What Is Project Development?
Project development is part of the 8 ideas therapy ecosystem. It is an attempt to move the therapeutic conversation when it gets bogged down in an unyielding and protracted “status quo” resistance, to move the conversation with a “new method”, yet a method that is within the traditions of a verbal, psychoanalytic, cognitive or educational system. Project development can also be used to get in touch with our “ego ideals” and thus set the path to actualize our dreams.
Years ago, I worked with "west coast" people (Esalen) who were integrating Gestalt techniques (Perls) with Psycho-synthesis (Assagioli), using art, dance and movement, sculpturing, etc.., to get at unconscious images and then play them out in conscious dialogues. In addition to a wide range of deeply buried imagery and emotion, we got in touch with our dreams and aspirations, our dreams of who we would like to become. This is Idea #8.
Project development is an advanced therapeutic technique that when instituted runs concurrently with ongoing verbal therapy. Project development links the gradual release of unconscious content in the insulated therapy setting to the broad expanse of the real world. Some of the projects have been video creations while others have been art and book publishing. Would you like more information? Click here.