I’ve been trained in conventional psychodynamics with study of many of the “giants in psychodynamics, object relations, and biologic psychiatry.”
Over the next several years, once I left my training, and while navigating the murky waters of the psychiatric world I nourished my mind and soul with Torah learning and Lubavitch and Breslav Chassidus. As my grasp of the wide range of individual suffering increased I found the Chassidus gave me the clearest and most practical understanding of my work with people.
to be continued… Okay, but now it’s June 2014. I suppose this was one of those ADHD examples of leaving off and later, returning to it.
Every aspect of the human being explained in Chassidus is an aspect of Hashem. Contrary to much of modern medicine where there is an eternal war between healthy and pathologic tissue, and then figure out a way to win the battle against disease in the host who has very little to do with maintaining the war. Once the battle extends to the cellular level one would think it is beyond the control of rational thought. Chasal might say, No, it is not. Since all things have a spark of divinity there can be a connection between our conscious mind and cells or tissue.
That would seem ridiculous or naive to the medical world but a chassid wouldn’t hesitate to enter into a dialogue with Ha Kodesh Barchu. He will pray Hashem will focus His healing powers to restore a healthy balance so one can continue to live. The statistics on the healing effects of prayer are unknown to the scientific world. It’s not reported nor can it be clearly verified and would be vastly underestimated if they even considered prayer’s true impact on everything.