Role of imagination in clinical psychiatry and psychotherapy

¶ … Role of Imagination in Clinical Psychiatry and Lifestyle

Imagination is one of the most important aspects to understand as a psychotherapist as one handles the various patients that they come across. Imagination is often referred to as the pinnacle of 'high right' brain devoted to processing and coming up with novelty. The past, present and the future are often known to work together in the brain of the individual to propel imagination hence as a psychotherapist, I need to comprehend the three aspects of the patient in order to more accurately understand the imagination of the patient.

The described imagination in the chapter will effectively help me in counselling and psychotherapy sessions to remain regulated and come up with a possible brighter and better future for the patient despite the grim present situation that the patient may be in. This chapter will help me escape being snared into the situation that the patient is psychologically and emotionally because this will blur my imagination to creative solutions that will help the patient. This chapter has also given the clear direction and process of appreciating the creativity of the patients and using their own creativity to help them figure out a bright future for them.

It has also come clearer that the imagination has a central role in self-expression of the patient during the psychotherapy sessions. This is a tenet that I will often apply in the sessions to not exclude the patients in the drafting of their path to recovery, but to fully engage them and also to help in my intuition as I guide the patient. This approach facilitated by imagination of the patient will be more effective as the patient will own the entire process and be part of the authorship.

Imagination as described in the chapter has also opened my eyes to the process of opening up the pat of the patient as the patient talks and opens up. I will be able to have a clearer sketch of the past life and experiences of the patient even those that the patient may not open up about. The imagination will enhance my drafting of the present struggles that the patient goes through as well work towards the future.