Paganism in therapy
A copy of an email I wrote to a therapist-in-training who asked me for some info on paganism and working with pagan clients. I'm offering it here for preservation, discussion, criticism, and any enlightenment that might ensue...
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You are right that paganism is not a single religion or spirituality. In the most general sense paganism indicates any religion or spirituality other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. In a more technical way, paganism is any polytheistic religion. Some people, in a rather distasteful White/Euro-centric manner, would like to define it as any of the pre-Christian European religions, but this completely ignores the numerous polytheistic religions of the rest of the world and I firmly reject this definition as lacking the proper scope. Also, because of the current prominence of certain forms of paganism, the term has also come to suggest a hedonistic nature-worshiping religion, but again I think this is misleading. I would suggest that as a general term the best definition of "paganism" would be as synonymous with "polytheism".
The different forms of paganism are literally uncountable. They range from the generic and somewhat "new age" religions of Wicca, Neo-druidry, and such things to very scholarly and historically-supported paths such as the Reconstructionists (of which Asatru is the most commonly know, it being the reconstruction of the religion of the ancient Germanic and Norse peoples, but there are "reconstructions" of a number of other culture's polytheistic religions). There are no universally accepted principles, core beliefs, or practices common to all (or even most) forms of paganism, and this makes it very difficult to say much at all about paganism as a whole. There is a common joke/aphorism: "Ask three pagans a question and you'll get five different answers". There are often very heated debates (to put it mildly) that arise in various forums between pagans of different paths, and even between people practicing different variations of the same pagan religion.
In terms of what it would be important for a therapist to know in order to work successfully and sensitively with a pagan client, these are some of the suggestions off the top of my head of what I personally would find important:
1. Work in the client's worldview, not your own. Pay particular attention to ways that your own religion, values, morals, and culture come into the therapy session. If you cannot avoid thinking or feeling that the client is bad, wrong, "decieved", "going to hell", sinful, spiritually unenlightened, or even just religiously immature then you have an ethical responsibility to refer them to another therapist. Your job as a therapist is not to help the client to accept your worldview, but rather to enter into theirs. Sadly, monotheists in particular, especially the more fundamentalists types, are notorious for not understanding this...
2. Approach with open-minded curiosity. Ask the client about their spirituality and perspectives, and respond with empathy, interest, and acceptance. Be curious about everything. Pagans will often use terms unfamiliar to non-pagans, or use terms differently than a non-pagan would, and connection depends on understanding what the client means when they are using these terms. A pagan client could mention the Gods, the Lord, the Lady, the Aesir... They might use terms like energy, spirit, soul, chi, mana... They might talk about meditation, journeying, trance, spirit-walking, visions, "being lifted"... They might mention sabbats, esbats, festivals, rituals... Don't be afraid to ask what a term means, what it's significance is to them, and encourage the client to talk about their perspectives, understandings, and experiences. Remember, understanding = connection.
3. Do NOT jump to the conclusion that the client is psychotic. Pagans often embrace perspectives and experiences that would be considered outside the norm in other religions and cultures. Far too often these are mistakenly labeled symptoms of psychosis by insensitive clinicians, and as a result pagans can be misdiagnosed and mistreated. Because of this they are often reluctant to seek out therapy. Even when they do, there is often significant fear of being labeled "crazy" if they divulge too much or mention anything "too strange". Pagans often consider things that happen in dreams, meditation, or trance to be as significant and "real" as events occurring in the physical world. Their perceptions often include things of a non-physical nature- they might "feel energy", sense presences, receive impressions. Admittedly, these experiences can often superficially sound like "psychotic features"; pagans clients might talk about hearing voices or conversing with unembodied beings or seeing visions, apparitions, spirits, or faeries. It is of the utmost importance to understand that these things, by themselves, do NOT indicate psychosis, and in fact can be signs of (or a means to) greater mental health. [If this point seems unclear, I would suggest an investigation of the writings and theories of C.G. Jung.]
