An archetypal approach to treating combat post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Jungian model of psychotherapeutic work with veterans is presented. Universal – archetypal – topics evident in the traditions of many warrior cultures are singled out: acceptance of one’s destiny as a warrior, making peace with the dead or killed, restoration of honour to the enemy, etc.; moral and spiritual traumas of war are discussed. A relatively low value of emotional catharsis in the clinical perspective of trauma is stressed – together with the importance of witnessing the experience of trauma from the side of a non-joudgmental and devoted person. Concentration on a mere eradication of a symptom is shown as a reductionist attidude of a professional and such that is experienced as disrespectful and immoral from the side of a veteran. The task of a health care professional is described as acceptance of a «shadow» side of a warrior’s drives, of the reality of evil and destruction but beyond the context of epistemologic or psychiatric frames. Meanwhile, being diagnosed with PTSD leads, in the author’s opinion, to social marginalization of a veteran together with civil society impotence as «a psychic disease» is to be treated by health care professionals. Posttraumatic symptoms are viewed in the context of a psychic function that they can play as well as a call to «the warrior’s path», a moral and spiritual journey of a veteran to a deepened and more engaged life. Following Jung, the author offers to use the experience of individuation that includes psychological spaciousness, self-acceptance, greater responsibility for their conduct, and a meaningful position in the wider society. The understandable, but misguided strategy evident in the western society to adoin discussions about war is highlighted. The author warns that undivided traumatic experience may influence the warrior indirectly causing intergenerational breakdown and persistent dissociated trauma.