Jim Bugental’s and Tara Brach's Insightful Metaphor of the 'Spacesuit' in Psychotherapy

The Spacesuit We Wear: How Our Coping Mechanisms Limit Our Emotional Experience

Jim Bugental was a prominent psychotherapist and author and one of the pioneers of the existential and humanistic psychotherapy movement. In his seminal work, Psychotherapy Isn’t What You Think, Bugental used the metaphor of a space suit to describe our coping mechanisms, defenses, and traumatic adaptations as means to protect ourselves from experiencing challenging emotions and thoughts, such as shame, insecurity, and hopelessness.

However, while an astronaut’s space suit is essential for survival, it is simultaneously limiting and constricting. As a result, we might not experience the full range of our emotions or connect with others in meaningful ways because of the barriers we have constructed around ourselves.

In her teachings, Tara Brach, a psychologist and meditation teacher, also uses the metaphor of the "spacesuit" to describe the false Self or ego we construct as a defense mechanism. According to Brach, the spacesuit comprises our beliefs, thoughts, and emotions that we use to protect ourselves from the world. However, in the same vein, this spacesuit can be a barrier to experiencing our true Self and connecting with others. Brach believes that we all wear this spacesuit, to some degree, to cope with the fear, pain, and self-doubt that are part of the human experience. The spacesuit can feel like a sanctuary, a shield that defends us from vulnerability and rejection. However, it also prevents us from truly experiencing life and forming deep and meaningful connections with others.

Understand, Don't Fight: How Re-Framing Resistance as Protection Can Improve Trauma Therapy

Human beings to survive in space need space suits. Similarly, our traumatic adaptations - our coping mechanisms, defenses, habitual responses, and patterns - help us function when our emotional wellness starts to deteriorate under duress. In this light, defenses and resistances are not cast as villains in our stories but rather as necessary protectors that evolve to help us function in the social world

Similarly, “resistance” in therapy is often viewed as something negative we need to eliminate. “He won’t even talk; he is a difficult client and resisting therapy” was a sentiment commonly found in non-trauma-informed old-school textbooks. The problem with wanting to eliminate resistance without understanding it is that we negate the fact that a part of us is resisting for valid reasons. We need to embrace and understand any fears of engaging with the process instead of fighting resistance or labeling a person as “difficult.” Instead, we can view the parts in us that resist as protectors, i.e., when we become resistant, we are protecting ourselves.

"Peel Away the Layers of Your Spacesuit: A Journey to Authenticity Through Mindfulness, Self-Reflection, and Therapeutic Exploration"

We can begin peeling away the layers of the spacesuit through mindfulness, self-reflection, and therapeutic exploration. By becoming aware of our thoughts and emotions, we can start to see how our spacesuit distorts our perception of reality. As our process unfolds, we enable ourselves to connect with our authentic selves and experience the world with more clarity and compassion.

Mindfulness

One of the key ways to lessen the need for the spacesuit is practicing mindfulness. This involves paying attention to what's happening as it is happening with no judgment, i.e., being mindful of our pain not to change our suffering but because we are suffering. We can learn to see our thoughts and emotions more objectively and understand how they contribute to the spacesuit. Such an approach may allow us to respond compassionately to our inner experience. 

Self-reflection

Another way to lessen the need for the spacesuit is through self-reflection. This involves a deliberate and reflective process of turning inwards and examining our beliefs, thoughts, and emotions. These practices help us recognize patterns that may have impeded personal fulfillment and relationships. By growing our self-awareness and our understanding of our needs, we can make decisions that generate a life with meaning and purpose.

Therapeutic Exploration

Bugental believed we could start looking at our space suit through therapeutic exploration, i.e., through an authentic therapist-client relationship. By exploring their experiences in a supportive and non-judgmental environment, we can begin to let go of the spacesuit, connect with our authentic Self and experience life with more clarity and compassion.

From Spacesuit to Authenticity: Honoring the Journey and Embracing a New Way of Being

In conclusion, like an astronaut who takes off his space suit upon their return to earth, we can learn new ways of being in the world that aren’t limiting while also honoring and integrating the defenses and traumatic adaptations that got us through the hardships and pain. 

Food for thought: What does your space suit look like? What parts of it would you want to shift and tailor as you learn new ways of being in the world around you? 

Warmly,

Anny

(Art by wonderlandartworks from DeviantArt)

Kindly note: The information included in this blog is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for mental health services. Please consult with a qualified professional to determine the appropriateness of the information for your own life experiences or if you have any questions.