Deconstruction and Therapy
I think a lot of different people relate to the concept of deconstructing. Maybe it’s ok for deconstruction to mean something different to every person who identifies with the term. I really like using this term to describe my niche because it encompasses so much. People who are unpacking their past (experiences, beliefs, values) and reorganizing to live in deeper alignment with what they feel is true, authentic and liberating for them. I don’t see deconstruction as just relating to religion or christianity, though as far as I know, though these are often associated with each other. Many of my clients have questioned or left a church or religion. I wrote a post especially on that subject which you can find here. But, I think deconstruction applies to more than that.
Deconstructing Ideas and Systems
On a mental level, people can deconstruct concepts like political issues, how systems work or how they could work better. We can deconstruct history. We can reexamine constructs like White Supremacy, Misogyny, Capitalism, Patriarchy, and re-imagine how life could look if these constructs were dismantled. If systems were shifted. We can re-imagine things like healthcare in our country, or transportation, or energy. You name it, a person’s perspective and understanding on that topic can shift. I think deconstruction happens anytime we are able to live mindfully, make observations, learn, and the new information leads to small or big changes in perspective.
Intrapersonal Deconstruction
The same kind of process can happen inside of a person. Deconstruction is not just cognitive, it can be emotional too. A person who has been through complex trauma can deconstruct what was once normalized (growing up without attention, acceptance, or love) and re-imagine what is possible for them. They might adjust their standards of what they deserve from others. They might shift in the way they relate to a memory or a person from their past. They can deconstruct how they relate to themselves, or their bodies. People can deconstruct their family norms and expectations. People can deconstruct notions about their sexuality and/or their identity, to come into deeper alignment with who they truly are. Deconstruction can look like freedom from hetero-normative, cisgender restrictions. And sometimes people just change over time. We aren’t just static. People change over time because time changes us. Literally and figuratively, we change in our physical matter and in our experience of being in the world. Change is inevitable.
Deconstruction = Rebuilding
I think that all therapy, not just my niche, is deeply related to the process of deconstruction. It simply means rebuilding. Reorganizing. Regrouping. This is the kind of stuff that excites me most in therapy. Not so much teaching skills or sharing psycho-education, but accompanying people in their own drive to rebuild and integrate a more authentic life for themselves. I think each person has that inner driving force. Sometimes there are “big” moments in therapy, but I think the smaller, gradual bits are crucial too. We rebuild every single day, when given the support needed to do so. And then all the little bits add up to create significant, noticeable change. Contact me if you live in Texas and you’d like to learn more about exploring this in counseling.