My work focuses on depictions of psychological distress in classical literature and their potential relevance and worth regarding the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health today. By exploring the complex relationship shared by Psychology and Classics, I am reviewing Jonathan Shay's theory of Moral Injury as the most developed example of modern mental healthcare informed by classical literature. The research uses qualitative research methods to gather the testimonies of NHS staff suffering from Moral Injury and, with the cognitive approach of 'Theory of Mind', looks for potential narrative interactions with extant Greek tragedy.
Publications:
Johnson, P. G. B. (2023). Looking Backwards for a Way Forwards: Greek Tragedy and its Classification of Mental States. Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.13129/2282-1619/mjcp-3642
Johnson, P. G. B. (2024). Acting Out: a preliminary exploration of the ethical implications of using ancient Greek Tragedy as a means of Psychotherapy. Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.13129/2282-1619/mjcp-4049