4. Realize that many pagans have value systems, morality, and ethics that differ significantly from those of mainstream or monotheistic culture. For instance, many pagans are much more sex-positive than non-pagans, making them much more open, flexible, and comfortable with sexuality in general. Many pagans also identify as "polyamorous", meaning that they do not subscribe to the perspective that intimate relationships should be monogamous. Some pagans have more of a "warrior ethic" and value blunt honesty, courage, strength, and appropriate pride over the more monotheistic ideals of meekness, humility, and "turn the other cheek". Understanding and accepting these differences is important.
5. Pagans are often open to, and even routinely practice, a number of techniques that can be used therapeutically and this opens up a huge arena of possible interventions that can be used with pagan clients. Ritualized actions, meditation, visualization, breathing exercises, altered-state work (ie: trance induction or light hypnosis), etc can all be used successfully to achieve therapeutic benefit with pagan clients- often much more easily and effectively than with non-pagans who might not be as familiar or as comfortable with these sorts of activities. [If you would like more information on this, I would be happy to provide specific examples, etc.]
6. Because paganism is often perceived as an "alternative" religious path, it is especially attractive to adolescents and young adults wanting to explore the options beyond (or dissatisfied by) the more mainstream monotheistic frameworks as part of discovering or establishing their identity. Because it is also a religious framework that accepts a magickal worldview with a high degree of freedom and little authority (and, at least in some forms, little need for objective validation), all often shrouded in an air of secrecy and mystery, it is also especially attractive to those with certain dysfunctional traits. This can include those with a tendency to psychotic features (or at least a "loosening" of connection with reality, as occurs, for instance, with Borderline Personality Disorder). It also includes those with poor psycho-emotional development (meaning they have some deficiency of capacity for rational analysis and/or depend heavily on primitive emotional defenses). It also includes those with underlying issues with feeling insignificant and powerless or dysfunctional needs to be "different" or "special" and have power or control over others. A therapist should be aware of these things, but without jumping to the erroneous conclusion that this is all paganism is about (or what all pagans are like)- and it should be kept specifically in mind that these issues are also present among the mainstream religions.
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You are right that paganism is not a single religion or spirituality. In the most general sense paganism indicates any religion or spirituality other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. In a more technical way, paganism is any polytheistic religion. Some people, in a rather distasteful White/Euro-centric manner, would like to define it as any of the pre-Christian European religions, but this completely ignores the numerous polytheistic religions of the rest of the world and I firmly reject this definition as lacking the proper scope. Also, because of the current prominence of certain forms of paganism, the term has also come to suggest a hedonistic nature-worshiping religion, but again I think this is misleading. I would suggest that as a general term the best definition of "paganism" would be as synonymous with "polytheism".
The different forms of paganism are literally uncountable. They range from the generic and somewhat "new age" religions of Wicca, Neo-druidry, and such things to very scholarly and historically-supported paths such as the Reconstructionists (of which Asatru is the most commonly know, it being the reconstruction of the religion of the ancient Germanic and Norse peoples, but there are "reconstructions" of a number of other culture's polytheistic religions). There are no universally accepted principles, core beliefs, or practices common to all (or even most) forms of paganism, and this makes it very difficult to say much at all about paganism as a whole. There is a common joke/aphorism: "Ask three pagans a question and you'll get five different answers". There are often very heated debates (to put it mildly) that arise in various forums between pagans of different paths, and even between people practicing different variations of the same pagan religion.
In terms of what it would be important for a therapist to know in order to work successfully and sensitively with a pagan client, these are some of the suggestions off the top of my head of what I personally would find important:
1. Work in the client's worldview, not your own. Pay particular attention to ways that your own religion, values, morals, and culture come into the therapy session. If you cannot avoid thinking or feeling that the client is bad, wrong, "decieved", "going to hell", sinful, spiritually unenlightened, or even just religiously immature then you have an ethical responsibility to refer them to another therapist. Your job as a therapist is not to help the client to accept your worldview, but rather to enter into theirs. Sadly, monotheists in particular, especially the more fundamentalists types, are notorious for not understanding this...
