Discovering Meaning in Panic: A Process-oriented Approach to Panic Attacks

by Evangelia Krino Vasiliou

Manuscript, 2005

Status

Available

Call number

MANUSCRIPT VASSILIOU, E.

Collection

Publication

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy with a concentration in Psychology and specialization in Process-oriented Psychology, Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, OH

Local notes

http://www.processwork.org/files/Finalprojects/Vassiliou_E_February_2005.pdf

ABSTRACT
This dissertation provides an elucidation of a process-oriented approach to panic attacks. The multiple case study is framed within the interpretive framework the constructivist paradigm and heuristic research, and set in the context of the emergent standards of care for panic disorder: cognitive behavioral therapy; pharmacological treatment; a combination of both. Included is a review of other psychotherapeutic approaches to treating panic disorder. The approach was abstracted from case studies of the work of Dr. Arnold Mindell (founder of Process-oriented Psychology also called Process Work) done with me, the researcher, and five other people who have experienced unexpected panic attacks. Transcribed video recordings were analyzed by within-case, deductiive, inductive and cross-case methods.

The process-oriented approach is delineated in nince steps (phases of the work) that describe broad directions and methods composing the therapeutic interaction observed across the six cases. These steps detail and approach emphasizing the role of awareness, and addressing the multidimensionality of individual experience by investigating biomedical and contextual, as well as dreamlike aspects (i.e. a person's subjective experience of the neurobiological and cognitive features) of a panic attack. A central hypothesis, brought to the foreground by the explication of the approach and its illustration in the case studies, is that embedded within the experience of a panic attack is a needed direction for a person's life (aspects of a person's nature marginalized by the person's identity), which can be revealed by the unfolding dreamlike aspects of a panic attack. My personal experience is presented as anecdotal data supporting additional investigation of this hypothesis.

This study describes my understanding of an area of practice in Process-oriented Psychology that has not previously been defined in writing. The elucidation of this approach creates the ground for future research on the application of process thinking to working with panic attacks.

Barcode

VAS001
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