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Psychodynamics and the giving of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises in Australia
As part of a PhD thesis, this research explores the place of psychodynamics in the giving of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. It aims to develop a deeper appreciation of the relationship between psychoanalytic processes and the giving of the Exercises through the experience of the director. This qualitative research has used semi-structured in depth interviews with 22 directors of the Spiritual Exercises from different parts of Australia.
Of the directors interviewed, 11 were Jesuit priests, 1 religious
woman, 3 laymen, and 7 laywomen. Ages ranged between 30 and 90 years.
Some received the Exercises as a preached 30-day retreat, some as a
directed 30-day retreat and some as a 30 week directed retreat. Most had
no formal training to become directors of the Exercises. Some learnt as
an apprentice with a supervisor, others since 1999 have been trained
through the Arrupe formation program. Some have given the Exercises only
as a 30 day silent retreat, others only as a 35 week retreat in daily
life; some have given it both ways. Most have had little or no
psychology training or experience of counseling or therapy. There were
very different views expressed about the place of psychological or
psychotherapeutic processes in the giving of the Exercises. Most had
little knowledge of psychodynamic concepts, yet most have implicitly
used psychodynamics in the way they related with their exercitants in
the giving of the Exercises. There is room for improvement for directors
to understand and use the psychodynamics in the giving of the
Exercises.
Peter Saunders is a spiritual director in the Ignatian tradition,
as well as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist. He has been a member of the
spirituality team at the Campion Centre of Ignatian Spirituality in
Melbourne for 13 years.
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