2. Approach with open-minded curiosity. Ask the client about their spirituality and perspectives, and respond with empathy, interest, and acceptance. Be curious about everything. Pagans will often use terms unfamiliar to non-pagans, or use terms differently than a non-pagan would, and connection depends on understanding what the client means when they are using these terms. A pagan client could mention the Gods, the Lord, the Lady, the Aesir... They might use terms like energy, spirit, soul, chi, mana... They might talk about meditation, journeying, trance, spirit-walking, visions, "being lifted"... They might mention sabbats, esbats, festivals, rituals... Don't be afraid to ask what a term means, what it's significance is to them, and encourage the client to talk about their perspectives, understandings, and experiences. Remember, understanding = connection.
3. Do NOT jump to the conclusion that the client is psychotic. Pagans often embrace perspectives and experiences that would be considered outside the norm in other religions and cultures. Far too often these are mistakenly labeled symptoms of psychosis by insensitive clinicians, and as a result pagans can be misdiagnosed and mistreated. Because of this they are often reluctant to seek out therapy. Even when they do, there is often significant fear of being labeled "crazy" if they divulge too much or mention anything "too strange". Pagans often consider things that happen in dreams, meditation, or trance to be as significant and "real" as events occurring in the physical world. Their perceptions often include things of a non-physical nature- they might "feel energy", sense presences, receive impressions. Admittedly, these experiences can often superficially sound like "psychotic features"; pagans clients might talk about hearing voices or conversing with unembodied beings or seeing visions, apparitions, spirits, or faeries. It is of the utmost importance to understand that these things, by themselves, do NOT indicate psychosis, and in fact can be signs of (or a means to) greater mental health. [If this point seems unclear, I would suggest an investigation of the writings and theories of C.G. Jung.]
4. Realize that many pagans have value systems, morality, and ethics that differ significantly from those of mainstream or monotheistic culture. For instance, many pagans are much more sex-positive than non-pagans, making them much more open, flexible, and comfortable with sexuality in general. Many pagans also identify as "polyamorous", meaning that they do not subscribe to the perspective that intimate relationships should be monogamous. Some pagans have more of a "warrior ethic" and value blunt honesty, courage, strength, and appropriate pride over the more monotheistic ideals of meekness, humility, and "turn the other cheek". Understanding and accepting these differences is important.
5. Pagans are often open to, and even routinely practice, a number of techniques that can be used therapeutically and this opens up a huge arena of possible interventions that can be used with pagan clients. Ritualized actions, meditation, visualization, breathing exercises, altered-state work (ie: trance induction or light hypnosis), etc can all be used successfully to achieve therapeutic benefit with pagan clients- often much more easily and effectively than with non-pagans who might not be as familiar or as comfortable with these sorts of activities. [If you would like more information on this, I would be happy to provide specific examples, etc.]
6. Because paganism is often perceived as an "alternative" religious path, it is especially attractive to adolescents and young adults wanting to explore the options beyond (or dissatisfied by) the more mainstream monotheistic frameworks as part of discovering or establishing their identity. Because it is also a religious framework that accepts a magickal worldview with a high degree of freedom and little authority (and, at least in some forms, little need for objective validation), all often shrouded in an air of secrecy and mystery, it is also especially attractive to those with certain dysfunctional traits. This can include those with a tendency to psychotic features (or at least a "loosening" of connection with reality, as occurs, for instance, with Borderline Personality Disorder). It also includes those with poor psycho-emotional development (meaning they have some deficiency of capacity for rational analysis and/or depend heavily on primitive emotional defenses). It also includes those with underlying issues with feeling insignificant and powerless or dysfunctional needs to be "different" or "special" and have power or control over others. A therapist should be aware of these things, but without jumping to the erroneous conclusion that this is all paganism is about (or what all pagans are like)- and it should be kept specifically in mind that these issues are also present among the mainstream religions.