Jul
27
Deconstructing Deconstruction
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The last post is incomplete without further information. Deconstruction is not only parts of the sum but it is the beginning process of applied deconstruction. Once there is a part that has been separated from the whole it needs to be examined. Put under a microscope if you will. It is not about scientific discovery but more about the ideas that make it “true”.
I get it; this is confusing so let’s take an example. Lets say you are struggling with depression and there seems to be no way out. We could discover together experiences that have helped to contribute to the reinforcement of the depression. Maybe there was a comment from your father that was particularly hurtful. For this example your father said something about your weight. We could take this comment and look at how and why your father might uphold this belief. We could look at the sexist attitudes in our society or how the mass media contributes to ill feelings we have toward ourselves. Many people struggle with body image issues and no wonder because we are bombarded daily about messages of the “right” way to look. What is sexy, normal, beautiful, and yet we all come in many shapes and sizes that are unique to ourselves. We could then look at the statement from your father from a new lens and how he is just upholding the status queue.
We will work together to honor your unique values, beliefs, dreams that contradict this way of being in our society. I know that I am interested in your knowledge of how you have stood up to these kinds of comments.
P.S. Stay tuned as this series about deconstruction continues.
Jul
7
Deconstructing Depression
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Try this, try to explain anything without telling a story. If we can agree that a story is giving meaning to a sequence of events then this is impossible to do. Take an object such as a flower. This flower exists independently of ourselves but enter the term flower in a Wikipedia search you will find a lengthy article on the meaning and parts of a flower. These parts (sequences) together make a whole (story).
The meaning of any idea, object, feeling, thought, or sensation is imbued with a story. Symptoms such as feeling down, cannot sleep, life seems grey are usually called depression. The term depression is giving meaning to these symptoms. The parts become the whole. We can then ask deconstructing (fancy word, I know) questions to better examine the parts. We could ask when did the depression enter your life? How did depression enter your life? How is the depression reinforced in your life? What makes the depression more or less potent? As you can see this list could go on.
By deconstructing the story we can get a better picture of the pillars that are upholding the depression. Then we can start chipping away at those pillars and let the depression fall.