Journal of Projective Psychology and Mental Health: Volume 22, Number 2, July 2015 Editorial |
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| 1. Editorial, Wilfred A. Cassell, pages 75-79. In early April of this year my wife and I traveled to Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island in Canada. Here we live in a retirement facility for seniors that have beautiful grounds. Initially for a few evenings this environmental setting enabled a mesmerizing view of a bright full moon. At night the scene stimulated memories from my youth in Ontario. Then my family spent summers living in a cottage overlooking the St Lawrence River. I vividly recall similar summer spiritual scenes. In this moonlight reflected off the water providing an imaginary pathway for fantasizing travel to explore the moon. Never in my wildest adolescent imagination did I expect that in my lifetime solar system space technology would enable human explorers to safely “walk on the moon”! Now as a senior citizen having my basic “Body Image” identity only temporarily linked to our planet earth, I am amazed that futuristic planning involves an exploratory trip with an estimated two and a half years of travel to Mars. Moreover, ultimate plans are under development to build a permanent space colony there. Exploring deeper reaches of the mysterious Cosmos will dramatically enrich SIS theory as well as concurrently human life “Body-Mind-Spirit” identity. I now invite you for a few moments to imagine that you are listening in the year 1610 to Galileo Galilei lecturing on the value of “scientifically objective” astronomical telescopic observation as opposed to “philosophical’ debate without hard factual data: “The next object which I have observed is the essence or substance of the Milky Way. By the aid of the telescope one behold this in a manner which so distinctly appeals to the senses that all the disputes which have tormented philosophers through so many ages are exploded at once by the irrefragable evidence of our eyes and we are freed from wordy disputes upon the subject, for the Galaxy is nothing more than a mass of innumerable stars planed together in clusters. Upon whatever part of you direct the telescope straight away a vast amount of stars presents itself to view; many of them are tolerably large and extremely, but the number of small ones is beyond determination bright”. Now with this historical background in mind, let us briefly review the manner in which basic principles of “Projection” influence perception from the space of our planet. Relevant is the term “Pareidolia”: the phenomenon of perceiving body imagery in clouds, landforms and manmade objects.. This is an astronaut’s “Anatomical Projective Response” when circling the earth in the International Space Station while observing the dried up bottom of a lake in Iran. Although he recognized the reality of the Iran scene, his imagination enabled him (In Rorschach language) to secondarily project the Anatomical Response “It also appeared like the surface of a brain” (Hadfield, Chris 2014). Another example of an “Anatomical Response” is illustrated ahead on other inkblots. Here Hadfield perceived “Labyrinthine stream beds as “running like veins” through the Gibson Desert in the Northern Territory of Australia. Projective Law of Affect Linkage: At this point in theoretical discussion the implication of projected imagery having significant affect linkage to the projected imagery warrants outlining. For example, let us consider the first illustration in which the bottom of the lake in Iran that was seen to resemble the brain. This links whatever positive or negative emotional charges associated with the “Brain” in the responders mind, such as pleasure from intellectual achievement, memory of sex sensations or negative such as headache or psychological distress, binding the feelings both to the original visual geographical content, as well as its secondary projected association in memory storage. This linkage process also applies when viewing cosmic objects and light patterns of objects entering from space. For example, negative affect linked to a Super bolide can make it seem to a paranoid military observer resembles a nuclear missile. The same somatic symbolic projective process influences the naming of structures in the Solar System, as well as light years beyond the remote Cosmos. Historically, it also has been operating throughout recorded history shaping primitive art. Next for a few moments I invite the reader to meditate for a few moments. When in an altered state of relaxation, fantasize travelling back in time to at least 28,000 years ago. Then awaken your symbolic spiritual self in order to spiritually identify with the Body Images painted (or in SIS language) projected onto the walls of a cave by an early human artist. (This is illustrated in Figure 3). In his book “YOU ARE HERE” Hadfield commented on this art in an imaginative theoretical time dimension conceptual model as follows: “Rock paintings in Australia are among the oldest on the planet, with some confirmed to date back at least 28,000 years. Called Gwion Gwion figures, man mirrors the colors and shape of the landscape so closely that they almost seem to have been inspired by an aerial view of the Outback. Perhaps they were: Gwion Gwion was, according to aboriginal cosmology, a long beaked bird before he morphed into a human artist”. Please seriously contemplate the symbolic material as well as Hadfield’s speculation (i.e. “Perhaps they were”) for a period of time before ending the trance like experience. Afterwards if this psyche trip back in time has proven worthwhile, I suggest that you repeat at bedtime to stimulate spiritual dreaming. If any such Gwion Gwion programmed dreams prove enriching, please report them to our SIS journal’s editor (bldubey@gmail.com) for future publication and analysis. Hopefully for some readers, such a Body-Mind-Spiritual exercise has been enlightening in preparation for contemplating some of the problems facing mother earth in the 21st century. Many of these relate to the sad state of world affairs regarding national leaders to use scientific psychosocial biological information to either prevent or solve urban problems. Yet in addition, cognitively concerned leaders face