Jūratė Sučylaitė
Abstract
Aim of this research was to present psychological educational technique “Mandala of Sub-personalities” as way to get additional
information about patient’s life, helpful to diagnose diseases and to treat patients, and as effective method of education.
Psychological technique “Mandala of Sub-personalities” was transferred from the context of creative writing and Self development
into the context of psychiatry. This technique was used in individual work with patients ill with schizophrenia, depression, anxiety
disorders having a goal to disclose specific qualities of mental state of patients, and to reveal educational needs. Phenomenological observation, description of cases of applied technique, content analysis was used for generalization of data. Technique “Mandala of Sub-personalities” was used with a dialog based on disclosure of meanings of patient experience, emotional support and on sharing information, able to promote Self understanding. Conclusion: a lack of self knowledge and ambivalent relationship with the Self were revealed in the cases of schizophrenia. Patients with anxiety disorders indentified themselves with the weakest part of the Self and experienced negative somatic symptoms trying to imagine weakest part of the Self as a separate Sub -personality. Patients, ill with depression, have a lack of knowledge how to deal with grief and sorrow and used negative strategy. They identified themselves with the weakest part of the Self, and this identification was brought to consciousness as fatal. In other cases of depression the weakest part of the Self was identified with disliked personality – in this case depressed patients emphasized on a lack of support of friends and relatives These qualities, disclosed through the use of technique and dialog, helps specialist to get additional information, useful for diagnostic procedure and for developing a plan of treatment and psychoeducation.
Keyword(s): psycho-education, catharsis, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders.
DOI: 10.5200/221
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