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What are the Diagnostic Tools of the Chasidic Counselor?

The Rav Name:

The path to the revelation of the Self moves from the external, chaotic dimension of the psyche to an expression of the rectified inner self. The process is comprised of four main stages. The first involves a process of birur (clarification), in which the existing, unrectified dimension of the psyche is recognized and explored, and the chaotic assumptions in which a person is trapped and which block true self-actualization, are discerned. Diagnostic tools at this stage include a comprehensive overview of various aspects of the patient’s life, differentiating between his tohu and tikun beliefs, and analyzing the former based upon their alignment in the psyche in terms of right, left and center. Additionally, it entails identifying the rectified spark within the tohu consciousness and repositioning and including it within the rectified consciousness. The process of birur concludes with a statement of the rectified goal to which a person should aspire, and his active choosing of it. The second stage entails a deepening identification with this new goal, while the third stage entails an inner agreement and commitment to the path chosen to reach it. The fourth stage is the practical application of these concepts, taking into account the areas of inner obstruction, as well as preparing for wanes in motivation once the counseling has ended.

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