both predictable and unpredictable threats from space. While savvy scientists are aware that there are many of the former, only two relevant examples will be mentioned in this discussion: Chelyabinsk- In 2013 on the 15th of February, an unpredicted meteor travelling at high speed entered the earth’s atmosphere and broke up over Russia, becoming what then was called a “Super bolide”. Since the energy released by the intense sound wave was estimated to be comparable to a good sized nuclear bomb, several buildings were damaged. However, the greater danger was that a few members of their military projected paranoid fears onto the sky scene depicted in Figure 4. Apparently they initially misinterpreted it as an American surprise attack. Reportedly they almost launched retaliatory nuclear missiles which might have triggered World War III. I sincerely hope that the Russian psychologists and psychiatrists who are familiar with SIS projective concepts and techniques will develop instructional programs for their military. Moreover, the same suggestion for extreme caution may be applied to those in all nations possessing such powerful weapons. Until the world leaders develop totally effective controls, all life on this planet is at risk from unbridled aggressive drives of power seeking humans, terrorists, suicidal/homicidal psychotics, religious fanatics etc. (2) The so-called Apo phis asteroid named after the Egyptian snake God symbolizing “malevolence”. The last time it approached earth on April 13th 2013, it was sufficiently close that the gravitational pull of our planet’s huge mass attracted it closer in orbit. Astronomers are carefully watching this change in orbit. It is believed that when it approaches next on Friday the 13th of April in 2030, its new path might cause it to endanger all life on earth. If this appears to be a serious risk, plans are under way to employ in order to alter the asteroid’s potentially destructive path. Space scientists now conceptualize employing a “Gravity Tractor” – a theoretical spacecraft whose gravity would deflect other such threatening objects in space. While the ever growing technology available to protect life on our planet is ever growing in sophistication, human life on earth still remains vulnerable to cosmic events. For example, comets can still sometimes “sneak in from the heavens” at high speeds, before scientists can detect them with present day warning equipment. More funding is required to overcome this vulnerability, not just from governments but from all significant sources. It is suggested that these should include all well-funded religious organizations whose Death Denying Doctrine postulates after one’s body’s demise on earth a spiritual ongoing survival state exists in a cosmic space “Afterlife” or “Heaven”. An example is the relatively well funded modern Roman Catholic Church. This organization has come a long way educationally since the time when Copernicus was murdered by an earlier Pope for reporting that “The earth is not flat…and dethroned it from the center of the solar system”. In addition, apparently other scientists were threatened by the church not to support Copernicus in his astronomical observations. As an illustration of such intellectually repressive “DENIAL” expressed by Galileo Galilei in the following letter to the Duchess of Christina in 1615: “Therefore I declare (and my sincerity will manifest itself) not only that I manifest to submit myself freely and renounce any errors into which I may fall through ignorance in these matters pertaining to religion, but that I do not desire in these matters to engage in disputes with anyone, even points that are disputable. My goal is this alone; that if, that may abound in these considerations of a subject remote from my profession, there is anything that may be serviceable to the holy Church in making a decision regarding the Copernican system, it may be taken, and utilized as it may seem best to the superiors. And if not, may my book be torn and burnt, as I neither intended nor pretend to gain from any fruit that is not pious and Catholic. And though many of these things I shall reprove have been heard by my own ears, I shall freely grant to those who have spoken to them that they never said them, if this is what they wish, and I shall confess myself to have been mistaken. Hence whatever I reply be not addressed to them, but to whoever may have held such opinions ''. Reflecting more modern astronomical awareness, modern members of the Catholic Church have apologized for their ignorance and persecution of Copernicus. Moreover now the Pope employs an astronomer and funds space viewing equipment. Recently when asked by a news reporter “If an intelligent alien arrived on earth would you Baptize this alien” reportedly he responded taking into consideration the modern world increased social power of women “Only if she requested it”. In spite of more openness, many members of the Catholic clergy are reluctant to publicly report there are still limits what can be reveal about the religious deleterious mental health “Side Effects”, of certain of their practices (e.g. celibacy, male domination of the church power structure etc.). Motivated colleagues in our SIS International Society are hereby invited to establish a scientific reality based, cross fertilization theory dialogue with scientists exploring the hidden Body-Mind-Spirit dimensions of the mysterious Cosmos. A promising example offering potentially positive joint fruition of concepts for sophisticated SIS explorers is the “Spiritual” one. In the proposed conceptual model of existence, this physically invisible dimension encompasses not just human animals, but other forms of “Intelligent-feeling-aware” higher life forms, as outlined within the Hindu faith. In regard to the latter, the loving/playful connection between my-self and our female Golden Retriever Maggie, represents an incredibly joyful, positive healing spiritual force, in my stressful marital care provider existence. As an example of possible cross fertilization of scientific concepts, I now humbly suggest that the historical notion of looking for an “Afterlife” in a real physically structured visual space is likely invalid. I suspect that it needs to be replaced with a new notion comparable