Connection
“For far too long care has been conceived of as either therapist-centred or patient-centred. In actuality, the healing relationship has always been a crucible for mutual transformation”
— Saki Santorelli (2000).
The guiding principle of connection encompasses Relationship-Centered Care and creating opportunities for people to connect with one another in meaningful ways throughout their participant journey (and beyond).
This approach acknowledges the unique personhood of the client and recognizes that the quality of relationships in health care influences processes and outcomes (Wampold, 2015; Browne et. al, 2021).
Human beings are social animals.
We are hard-wired biologically to be in connection with each other.
When we are out of connection, we suffer.
The relatively new field of social genomics is revealing how our social environment can impact gene expression, with isolation and loneliness contributing to changes in gene expression that increase vulnerability to illnesses (Cacioppo et al., 2015; Cole, 2014). The upswing in the worldwide mental health crisis since the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic speaks even more to the negative impact of isolation and loneliness on mental health.
Did You Know?
Depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline are all associated with having fewer social ties, and social isolation is even linked to premature death (National Academies of Sciences & Medicine, 2020).
The Hero's Journey
In Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, an important stage of transformation and integration is sharing the lessons learned that come about through one’s courageous journey confronting suffering. Group programs like Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration (PHRI) can serve as a venue for participants to share personal experiences such as those arising from individual psychedelic-assisted therapies, aiding both in personal integration and the collective healing of the group. Coming together in safe, supported spaces can also begin to create a stability, coherence, and structure that can start to redress the impact of collective traumas.
References
Browne, J., Cather, C., & Mueser, K. Common Factors in Psychotherapy. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. Retrieved 1 Aug. 2022, from https://oxfordre.com/psychology/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.001.0001/acrefore-9780190236557-e-79.
Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., Capitanio, J. P., & Cole, S. W. (2015). The neuroendocrinology of social isolation. Annu Rev Psychol, 66, 733-767.
Cole, S. W. (2014). Human Social Genomics. PLOS Genetics, 10(8), e1004601.
National Academies of Sciences, E., & Medicine. (2020). Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System. The National Academies Press.
Santorelli, S. (2000). Heal Thy Self: Lessons on Mindfulness in Medicine. Harmony.
Wampold B. E. (2015). How important are the common factors in psychotherapy? An update. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 14(3), 270–277. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20238