Reflection on the Synanon Game and Individuation

Blog #2: Reflection on the Synanon Game and Individuation

        Charles E. Dederich, the leader of the drug rehab turned religious cult, Synanon, asserted that the “development of the group interaction, known as the Synanon Game, preceded, and is directly responsible for the founding of Synanon” (Dederich, 2). The Game was the central ritual of Synanon residents, being first played in February of 1958, and can be described as an aggressive form of talk therapy where members of the group would expose inner thoughts and emotions “of all kinds concerning his actions, the actions of others, and the relationship of people to each other” (Dederich, 3), allowing their peers to examine and criticize these thoughts with the utmost freedom of expression. The Game was to be played at least once a week by the community members as a “condition of residence” (Dederich, 2) because it was “the key to the formation of their (members) beliefs” (Dederich, 4).

           He explained the Game to be “an educational tool” that was used to “accomplish a unification and healing of the personality, an appreciation and acceptance of new and more constructive forms of behavior, and the adoption of new and sounder value systems” (Dederich, 3). For Chuck, the process of internal and external examination lead to changes in an individuals behaviors and beliefs. The perspectives and advice that is offered through the group interaction allows one to think of things that one wouldn’t have thought on their own, opening the person to new ideas or understandings of certain situations. Through active contemplation and self-examination, the individual who participates in the Synanon Game is able to affirm or discount their personal beliefs, enabling themselves to make necessary adjustments to their behavior and ideology.

This process of self-examination is important and related to the idea of Individuation. The term individuation was coined by the Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Carl Jung, and the idea was, according to Charles E. Dederich, developed through the Synanon program "to levels and to heights that he (Jung) never dreamed of in his lifetime" (individuation excerpts; CED). Jung described his theory of individuation as "a process in which the individual self develops out of an undifferentiated unconscious". He felt that this process naturally developed the individuals unique personality and would bring themselves to a self-realization. Dederich believed that through the Synanon program, one would be able to go through the process of Individuation more quickly and comfortably than it happening naturally. The Synanon Game was the most important tool in this process.

The Game had opened individuals to differing opinions and understandings of the situations and scenarios that were discussed. Steven Simon, Ph.D. who was a member of Synanon since 1968 said that "the game should be an experience in contrasts" and that it was necessary to "challenge the group's opinion of what is good and what is bad" (Simon, 15). The idea that it was important to experience peoples differences and challenge the general ideas of good and bad so that individual beliefs could be formed. Game participants were expected to listen without judgment and think of new ways of addressing situations. There was constant conversation during the hours the game was played and individuals would take their thoughts as far as possible sometimes dropping the topic and moving to a different one that is completely unrelated.

References:

Dederich, Charles E. “Individuation Excerpts.” Edited by Jeanine Otto. Marshall, CA. 7 August 1977. Synanon Foundation, Inc. Sandra Barty research collection on Synanon.

Simon, Steven I. “The Synanon Game.” Harvard University. Cambridge, MA. 1973. Synanon University Press. San Francisco, CA 1974. Sandra Barty research collection on Synanon.

“Declaration by Charles E. Dederich on The Synanon Game.” Synanon v. The Hearst Corporation. No.651-749. Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. 1973. Sandra Barty research collection on Synanon. Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA. Print.