to “Dark Energy” – a force that while it is invisible, is powerful. Maybe it’s time to remember that our Homeo Sapiens species evolved “Big Brains” –NOW LET’S USE THEM. Yet in doing so, please be humble, since no mere mortals can ever know the “MIND OF GOD”! Finally, I now invite the open minded reader to consider the extent that Edwin P. Hubble’s 1936 statement in the “Realm of the Nebulae” still somewhat may apply: “From our home on the Earth, we look out at the distances and strive to imagine the sort of world into which we were born. Today we have reached far out into space. Our immediate neighborhood we know rather intimately. But with increasing distance our knowledge fades rapidly, until the last dim horizon we search among ghostly errors of observations for landmarks that are scarcely more substantial”. “THE SEARCH WILL CONTINUE…. THE URGE IS OLDER THAN HISTORY…. IT IS NOT SATISFIED…. THE SEARCH WILL CONTINUE…. THE URGE IS OLDER THAN HISTORY AND WILL NOT BE SUPPRESSED”. 2. What does it Socially Symbolize When a Woman Dreams of Having a Penis? Wilfred A. Cassell, Bankey L. Dubey and Kalyani Menon, pages 80-82. Dream is the language of the unconscious mind. It brings the suppressed unprocessed unconscious material hidden in the store house of the unconscious mind. Its symbolic interpretation helps in understanding the inner world of the dreamer. Symbolic interpretation may further help as an aide in therapeutic management of the patients. The present study has interpreted and discussed three dreams in the paper. 3. Clinical Instruction on Projective Techniques in the USA: A Review of Academic Training Settings 1995-2014, Chris Piotrowski, pages 83-92. Academic training with projective methods has been an enduring and enigmatic feature of the assessment curriculum in professional and clinical psychology since the 1940s. However, the past 2 decades have witnessed a steady stream of rather disparaging commentary directed largely on the lack of psychometric credibility of individual projective methods, particularly from the academic community in the USA. The purpose of the current study is to determine whether this collective movement, evident in the scholarly literature, against projective techniques has had a deleterious impact on the extent of graduate-level training and instruction over the past 20 years. To that end, the author identified, through an extensive literature review, published survey research in the USA that reported on training emphasis in projective assessment, from 1995-2014. The 12 identified studies served as the data pool to ascertain the extent of coverage of projective techniques within the context of assessment training, both in academic and internship settings. The analysis showed that: a) there has been diminutive emphasis on projective techniques in academic clinical/professional programs, although some training with projective tests continues in PsyD practitioner programs, and b) expectations of competency with projective assessment during internship training, touted in the past, have largely diminished in recent years. Interestingly, a sizable minority of graduate students still desire advanced training in projective assessment. Several notable issues in the clinical/professional milieu, in recent years, may account for this decline in interest in projective techniques (see Piotrowski 2015 for further discussion): a) proliferation of graduate–level specialty training has exacerbated ‘inclusion’ (and exclusion) of essential required coursework; b) evidence indicates that instruction in assessment has steadily been reduced, particularly available courses in projective techniques; c) due largely to managed care administrative policies, coverage for comprehensive test batteries, which may include projective tests have been denied and reliance on ‘brief’ assessment instruments has become the standard; d) over time, younger faculty and internship supervisors either hold very negative attitudes toward projective assessment or have sparse training and experience with these techniques; and e) with the retirement of older, more experienced faculty, instruction on projective tests tends to be de-emphasized or unavailable. Thus, it appears that aspiring graduate students and interns, with an interest in projective techniques, either need to pursue external professional training via workshops, individualized supervised instruction, or engage in intensive self-study. These findings have implications for training in projective assessment overseas. Since recent reviews of applied clinical settings show that projective techniques continue to be valued by psychologists worldwide (Piotrowski, 2015), future research should elucidate the status of education, graduate-level instruction, and professional/clinical training with projective techniques in nations outside the USA. 4. Children’s Drawings, Thematic Apperceptive Technique Questions, and Memory, Robert B. Williams, Joan B. Flagg-Williams, and Laurence A. French, pages 93-98. The relationship between children’s drawings that serve as thematic picture cards for a clinician’s thematic apperceptive technique (TAT) enquiry format and Tulving’s explanations of memory development are described. Particular attention is given to describing the influences of the procedural, semantic, and episodic aspects of memory. 5. Therapeutic intervention through SIS in a case of Dissociative Convulsion Disorder, Bankey L. Dubey and Padma Dwivedi, pages 99-102. The Somatic Inkblot Series-II (Cassell and Dubey, 2003) was administered to an 18 years old girl, studying in 12th class with complaints of fits (fainting attacks), headache and nausea. She was diagnosed as a case of “Dissociative Convulsion Disorder” as per ICD-10. The SIS responses projected her poor interpersonal relationship, pent up aggression and abusive childhood. The SIS imagery was used as a therapeutic intervention tool with positive results and relief from symptoms. Significant responses are interpreted and discussed in the case study. 