from cultures where family plays a central role.

• Affirm Marginalized Identities: Celebrate and affirm identities that may be marginalized in broader society.

• Example: Work on building pride and resilience for a transgender client experiencing transphobia.

6. Be Mindful of Language

• Avoid Pathologizing: Recognize that some behaviors or experiences (e.g., mistrust of authority, code-switching) may be adaptive responses to systemic oppression rather than signs of pathology.

• Use Inclusive Language: Mirror the client’s language when discussing their identities (e.g., gender pronouns, ethnic descriptors).

7. Address Internalized Oppression

• Unpack Internalized Biases: Help clients explore and challenge internalized racism, sexism, or other forms of oppression that may affect self-esteem or relationships.

• Example: A client may struggle with feelings of inadequacy due to societal messages about their racial identity. Therapy can focus on deconstructing these messages.

8. Foster Resilience and Empowerment

• Build Resilience: Use strengths-based approaches that highlight the client’s resilience in navigating systemic barriers.

• Encourage Agency: Support clients in finding ways to assert their agency and advocate for their needs within oppressive systems.

9. Recognize Trauma from Systemic Oppression

• Acknowledge Racial and Cultural Trauma: Understand that experiences like discrimination, microaggressions, or generational trauma have profound mental health impacts.

• Example: Use trauma-informed approaches that validate the client’s experiences of racism or xenophobia.

• Work on Healing: Incorporate practices like mindfulness, grounding, and narrative therapy to help clients process systemic trauma.

10. Collaborate with Clients and Communities

• Empower Clients: Work collaboratively to identify goals that reflect their values and priorities.

• Community Resources: Encourage connection with supportive communities or advocacy groups to combat isolation and foster empowerment.

Case Example: Intersectional Therapy in Practice

A Black lesbian woman seeks therapy for depression. An intersectional approach might involve:

1. Exploring her experiences with systemic racism, sexism, and homophobia, and how these intersect.

2. Understanding the impact of her identity on her relationships, career, and self-concept.

3. Affirming her identity as a source of strength while addressing the trauma caused by discrimination.

4. Collaborating on strategies to navigate oppressive systems while fostering self-compassion and resilience.

Key Takeaways

Using intersectionality in psychotherapy means:

• Viewing the client as a whole person within their social, historical, and cultural context.

• Addressing both individual and systemic factors that influence mental health.

• Empowering clients to navigate, resist, and heal from systemic oppression.

By incorporating intersectionality, therapists can provide more nuanced, effective, and equitable care that respects the complexity of clients’ lives.