Abstract
Reviewed by: Ryan D. Rasner, Department of Communication Studies, Louisiana State University, Louisiana, USA
DOI: 10.1177/0276236618758032
Bridging the gap between spirituality and science, Brink offers readers who might wish to integrate his practices a novel way to conduct therapy in Ecstatic Soul Retrieval: Shamanism and Psychotherapy. The book’s title concisely provides the scope and nature of the contents. Brink makes a compelling case for combining shamanism and psychotherapy. The author takes a constructivist position to psychotherapy in direct opposition to the objectivist approach he describes in the beginning; however, he also makes an argument that the two approaches may someday align by way of incorporating his spiritualistic scope and method.
For over 40 years, Brink has practiced and conducted research within the field of psychology and psychotherapy. Through his extensive applied and academic knowledge, Brink sets forth yet another enticing read for anyone interested in this, oft times, controversial amalgamation of science and spirituality. His continued work with ecstatic and hypnotic trance evidence the usefulness of this approach. The first two chapters provide a foundation for the study of shamanism and psychotherapy, distinguishing the constructivist and objectivist schools of thought. These chapters offer the reader a chance to understand and continue with an open mind regarding the subject matter. Without these foundational chapters, I believe the book would not be as beneficial to many readers, as many, including myself, have a difficult time maintaining an open and optimistic outlook on combining the philosophical aspects of spirituality with the empirically tested methods of social science. Brink, however, brilliantly synthesized the two by offering adequate support and understanding of both sides. This juxtaposition piqued and nurtured my continued interest before releasing me into the case studies that followed. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 vividly pull the reader along with interesting narratives in the form of case studies. The case studies offer evidence for the conceptualizations found in the first two chapters.
Chapter 1 sets the scene for the remainder of the book and articulately situates the author in a Freudian school of thought. Brink gently allows his Freudian roots to emerge while simultaneously providing credibility through experience. He continues along this same train of thought situating the practice of ecstatic trance and posture against cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Through his juxtaposition of the two forms of psychotherapy, Brink extends the notion that hypnotic trance is a stronger alternative to CBT and ecstatic trance therapy provides additional tools to the psychotherapist’s repertoire. In addition, Brink introduces the work of Felicitas Goodman in a chronological narrative outlining her work in ecstatic trance. As evidenced from the continued mention of Goodman throughout the book, Brink draws heavily from her research and incorporates the many postures that emerged from her studies into his therapy sessions with clientele. Complete with figures explaining the postures found in cultures from around the world, the chapter thoroughly explained each posture, its purpose, and how he has incorporated each into his therapy sessions with clients.
Chapter 2 delineates Brink’s work with narrative- and hypnotherapies through comparing and contrasting the approaches. He argues that many similarities between the perspective is evident in past research and practices citing the foundational CBT work of Aaron Beck, an American psychologist noted as the father of CBT. Brink never states ineffectiveness in any single application of psychotherapy or school of thought. He does, however, portray CBT as lacking some vital aspects, which he claims can be ameliorated by incorporating forms of ecstatic trance posture into the use of CBT. Brink also posits the idea that in the near future, the two schools of psychotherapy—the constructivist and objectivist—will integrate where hypnotherapy and ecstatic trance will become tools from which CBT practitioners will draw from for use in their therapy sessions with clients. Continuing on, Brink explicates hypnotherapy and narrative therapy before turning toward his ultimate goal of introducing the reader to ecstatic trance. Ecstatic trance is defined before explaining how the concept has been introduced to clients and how each of the postures is used. Brink goes into depth concerning four of the five postures to begin: the Bear Spirit, the Lady of Cholula, the Jivaro Underworld Posture, and the Feathered Serpent. Each posture is utilized in a specific order during a client’s therapeutic journey. Brink finally discusses the fifth and final posture—the Olmec Prince Posture. The final posture is reserved for clients at a point when they are ready to embody their spirit animal. Just as therapy progresses through the postures, so too does Chapter 2, which offers the reader an almost immersive experience to better grasp the concepts and underlying reasoning behind Brink’s approach to therapy utilizing ecstatic soul retrieval methods.
Chapters 3, 4, and 5 are case studies designed to presumably place the practice of ecstatic soul retrieval into context. Brink goes into great detail with each case pulling the reader along with vivid narrative accounts and immersive language. I was unable to put the book down while reading the case studies, all the while understanding to greater detail how he incorporated the trance and posture states into therapy sessions. The first case study investigated a woman whom had become fearful of going any further than two or three miles from her house and occasionally shoplifting. After incorporating the postures and trance, the patient and Brink narrowed her agoraphobia and shoplifting tendencies to past experiences with her mother. The therapy aided her in building a healthier relationship with her daughter and granddaughter where she was eventually able to return to college to purse her degree in social work. Along the way, Brink explains how each of the postures and trance induction during therapy sessions aided the patient in her evolving transformation. Chapter 5 explored the case of a man with anger issues, which threatened his employment and family life. Here, not only was the patient taken through the postures and trance rituals of Brinks’ therapy sessions, but the author brought the patient’s wife as well to a few of the sessions. This opened up the idea behind ecstatic trance and posture to involve the patient’s social network as well. I found this extremely interesting since the practices and procedures worked on during therapy session must be incorporated into a person’s life as well. Providing a case study with this element was a brilliant move on part of the author. Too often scholarship begins and ends within the confines of the therapist’s office, never giving proper credit to the extreme and real impact social networks play in the recovery of individuals seeking professional psychotherapeutic help.
One of the most interesting case studies illuminated through this book is found in Chapter 4. Brink takes the reader along the journey of a mother fighting to control her need to find extramarital affairs in a struggle to balance her freedom and self-respect. What is so intriguing about this chapter is the feelings which emerge in the reader through witnessing not only the patient’s battle, but Brink’s struggle to illuminate her past experiences and shed light on her present problems. Through his vivid descriptions and vulnerability as a therapist, Brink’s unadulterated accounts within the narrative give the reader a sense that simply incorporating ecstatic trance posture into psychotherapy does not always mean the journey will be easier. Both patients and therapists can greatly benefit through the incorporation of ecstatic trance posture if the therapist allows it to do what it is designed to do—take the patient on a journey through time and unearth past experiences that may be shaping their current behaviors and attitudes.
Ecstatic Soul Retrieval: Shamanism and Psychotherapy did exactly what it set out to do as outlined in the first two chapters; it led the reader on a journey through Brink’s niche approach—incorporating postures and ecstatic trance into the psychotherapeutic setting. This book is a superlative exemplar showcasing Brink’s more than 40 years of research and practice within the field of psychotherapy. While the niche focus may hinder demographic reach, the thorough explanation of concepts and practices combined with evocative narratives given in the case studies allows nearly any person to understand the use of ecstatic trance and posture within the psychotherapeutic setting. This book should be on the reading list of any person interested in narrative therapy, hypnotherapy, ecstatic trance therapy, and even cognitive behavioral therapy.