6. A Comparative Psychosocial Study of Aggression, Attachment Style and Personality among Orphans and Normal Children, Rajasree Chakraborty, Manisha Dasgupta and Nilanjana Sanyal, pages 103- 114. The nostalgia and mystery of childhood poses to be an eminent question to behavioural scientists. The present investigation attempts to plunge into the intricacies of childhood among a specific sub-section of orphan children across the backdrop of their normal counterparts to probe into their psyche and inner world in terms of shaping of their “selves”. The garden of childhood has thorns for them and offers emotional pains for them in terms of emotional deprivation. The present sample consisted of 60 orphan children and 60 normal children (30 boys and 30 girls in each of the two groups) living with both parents at their residences after matching them with respect to age, sex, intelligence, socio-economic status, education, religion, nationality, location and duration of stay in any institution. Variables studied were aggression, attachment style and personality. Statistics revealed significant group differences, where orphans had significantly higher mean scores in only one dimension of aggression, namely, Anger-Expression Out; certain indices of personality, namely, Total number of Response, Animal responses, and Anatomical Responses. Again, normal children were found to have significantly higher in only one dimension of aggression, namely, Anger-Expression In and certain indices of personality like, Sex responses, and Typical responses. Significant gender differences and interaction effects were also found. The findings have been discussed to unfurl the inner dynamics of orphan children from the psychologist’s desk. Implications of the findings along the provision of psychotherapeutic strategies for shaping their personalities have also been discussed. 7. Management of Depression in India, Naveen Gupta, Abhilasha Singh and Riju A. Singh, pages 115-118. By the year 2020, depression is estimated to become the second leading cause of disability. Much has been written about the incidence of depression in western countries but, an area of significance is the developing country like India where depression is engulfing people from all walks of life (WHO, 2005). The present case study deals a young Indian married woman with psychosomatic symptoms with Depressive features who committed suicide. She was administered the Somatic Inkblot Series (SIS) - II test. The significant responses on SIS are discussed in the case study. 8. The Relationship between Body Esteem, Attachment Anxiety and Attachment Avoidance among Young Adults, M. Mili and A.S.Raakhee, pages 119-123. The body image is closely related to what we feel about our body. The present study was conducted to find out the relationship between body esteem, attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance in young adults. A sample of 60 subjects (30 males and 30 females) between 22 to 30 years of age was selected using purposive sampling. The subjects were given ECR-R (Fraley, et.al. 2000) to obtain attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance scores and BES (Franzoi and, Herzog, 1986) to obtain the body esteem score. The results indicated that body esteem has an inverse relationship with attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance and did not show significant gender differences among the scores. 9. Somatic Inkblot Series –II Profiles of Iranian Couples: An Exploratory Study, M. Kruthi, Mrs. Mahboubeh Cariappaa and L. S. S. Manickam, pages 124-129. Somatic Ink blot Series (SIS) has been used with different clinical groups in India and found to be very effective tool in diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic intervention. It has also been used on various normal populations. However, the review of literature is scanty so far as the Iranian population is concerned. The present study is a modest attempt to compare the profiles of Iranian couples with existing Indian norms. Ten Iranian couples, studying in Mysore and living together, having no history of marital discord were administered SIS-II Booklet Form individually by one of the authors. The mean scores on the eleven scoring categories of SIS were compared. The mean age of the male was 42 years and female was 35.5 years. The mean scores on the eleven indices were as follows: Total number of responses (M:64; F:66.1), Human responses (M:19.4; F:23), Animal responses(M:8; F:10.8), Anatomical responses(M:17.7; F:16.3), Sex responses(M:3.9; F:3.8), Movement responses(M:3.2; F:5.7), Most typical responses(M:13.5; F:14), Typical responses(M:22.5; F:22.4), Atypical responses(M:7.9; F:7.8),Rejection of images(M,0.5; F,0.5), PAS (M,0.1; F,0.2), Depression(M,0.6; F:0.8), HAS (M:0.5; F:0.9) and Paranoia(M:0.5; F:0.6).The scores were almost similar to the scores reported by earlier studies. Since the results are based on a small sample, a larger sample may be assessed before the findings are generalized as an Iranian profile. 10. Areas of Research in Somatic Inkblot Series, Rakesh Kumar, pages 130-138. Somatic Inkblot Series (SIS) was conceptualized in 1959 by Dr. Wilfred A. Cassell and has attracted clinicians internationally. The SIS is based on the theory of body symbolism, somatic imagery theory and inner cry for help. Somatic Imagery Theory proposes that “everyone has a unique and highly personalized system of attitudes, both conscious and unconscious, that is projected onto the body concept as a special entity…” (Cassell and Dubey, 2003 pp. 14-15). The present paper is specially prepared for clinicians and researchers to view the areas of research in future on Somatic inkblots procedure. 11. Efficacy of Cognitive Drill Therapy in Agoraphobia with Panic Disorder: a Case Study, Satyadhar Dwivedi and Rakesh Kumar, pages 139-146. This case demonstrates the role of cognitive drill therapy in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. A 52-year-old female patient presented with eight years H/O panic disorder with agoraphobia. The Body Sensations Questionnaire, Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire, Mobility Inventory, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale and Beck Depression Inventory were administered at baseline and follow ups.. Cognitive drill therapy was administered in 10 sessions. She continued pharmacological treatment as usual. The periodic assessments including follow ups indicated substantial change and clinically significant improvement in her condition which is being maintained even at six months follow up and thereafter. 