When the Truth Is Out There: Counseling People Who Report Anomalous Experiences.

Thomas Rabeyron

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.693707

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a clinical approach to the counseling of distressing subjective paranormal experiences, usually referred to as anomalous or exceptional experiences in the academic field. These experiences are reported by a large part of the population, yet most mental health practitioners have not received a specific training in listening constructively to these experiences. This seems all the more problematic since nearly one person in two find it difficult to integrate such experiences, which can be associated with different forms of psychological suffering. After having described briefly several clinical approaches already developed in this area, we outline the main aspects of clinical practice with people reporting exceptional experiences, in particular the characteristics of the clinician’s attitude toward the narrative of unusual events. We then present the core components of a Psychodynamic Psychotherapy focused on Anomalous Experiences (PPAE) based on three main steps: phenomenological exploration, subjective inscription and subjective integration of the anomalous experience. Such an approach, based on a non-judgmental and open listening, favors the transformation of the ontological shock that often follows the anomalous experiences into a potential source of integration and psychological transformation.

Highlights

Specialty section: This article was submitted to Consciousness Research, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychology
We propose a clinical approach to the counseling of distressing subjective paranormal experiences, usually referred to as anomalous or exceptional experiences in the academic field
We present the core components of a Psychodynamic Psychotherapy focused on Anomalous Experiences (PPAE) based on three main steps: phenomenological exploration, subjective inscription and subjective integration of the anomalous experience

Summary

Introduction

Specialty section: This article was submitted to Consciousness Research, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychology. We propose a clinical approach to the counseling of distressing subjective paranormal experiences, usually referred to as anomalous or exceptional experiences in the academic field These experiences are reported by a large part of the population, yet most mental health practitioners have not received a specific training in listening constructively to these experiences. Experiences known or considered as paranormal in western culture – usually termed as anomalous or exceptional experiences in the academic field (Cardeña et al, 2014) – correspond to “experiences that are generally rare, spontaneous or provoked, involving from the subject’s point of view a non-ordinary interaction with their environment They generate intense emotions, positive or negative, stemming from their unusual and strange aspects” (Rabeyron et al, 2010; p.634). Maybe the most surprising of these experiences are (10) the abductions, in which people are convinced that they have been abducted by aliens (Mack, 1994; Clancy et al, 2002)

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