|
|
|
|
The Role of Insight and Self Understanding Historically, the practice of psychotherapy, especially from a viewpoint of psychoanalytic psychology, has included as a goal the development of insight, both into the neurosis itself as well as other important life dynamics as well. With reference to both my clinical experience as well as follow up research over the last 13 years, I strongly believe that the evidence supports the importance of insight in treatment programs for fearful flyers. To begin with, insight serves the purpose of helping the fearful flyer make sense out of what had previously been very confusing and chaotic emotional experiences. As individuals see the relationships between their reactions to the aircraft and other problems in life, they receive important directions for growth, not only in their desires to travel, but also in their personal emotional lives as well. Insight into the emotional roots of the fear of flying helps the fearful flyer separate the trauma of the past from the perceptions of the aircraft, leaving him/her freer to react to flying, the aviation environment and aviation’s personnel upon its own merits or demerits, and not upon expectations based upon passed experience. New learning is easier and more effective in helping to reduce the anxiety reactions. Finally, an emphasis upon insight for the fearful flyer helps us provide a service that includes and encourages self analysis as part of the individual’s problem solving repertoire, not only for fearful flying, but for all of life. We can then say that when the fearful flyer begins our program with the goal of overcoming the fear of flying, they begin an important journey into themselves as well.
|