1. Editorial, Wilfred A. Cassell, pages 75-79. In early April of this year my wife and I traveled to Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island in Canada. Here we live in a retirement facility for seniors that have beautiful grounds. Initially for a few evenings this environmental setting enabled a mesmerizing view of a bright full moon. At night the scene stimulated memories from my youth in Ontario. Then my family spent summers living in a cottage overlooking the St Lawrence River. I vividly recall similar summer spiritual scenes. In this moonlight reflected off the water providing an imaginary pathway for fantasizing travel to explore the moon. Never in my wildest adolescent imagination did I expect that in my lifetime solar system space technology would enable human explorers to safely “walk on the moon”! Now as a senior citizen having my basic “Body Image” identity only temporarily linked to our planet earth, I am amazed that futuristic planning involves an exploratory trip with an estimated two and a half years of travel to Mars. Moreover, ultimate plans are under development to build a permanent space colony there. Exploring deeper reaches of the mysterious Cosmos will dramatically enrich SIS theory as well as concurrently human life “Body-Mind-Spirit” identity. I now invite you for a few moments to imagine that you are listening in the year 1610 to Galileo Galilei lecturing on the value of “scientifically objective” astronomical telescopic observation as opposed to “philosophical’ debate without hard factual data: “The next object which I have observed is the essence or substance of the Milky Way. By the aid of the telescope one behold this in a manner which so distinctly appeals to the senses that all the disputes which have tormented philosophers through so many ages are exploded at once by the irrefragable evidence of our eyes and we are freed from wordy disputes upon the subject, for the Galaxy is nothing more than a mass of innumerable stars planed together in clusters. Upon whatever part of you direct the telescope straight away a vast amount of stars presents itself to view; many of them are tolerably large and extremely, but the number of small ones is beyond determination bright”. Now with this historical background in mind, let us briefly review the manner in which basic principles of “Projection” influence perception from the space of our planet. Relevant is the term “Pareidolia”: the phenomenon of perceiving body imagery in clouds, landforms and manmade objects.. This is an astronaut’s “Anatomical Projective Response” when circling the earth in the International Space Station while observing the dried up bottom of a lake in Iran. Although he recognized the reality of the Iran scene, his imagination enabled him (In Rorschach language) to secondarily project the Anatomical Response “It also appeared like the surface of a brain” (Hadfield, Chris 2014). Another example of an “Anatomical Response” is illustrated ahead on other inkblots. Here Hadfield perceived “Labyrinthine stream beds as “running like veins” through the Gibson Desert in the Northern Territory of Australia. Projective Law of Affect Linkage: At this point in theoretical discussion the implication of projected imagery having significant affect linkage to the projected imagery warrants outlining. For example, let us consider the first illustration in which the bottom of the lake in Iran that was seen to resemble the brain. This links whatever positive or negative emotional charges associated with the “Brain” in the responders mind, such as pleasure from intellectual achievement, memory of sex sensations or negative such as headache or psychological distress, binding the feelings both to the original visual geographical content, as well as its secondary projected association in memory storage. This linkage process also applies when viewing cosmic objects and light patterns of objects entering from space. For example, negative affect linked to a Super bolide can make it seem to a paranoid military observer resembles a nuclear missile. The same somatic symbolic projective process influences the naming of structures in the Solar System, as well as light years beyond the remote Cosmos. Historically, it also has been operating throughout recorded history shaping primitive art. Next for a few moments I invite the reader to meditate for a few moments. When in an altered state of relaxation, fantasize travelling back in time to at least 28,000 years ago. Then awaken your symbolic spiritual self in order to spiritually identify with the Body Images painted (or in SIS language) projected onto the walls of a cave by an early human artist. (This is illustrated in Figure 3). In his book “YOU ARE HERE” Hadfield commented on this art in an imaginative theoretical time dimension conceptual model as follows: “Rock paintings in Australia are among the oldest on the planet, with some confirmed to date back at least 28,000 years. Called Gwion Gwion figures, man mirrors the colors and shape of the landscape so closely that they almost seem to have been inspired by an aerial view of the Outback. Perhaps they were: Gwion Gwion was, according to aboriginal cosmology, a long beaked bird before he morphed into a human artist”. Please seriously contemplate the symbolic material as well as Hadfield’s speculation (i.e. “Perhaps they were”) for a period of time before ending the trance like experience. Afterwards if this psyche trip back in time has proven worthwhile, I suggest that you repeat at bedtime to stimulate spiritual dreaming. If any such Gwion Gwion programmed dreams prove enriching, please report them to our SIS journal’s editor (bldubey@gmail.com) for future publication and analysis. Hopefully for some readers, such a Body-Mind-Spiritual exercise has been enlightening in preparation for contemplating some of the problems facing mother earth in the 21st century. Many of these relate to the sad state of world affairs regarding national leaders to use scientific psychosocial biological information to either prevent or solve urban problems. Yet in addition, cognitively concerned leaders face both predictable and unpredictable threats from space. While savvy scientists are aware that there are