166 research outputs found
Therapeutic change, innovative moments and the reconceptualization of the self: a dialogical account
Innovative moments (IMs) are exceptions toward the problematic self-narrative
that brought the client to therapy, which emerge in the therapeutic conversation. Dialogically,
an IM might be conceived as an expression of an alternative I-position which challenges the
dominance of problematic voices, thus having the potential to transform the self-narrative as
they are expanded and elaborated. Reconceptualization is a particular type of IM which usually
emerges in the middle of the process of a successful treatment, increasing steadily until the end.
Moreover, reconceptualization seems to be a distinctive feature of a successful psychotherapy
process, as it is almost absent in poor outcome cases. This IM has two main features: the
presence of a contrast between a previous self-narrative and a new emergent one, and the access
to the process which allowed for the transformation from the former to the last. This innovative
moment clearly involves a special I-position which Hermans has characterized as a metaposition.
We discuss four functions of this type of IM in the change process: (1) providing a
narrative structure for change; (2) bridging the past and present self-narratives; (3) facilitating
the progressive identification with the new self-narrative; and (4) allowing surpassing the
ambivalence often involved in the change process
Maintenance and transformation of problematic self-narratives: a semiotic-dialogical approach
This study focus on how the emergence of novelties in psychotherapy, which we term
Innovative Moments (IMs), progresses to the construction of a new self-narrative.
Novelty’s emergence challenge a person’s dominant self-narrative (i.e., usual way of
understanding and experiencing), generating uncertainty. Frequently, clients resolve the
uncertainty, by attenuating the novelty’s meaning, making a quick return to the
dominant self-narrative. From a dialogical perspective, a dominant voice (which
organize clients’ self-narrative) and a non-dominant (or innovative) voice (expressed
during IMs) establish a cyclical relation – mutual in-feeding – throughout the
therapeutic process, blocking self-development. In this article, we analyze a successful
psychotherapeutic case focusing on how the relation between dominant and nondominant
voices evolve from mutual in-feeding to other forms of dialogical relation.
We have identified two processes, using the microgenetic method from a semiotic
autoregulatory perspective of the dialogical self: (1) Escalation of the innovative
voice(s) and thereby inhibiting the dominant voice and (2) Dominant and innovative
voices negotiate and engage in joint action
Project "A Universalidade dos Saberes"
To show with the case of Applied Optics (AO), the adequacy of blended learning to the teaching/learning process in experimental Science and technology (S&T)
Ambivalence and innovative moments in grief psychotherapy: the cases of Emily and Rose
Several studies have suggested that the process of narrative change in psychotherapy occurs through the
emergence and expansion of moments of novelty, known as innovative moments (IMs), that allow
changes in the problematic self-narrative responsible for the client’s suffering. However, as these IMs
challenge typical (and problematic) ways of acting, feeling, and thinking, they may also generate
discrepancy or uncertainty. Clients may reduce uncertainty by returning to the problematic self-narrative
immediately after the emergence of an IM, thus ensuring the homeostasis of the previous meaning
system. This cyclical movement is a form of ambivalence, which can maintain problematic stability
across therapy and lead to therapeutic failure. In this study, we identified return to the problem markers
(RPMs), which are empirical indicators of the ambivalence process, for all IMs in two cases of
constructivist grief psychotherapy. Both cases evidenced a high percentage of IMs with RPMs, and the
evolution of IMs and RPMs along treatment was significantly correlated. We suggest that stability of the
ambivalence process in grief psychotherapy may represent a form of self-protection from the anxiety or
guilt of releasing pain as a disconnection from the deceased
Treatment interaction in moments of ambivalence: an exploratory study a case of failure
No processo psicoterapêutico a mudança constrói-se através da emergência e expansão de excepções
ao funcionamento problemático do cliente. Contudo, o potencial de mudança destas excepções ou
inovações pode ser abortado através da atenuação do seu significado quando o cliente as desvaloriza,
trivializa ou nega. Quando este processo se repete ao longo da terapia estamos na presença de
ambivalência, na medida em que ocorre uma oscilação recorrente entre duas posições opostas
(inovação-retorno ao funcionamento problemático). O presente estudo exploratório tem como principal
objectivo descrever a interacção terapêutica nestes momentos de ambivalência, num caso de insucesso
psicoterapêutico, recorrendo ao Sistema de Codificação da Colaboração Terapêutica. Os resultados
sugerem que a ambivalência emerge maioritariamente no seguimento de intervenções em que a
terapeuta desafia a perspectiva habitual da cliente. Os resultados mostram ainda que a terapeuta tende
a responder à ambivalência da cliente com um novo desafio, sendo que a cliente tende a expressar
novamente ambivalência ou a discordar da terapeuta. Deste modo, quando a terapeuta persiste no
desafio verifica-se frequentemente uma escalada no desconforto da cliente, que se manifesta na
evolução de uma resposta de ambivalência para uma resposta de invalidação por parte da cliente.Change in psychotherapy occurs through the emergence and expansion of exceptions to the client’s
problematic functioning. However, these exceptions’ potential to promote change may be aborted by
