Recapitulation of Original Event

 Good Morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I have a friend that goes back a long way.  In fact, he was my associate pastor in charge of families and counseling when I was inside the walls of the church, pestering my congregation. His wife ran our education department for both adults and youth. 

We had an incredible church, and we were an incredible team. In fact, students from the seminary would come to watch and see how we did church; it was a special time.

My Associate Pastor held a Master of Divinity along with a PsyD. His wife held a doctor of Education degree.  

When we had staff meetings, I was the idiot in the room and was very ok with that. 

Like I said, we were a good team. 

Time passed, and I was called out in front of the church into chaplaincy; Sigmond was working as a clinical psychologist, and Dana, Sigmond's wife, was a professor at a local college. 

A few years went by, and Dana was diagnosed with Breast Cancer; she fought hard and had the best attitude; eventually, she lost the fight and is home now. I presided over the memorial.  

Sigmond ended up in Texas, working as a university psychologist. I moved to Washington state with the YMCA.

Sigmond and I still call every week. 

We talk about all sorts of things; we talk about systems theory; we talk about depression and anxiety and how to help those with it. Actually, Sigmond does most of the talking, and I do most of the learning. 

Lately, we have been focusing on the Recapitulation of original event. Basically, recreating the original event in one's life. When this surrounds a trauma event, this can be a bad thing, and if someone does not do the hard work to free themselves of this, it won't go away; no, it will just get worse.

An example of this is a person who repeatedly ends up in a physically abusive relationship.

Another example is a person who had an angry parent growing up and then caused those in their life to be angry with them. The subconscious feels at home with this behavior. 

As we discussed recapitulation of original event, I began to wonder, then perseverate, and finally, ponder, how have caused the same thing in my life? while I may not be clinical, an observation that Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor and Frederick will disagree with, I pondered my life. I looked for times when I might have caused the behavior in others just so I might feel more comfortable in their presence. 

I will continue to look at this and try to change my behavior when I see it. 

As I  ponder this, I wonder if I am the only one who thinks about this stuff.

Do you think about this stuff too?

Let me know.

Something to think about.

Blessings,

Roger