many of the former, only two relevant examples will be mentioned in this discussion: Chelyabinsk- In 2013 on the 15th of February, an unpredicted meteor travelling at high speed entered the earth’s atmosphere and broke up over Russia, becoming what then was called a “Super bolide”. Since the energy released by the intense sound wave was estimated to be comparable to a good sized nuclear bomb, several buildings were damaged. However, the greater danger was that a few members of their military projected paranoid fears onto the sky scene depicted in Figure 4. Apparently they initially misinterpreted it as an American surprise attack. Reportedly they almost launched retaliatory nuclear missiles which might have triggered World War III. I sincerely hope that the Russian psychologists and psychiatrists who are familiar with SIS projective concepts and techniques will develop instructional programs for their military. Moreover, the same suggestion for extreme caution may be applied to those in all nations possessing such powerful weapons. Until the world leaders develop totally effective controls, all life on this planet is at risk from unbridled aggressive drives of power seeking humans, terrorists, suicidal/homicidal psychotics, religious fanatics etc. (2) The so-called Apo phis asteroid named after the Egyptian snake God symbolizing “malevolence”. The last time it approached earth on April 13th 2013, it was sufficiently close that the gravitational pull of our planet’s huge mass attracted it closer in orbit. Astronomers are carefully watching this change in orbit. It is believed that when it approaches next on Friday the 13th of April in 2030, its new path might cause it to endanger all life on earth. If this appears to be a serious risk, plans are under way to employ in order to alter the asteroid’s potentially destructive path. Space scientists now conceptualize employing a “Gravity Tractor” – a theoretical spacecraft whose gravity would deflect other such threatening objects in space. While the ever growing technology available to protect life on our planet is ever growing in sophistication, human life on earth still remains vulnerable to cosmic events. For example, comets can still sometimes “sneak in from the heavens” at high speeds, before scientists can detect them with present day warning equipment. More funding is required to overcome this vulnerability, not just from governments but from all significant sources. It is suggested that these should include all well-funded religious organizations whose Death Denying Doctrine postulates after one’s body’s demise on earth a spiritual ongoing survival state exists in a cosmic space “Afterlife” or “Heaven”. An example is the relatively well funded modern Roman Catholic Church. This organization has come a long way educationally since the time when Copernicus was murdered by an earlier Pope for reporting that “The earth is not flat…and dethroned it from the center of the solar system”. In addition, apparently other scientists were threatened by the church not to support Copernicus in his astronomical observations. As an illustration of such intellectually repressive “DENIAL” expressed by Galileo Galilei in the following letter to the Duchess of Christina in 1615: “Therefore I declare (and my sincerity will manifest itself) not only that I manifest to submit myself freely and renounce any errors into which I may fall through ignorance in these matters pertaining to religion, but that I do not desire in these matters to engage in disputes with anyone, even points that are disputable. My goal is this alone; that if, that may abound in these considerations of a subject remote from my profession, there is anything that may be serviceable to the holy Church in making a decision regarding the Copernican system, it may be taken, and utilized as it may seem best to the superiors. And if not, may my book be torn and burnt, as I neither intended nor pretend to gain from any fruit that is not pious and Catholic. And though many of these things I shall reprove have been heard by my own ears, I shall freely grant to those who have spoken to them that they never said them, if this is what they wish, and I shall confess myself to have been mistaken. Hence whatever I reply be not addressed to them, but to whoever may have held such opinions ''. Reflecting more modern astronomical awareness, modern members of the Catholic Church have apologized for their ignorance and persecution of Copernicus. Moreover now the Pope employs an astronomer and funds space viewing equipment. Recently when asked by a news reporter “If an intelligent alien arrived on earth would you Baptize this alien” reportedly he responded taking into consideration the modern world increased social power of women “Only if she requested it”. In spite of more openness, many members of the Catholic clergy are reluctant to publicly report there are still limits what can be reveal about the religious deleterious mental health “Side Effects”, of certain of their practices (e.g. celibacy, male domination of the church power structure etc.). Motivated colleagues in our SIS International Society are hereby invited to establish a scientific reality based, cross fertilization theory dialogue with scientists exploring the hidden Body-Mind-Spirit dimensions of the mysterious Cosmos. A promising example offering potentially positive joint fruition of concepts for sophisticated SIS explorers is the “Spiritual” one. In the proposed conceptual model of existence, this physically invisible dimension encompasses not just human animals, but other forms of “Intelligent-feeling-aware” higher life forms, as outlined within the Hindu faith. In regard to the latter, the loving/playful connection between my-self and our female Golden Retriever Maggie, represents an incredibly joyful, positive healing spiritual force, in my stressful marital care provider existence. As an example of possible cross fertilization of scientific concepts, I now humbly suggest that the historical notion of looking for an “Afterlife” in a real physically structured visual space is likely invalid. I suspect that it needs to be replaced with a new notion comparable to “Dark Energy” – a force that while it is invisible, is powerful. Maybe it’s time to remember that our Homeo Sapiens species evolved “Big Brains” –NOW LET’S USE THEM. Yet in doing so, please be humble, since no mere mortals can ever know the “MIND OF GOD”! Finally, I now invite the open minded reader to consider the extent that Edwin P. Hubble’s 1936 statement in the “Realm of the Nebulae” still somewhat may apply: “From our home on the Earth, we look out at the distances and strive to imagine the sort of world into which we were born. Today we have reached far out into space. Our immediate neighborhood we know rather intimately. But with increasing distance our knowledge fades rapidly, until the last dim horizon we search among ghostly errors of observations for landmarks that are scarcely more substantial”. “THE SEARCH WILL CONTINUE…. THE URGE IS OLDER THAN HISTORY…. IT IS NOT SATISFIED…. THE SEARCH WILL CONTINUE…. THE URGE IS OLDER THAN HISTORY AND WILL NOT BE SUPPRESSED”. 