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Integrating Divine Attachment Theory and the Enneagram
to Help Clients of Abuse Heal in Their Images of Self,
Others, and God
Christopher Kam
1
Published online: 28 May 2018
#Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract For victims of childhood abuse, healing their unconscious images of themselves,
others, and God is of utmost importance in therapeutic work. Addressing the healing from both a
scientific and a spiritual-contemplative approach is ideal in the context of spiritually integrated
psychotherapy. Combining the frameworks of divine attachment theory and the Enneagram can
help abused clients on their journey towards holistic healing in a way that addresses both the
scientific and soulful dimensions of their deep unconscious wounds. This integration has the
potential to heal multiple aspects of wounding, including unconscious images of clients, their
offenders, and God. It also has the potential to dignify clients by showing how their unique God-
given personality has a finite correspondence to God’s very own infinite personality and by
outlining potential points of existential connection between aspects of their personality traits and
the personality traits of the eternal God. Finally, clients can also grow in empathy and compassion
for their abusers, which will help in the process of forgiveness.
Keywords Personality.Enneagram .Unconscious .Abuse.Attachmenttheory.Transformation
Unloving images of God have the capacity to smear the spiritual imagination. The resulting
darkness that is ominously spread on the wallpaper of the psyche unconsciously haunts many
religious clients who have been abused in childhood, particularly by their parental figures. Many
of these clients struggle in their spiritual journey, constantly being crippled by impressions of
God as mean, distant, harsh, or cold to them that are in the background of their imaginations.
Particularly for abused clients who have a Judeo-Christian view of God, it is of utmost
importance to help them uncover the roots of these unloving images of God and replace them
with the loving wallpaper that is consistent with the biblical portraits of God that attest to God’s
loving character. This process of restoration should also include helping such clients experience
Pastoral Psychol (2018) 67:341–356
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-018-0817-1
*Christopher Kam
ckam060@uottawa.ca
1
Saint Paul University, 223 Main Street, Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4, Canada
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.