the attenuation of their meaning, when the client devaluates, trivializes or denies them. When this
process repeats itself throughout the therapeutic process, clients are facing ambivalence, since there is
a recurrent oscillation between two opposite positions (innovation – return to the problematic
functioning). The present exploratory study aims at describing the therapeutic interaction within
moments in which ambivalence occurs in an unsuccessful case using the Therapeutic Collaboration
Coding System. Results suggest that ambivalence emerges mainly as a response to an intervention in
which the therapist challenges clients usual (i.e., problematic) perspective. Moreover, results suggest
that the therapist tends to respond to client’s ambivalence with a new challenge intervention which is
generally followed by ambivalence or even invalidation from the client. Hence, when the therapist
persists in challenging the client there is usually an escalation in clients’ discomfort, expressed in the
evolution of a ambivalence response towards an invalidation response.(undefined
Identification of microplastics using Raman spectroscopy: latest developments and future prospects
Widespread microplastic pollution is raising growing concerns as to its detrimental effects upon living organisms. A realistic risk assessment must stand on representative data on the abundance, size distribution and chemical composition of microplastics. Raman microscopy is an indispensable tool for the analysis of very small microplastics (<20 μm). Still, its use is far from widespread, in part due to drawbacks such as long measurement time and proneness to spectral distortion induced by fluorescence. This review discusses each drawback followed by a showcase of interesting and easily available solutions that contribute to faster and better identification of microplastics using Raman spectroscopy. Among discussed topics are: enhanced signal quality with better detectors and spectrum processing; automated particle selection for faster Raman mapping; comprehensive reference libraries for successful spectral matching. A last section introduces non-conventional Raman techniques (non-linear Raman, hyperspectral imaging, standoff Raman) which permit more advanced applications such as real-time Raman detection and imaging of microplastics.publishe
Ambivalence in grief therapy: the interplay between change and self-stability
This article explores the role of ambivalence in grief therapy within a narrative framework. From
this perspective, change starts with the occurrence of innovative moments, which can be nullified
by reaffirmation of the problematic self-narrative as a sign of ambivalence. This study analyzed
ambivalence in six complicated grief cases using the “Return to the Problem Coding System.”
Markers of ambivalence emerged in all cases, with a decreasing profile in cases with greater
symptomatic improvement, suggesting an association between clinical change and ambivalence
evolution in therapy. Addressing ambivalence may bring to light important aspects of client’s selfreconstruction after a major loss.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, through the Grant PTDC/PSI-PCL/121525/2010 (Ambivalence and Unsuccessful Psychotherapy,2012–2015) and the PhD Grant SFRH/BD/48607/200
Ambivalence resolution in emotion-focused therapy: The successful case of Sarah
Ambivalence can be understood as a cyclical movement between two opposing positions of the self: one expressed in a novelty—an innovative moment (IM)—and another one conveyed by a return to the maladaptive pattern. If not properly addressed and resolved during therapy, ambivalence can prevent change and lead to psychotherapeutic failure. Two processes of ambivalence resolution have been suggested: (1) the dominance of the innovative position and consequent inhibition of the problematic position and (2) the negotiation between both positions. Objectives: To empirically study both processes of ambivalence resolution in a successful case of emotion-focused therapy. Method: Sessions were independently coded with three coding systems—the IMs, the return to the problem and the ambivalence resolution. Results: Ambivalence tended to be resolved from the initial to the final sessions. Although resolutions through dominance tended to decrease and resolutions through negotiation seemingly increased along treatment, dominance was, nonetheless, the most prominent process of resolution along the whole treatment. Conclusions: Although it has been suggested that integrating opposing parts of the self is a necessary process for psychotherapeutic success, a less integrative process of ambivalence resolution may also be an important resource along the process.Portuguese Foundation
for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education
through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Part-
nership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653
Dynamics of sense-making and development of the narrative in the clinical exchange
The present work is aimed at exploring the relationship between the
dynamics of sense-making carried out by the clinical exchange and the
content of the patient’s narrative. To this end the relationship between the
formal and functional mapping of a psychotherapy carried out by the
Discourse Flow Analysis (DFA) and the analysis of the patient’s narrative
provided by the Innovative Moment Coding System (IMCS) have been
compared. The comparison concerns a 15-session good outcome Emotion-
Focused Therapy (Lisa's case). Findings highlight the association between the
formal and functional characteristics of the clinical dialogue and the content
of the narrative. More in particular, an association between the U-shape
trajectory of the super-ordered meaning depicted by DFA and the evolution of
the innovative content of the narrative enucleated by the IMCS were found
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