2. What does it Socially Symbolize When a Woman Dreams of Having a Penis? Wilfred A. Cassell, Bankey L. Dubey and Kalyani Menon, pages 80-82. Dream is the language of the unconscious mind. It brings the suppressed unprocessed unconscious material hidden in the store house of the unconscious mind. Its symbolic interpretation helps in understanding the inner world of the dreamer. Symbolic interpretation may further help as an aide in therapeutic management of the patients. The present study has interpreted and discussed three dreams in the paper. 3. Clinical Instruction on Projective Techniques in the USA: A Review of Academic Training Settings 1995-2014, Chris Piotrowski, pages 83-92. Academic training with projective methods has been an enduring and enigmatic feature of the assessment curriculum in professional and clinical psychology since the 1940s. However, the past 2 decades have witnessed a steady stream of rather disparaging commentary directed largely on the lack of psychometric credibility of individual projective methods, particularly from the academic community in the USA. The purpose of the current study is to determine whether this collective movement, evident in the scholarly literature, against projective techniques has had a deleterious impact on the extent of graduate-level training and instruction over the past 20 years. To that end, the author identified, through an extensive literature review, published survey research in the USA that reported on training emphasis in projective assessment, from 1995-2014. The 12 identified studies served as the data pool to ascertain the extent of coverage of projective techniques within the context of assessment training, both in academic and internship settings. The analysis showed that: a) there has been diminutive emphasis on projective techniques in academic clinical/professional programs, although some training with projective tests continues in PsyD practitioner programs, and b) expectations of competency with projective assessment during internship training, touted in the past, have largely diminished in recent years. Interestingly, a sizable minority of graduate students still desire advanced training in projective assessment. Several notable issues in the clinical/professional milieu, in recent years, may account for this decline in interest in projective techniques (see Piotrowski 2015 for further discussion): a) proliferation of graduate–level specialty training has exacerbated ‘inclusion’ (and exclusion) of essential required coursework; b) evidence indicates that instruction in assessment has steadily been reduced, particularly available courses in projective techniques; c) due largely to managed care administrative policies, coverage for comprehensive test batteries, which may include projective tests have been denied and reliance on ‘brief’ assessment instruments has become the standard; d) over time, younger faculty and internship supervisors either hold very negative attitudes toward projective assessment or have sparse training and experience with these techniques; and e) with the retirement of older, more experienced faculty, instruction on projective tests tends to be de-emphasized or unavailable. Thus, it appears that aspiring graduate students and interns, with an interest in projective techniques, either need to pursue external professional training via workshops, individualized supervised instruction, or engage in intensive self-study. These findings have implications for training in projective assessment overseas. Since recent reviews of applied clinical settings show that projective techniques continue to be valued by psychologists worldwide (Piotrowski, 2015), future research should elucidate the status of education, graduate-level instruction, and professional/clinical training with projective techniques in nations outside the USA. 4. Children’s Drawings, Thematic Apperceptive Technique Questions, and Memory, Robert B. Williams, Joan B. Flagg-Williams, and Laurence A. French, pages 93-98. The relationship between children’s drawings that serve as thematic picture cards for a clinician’s thematic apperceptive technique (TAT) enquiry format and Tulving’s explanations of memory development are described. Particular attention is given to describing the influences of the procedural, semantic, and episodic aspects of memory. 5. Therapeutic intervention through SIS in a case of Dissociative Convulsion Disorder, Bankey L. Dubey and Padma Dwivedi, pages 99-102. The Somatic Inkblot Series-II (Cassell and Dubey, 2003) was administered to an 18 years old girl, studying in 12th class with complaints of fits (fainting attacks), headache and nausea. She was diagnosed as a case of “Dissociative Convulsion Disorder” as per ICD-10. The SIS responses projected her poor interpersonal relationship, pent up aggression and abusive childhood. The SIS imagery was used as a therapeutic intervention tool with positive results and relief from symptoms. Significant responses are interpreted and discussed in the case study. 