"God's psychology " : an application of hermeneutic methodology in the treatment of a person who hears voices

This thesis aims to show how hermeneutic methodological principles have been used in the treatment of a person who hears voices. Hermeneutics has co-existed with clinical theoretical ideas about psychotherapy with little cross-over or exchange between the two paradigms. In recent years the application of hermeneutic inquiry has extended to the field of psychotherapy, offering methodological alternatives based on specific epistemological and ontological assumptions. This thesis attempts to outline the ontological, critical, and methodological components of hermeneutics, and show how these translate into a methodology for psychotherapy. Through the outline of a single case study with a person who hears voices, I have shown how hermeneutic methodological principles were operationalized in psychotherapeutic practice. Results focus on the theoretical, practical and philosophical implications of the study. It is argued that a true application of hermeneutic methodology to psychotherapy will require a primary ontological, epistemological and methodological shift in contemporary therapeutic practice.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Psychology

Year dc:date.issued

1998

Author dc:creator

• Yakuel, Anat

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Swartz, Sally
• Malcolm, Charles

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9061

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9061