The Architecture of the Self: An Integrative Strategic Psychotherapy Perspective
Psychotherapy often seems like a mysterious process where past and future, biology and emotions intertwine. But when viewed through the lens of Integrative Strategic Psychotherapy (ISP), the human psyche appears as a sophisticated, multi-level system. In this long-read, we will explore how our personality is formed, why we act the way we do, and how therapy helps to reassemble this complex puzzle.
The Hologram of the Psyche and the Therapeutic Alliance
Modern science claims: all psychotherapeutic approaches are efficient. Why? Because each of them illuminates only "one slice of the hologram" of the human soul.
The human brain is an extremely complex system possessing the quality of plasticity. It is neuroplasticity that makes change possible. But for these changes to occur, a foundation is needed: the therapeutic alliance. This is a partnership agreement where both parties agree to work together. Psychological difficulties always depend on our relational environment, so relationships are a core ingredient of healing.
The Four Layers of the "Self": From Biology to Mask
In ISP, personality structure is viewed as a system of concentric circles growing out of one another. Imagine this as a multi-layered sphere:
- Biological Level (Foundation): This is the base upon which everything else is built. It includes our genome, epigenome, phenotype, body schema, and biological rhythms.
- Proto-Self: The primary, bodily sense of self.
- Core Self: Deep-seated beliefs about oneself and the world.
- Plastic Self: The mechanism of adaptation and defense.
- External Self: What we show to the world.
Let's look at how this structure forms from birth.
The Evolution of Consciousness: How Scripts Are Born
Stage 1: Neural Competition and Needs
Before birth and in the first three years of life, our brain experiences a boom—a genetically driven over-production of neurons occurs. Synapses literally compete with one another: those that are used (encode experiences) survive, while others disappear.
During this time, the child is driven by Fundamental Needs (according to Maslow's pyramid): physiology, safety, love, belonging.
The child does not yet think in words; they have proto-cognitions. The chain looks like this:
Need → Emotion → Behavior.
For example: "I am crying (behavior) → I feel bad (sensation)."
Stage 2: Assessment of the World
The child begins to analyze the environment's reaction to their tears or laughter. The first unconscious questions arise:
- "Am I crying well enough?"
- "Is this a bad world?"
- "Is mother a good person?"
Stage 3: General Conclusion and Internal Working Model
Based on repeated experiences, the child draws global conclusions that become their life script or Internal Working Model (IWM).
Here is how destructive beliefs are formed:
- Situation: The child cries, but needs are not met.
- Conclusion about self: "I am stupid" or "I am bad."
- Conclusion about the world: "The world is not safe," "People are not trustworthy."
- Strategy: "It is better to suppress emotions and stop crying" (learned helplessness).
Thus, a script is born: "To be loved, I must always be good" or "If I don't look perfect, I will be made fun of."
The Plastic Self: The Great Stabilizer
Standing between our vulnerable, often traumatized "Core Self" and the outside world is the Plastic Self. Its main function is to stabilize the "Core Self" and filter information to avoid cognitive dissonance.
Example of the Plastic Self at work:
If deep down a person believes: "I am stupid and I can't learn English", but reality shows success, the Plastic Self will filter the success by saying: "Yes, but I don't speak English well". It distorts reality to make it fit the internal map, even if that map is negative.
The External Self: The Interface
On the very surface lies the External Self. This is our conscious component, our "interface" for interacting with the environment through behavior. This is the part others see, but it often hides turbulent processes occurring deeper within.
The Therapist's Navigation: Axes of Analysis
In Integrative Strategic Psychotherapy, the therapist creates a case formulation, using multiaxial analysis. This helps understand not only what is happening (the symptom) but also why and how it is maintained.
The therapist explores the client through five main axes:
- Biological Axis: Genetics, health, temperament.
- Cognitive Axis: Core beliefs, automatic thoughts, archetypes, perfectionism, explanatory styles.
- Emotional Axis: How does the person regulate emotions? Is there repressed anger or neurotic guilt? What type of attachment is formed?
- Psychodynamic Axis: Self-esteem, conditions of worth ("I am valuable only if..."), psychosomatic mechanisms, dissociation, death anxiety.
- Relational Axis: Family myths, roles, cultural context, differentiation of the Self.
Conclusion
People have a vital need to organize their world in order to understand it. Our "mental maps" determine the way we perceive reality. Integrative Strategic Psychotherapy helps to become aware of these maps, see the work of one's Plastic Self, and ultimately rewrite outdated scripts that no longer serve our well-being.
It is a journey from the unconscious "The world is not safe" to the conscious choice of one's own reality.
Author of the method: Oana Maria Popescu.
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