6. A Comparative Psychosocial Study of Aggression, Attachment Style and Personality among Orphans and Normal Children, Rajasree Chakraborty, Manisha Dasgupta and Nilanjana Sanyal, pages 103- 114. The nostalgia and mystery of childhood poses to be an eminent question to behavioural scientists. The present investigation attempts to plunge into the intricacies of childhood among a specific sub-section of orphan children across the backdrop of their normal counterparts to probe into their psyche and inner world in terms of shaping of their “selves”. The garden of childhood has thorns for them and offers emotional pains for them in terms of emotional deprivation. The present sample consisted of 60 orphan children and 60 normal children (30 boys and 30 girls in each of the two groups) living with both parents at their residences after matching them with respect to age, sex, intelligence, socio-economic status, education, religion, nationality, location and duration of stay in any institution. Variables studied were aggression, attachment style and personality. Statistics revealed significant group differences, where orphans had significantly higher mean scores in only one dimension of aggression, namely, Anger-Expression Out; certain indices of personality, namely, Total number of Response, Animal responses, and Anatomical Responses. Again, normal children were found to have significantly higher in only one dimension of aggression, namely, Anger-Expression In and certain indices of personality like, Sex responses, and Typical responses. Significant gender differences and interaction effects were also found. The findings have been discussed to unfurl the inner dynamics of orphan children from the psychologist’s desk. Implications of the findings along the provision of psychotherapeutic strategies for shaping their personalities have also been discussed. 7. Management of Depression in India, Naveen Gupta, Abhilasha Singh and Riju A. Singh, pages 115-118. By the year 2020, depression is estimated to become the second leading cause of disability. Much has been written about the incidence of depression in western countries but, an area of significance is the developing country like India where depression is engulfing people from all walks of life (WHO, 2005). The present case study deals a young Indian married woman with psychosomatic symptoms with Depressive features who committed suicide. She was administered the Somatic Inkblot Series (SIS) - II test. The significant responses on SIS are discussed in the case study. 8. The Relationship between Body Esteem, Attachment Anxiety and Attachment Avoidance among Young Adults, M. Mili and A.S.Raakhee, pages 119-123. The body image is closely related to what we feel about our body. The present study was conducted to find out the relationship between body esteem, attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance in young adults. A sample of 60 subjects (30 males and 30 females) between 22 to 30 years of age was selected using purposive sampling. The subjects were given ECR-R (Fraley, et.al. 2000) to obtain attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance scores and BES (Franzoi and, Herzog, 1986) to obtain the body esteem score. The results indicated that body esteem has an inverse relationship with attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance and did not show significant gender differences among the scores. 9. Somatic Inkblot Series –II Profiles of Iranian Couples: An Exploratory Study, M. Kruthi, Mrs. Mahboubeh Cariappaa and L. S. S. Manickam, pages 124-129. Somatic Ink blot Series (SIS) has been used with different clinical groups in India and found to be very effective tool in diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic intervention. It has also been used on various normal populations. However, the review of literature is scanty so far as the Iranian population is concerned. The present study is a modest attempt to compare the profiles of Iranian couples with existing Indian norms. Ten Iranian couples, studying in Mysore and living together, having no history of marital discord were administered SIS-II Booklet Form individually by one of the authors. The mean scores on the eleven scoring categories of SIS were compared. The mean age of the male was 42 years and female was 35.5 years. The mean scores on the eleven indices were as follows: Total number of responses (M:64; F:66.1), Human responses (M:19.4; F:23), Animal responses(M:8; F:10.8), Anatomical responses(M:17.7; F:16.3), Sex responses(M:3.9; F:3.8), Movement responses(M:3.2; F:5.7), Most typical responses(M:13.5; F:14), Typical responses(M:22.5; F:22.4), Atypical responses(M:7.9; F:7.8),Rejection of images(M,0.5; F,0.5), PAS (M,0.1; F,0.2), Depression(M,0.6; F:0.8), HAS (M:0.5; F:0.9) and Paranoia(M:0.5; F:0.6).The scores were almost similar to the scores reported by earlier studies. Since the results are based on a small sample, a larger sample may be assessed before the findings are generalized as an Iranian profile. 10. Areas of Research in Somatic Inkblot Series, Rakesh Kumar, pages 130-138. Somatic Inkblot Series (SIS) was conceptualized in 1959 by Dr. Wilfred A. Cassell and has attracted clinicians internationally. The SIS is based on the theory of body symbolism, somatic imagery theory and inner cry for help. Somatic Imagery Theory proposes that “everyone has a unique and highly personalized system of attitudes, both conscious and unconscious, that is projected onto the body concept as a special entity…” (Cassell and Dubey, 2003 pp. 14-15). The present paper is specially prepared for clinicians and researchers to view the areas of research in future on Somatic inkblots procedure. 11. Efficacy of Cognitive Drill Therapy in Agoraphobia with Panic Disorder: a Case Study, Satyadhar Dwivedi and Rakesh Kumar, pages 139-146. This case demonstrates the role of cognitive drill therapy in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. A 52-year-old female patient presented with eight years H/O panic disorder with agoraphobia. The Body Sensations Questionnaire, Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire, Mobility Inventory, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale and Beck Depression Inventory were administered at baseline and follow ups.. Cognitive drill therapy was administered in 10 sessions. She continued pharmacological treatment as usual. The periodic assessments including follow ups indicated substantial change and clinically significant improvement in her condition which is being maintained even at six months follow up and thereafter. |
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