Fractured landscape with empathetic light, symbolizing holistic care in a secular age.

Self-Belief in a Secular Age: Can Holistic Psychiatry Bridge the Gap?

Reese Marlowe in Mind & Education August 2025 • 5 min read.

"Explore how Charles Taylor's philosophy challenges modern psychiatry and the quest for holistic care in a world of fragmented beliefs."

In contemporary Western society, understanding the self has become a complex endeavor, especially with the decline of traditional belief systems. David Crossley's work highlights the importance of Charles Taylor's insights into modern identity and secular society for psychiatric practice. Taylor's exploration of moral dimensions in our understanding of selfhood sheds light on challenges in holistic psychiatry.

Taylor's work encourages us to consider what kind of self is deemed 'good' in our secular age, and how this form influences our self-perception when flourishing. Mental disorders can significantly distort this perception, impacting well-being. However, Western psychiatry often lacks interest in fundamental concepts of selfhood and identity, focusing instead on pathology.

While agreeing with Crossley, this article presents a slightly different perspective on the implications for holistic psychiatry. It emphasizes the need to address the challenges of self-understanding in a secular context, where individuals often grapple with fragmented beliefs and a sense of disconnection.

The Tension Between Self and Holism: Understanding Taylor's Perspective

Fractured landscape with empathetic light, symbolizing holistic care in a secular age.

Crossley highlights the tension between viewing the self as a responsible agent, disengaged and acting instrumentally, and attempts to envision it in broader, more holistic terms. This suggests that the disengaged self is seen as less holistic. While acknowledging concerns about the disengaged self, it's important to recognize that it can have its own holistic self-understanding.

Taylor's account of the buffered and disengaged self is a holistic one. The challenge lies in the absence of a socially shared understanding of the holistic context in which the self is situated. Therefore, it's not about questioning the possibility of an adequate model of holistic care, but rather exploring whether we can find a socially shared model in our contemporary secular and pluralistic society.

Inwardness of Self-Identity: Taylor suggests an increased awareness of our self-identity, leading to a sense of being 'buffered' and 'disengaged'.
Individual Perspective: Individuals perceive themselves as capable of objectively and dispassionately viewing the world from their own standpoint.
Impact of Mental Disorder: Mental disorders can distort or undermine this sense of self, hindering human flourishing and creating disharmony.
Therapeutic Goal: The aim is to restore the self to a healthy state of disengagement, which emphasizes objectivity.

The alcohol-dependent individual, for example, may require assistance in gaining a more objective and realistic viewpoint on their actions and their consequences for both themselves and others. Similarly, individuals who have experienced deeply traumatizing events may need assistance in regaining some objectivity about what has occurred to them and how it affects them.

Navigating the Treacherous Terrain of Belief: Empathy as the Guiding Light

Taylor argues that our secular age is characterized by a 'malaise of immanence,' marked by a loss of meaning and transcendence. This results in cross-pressures that leave individuals torn between religious belief and unbelief. The proliferation of moral and spiritual options creates a 'nova effect,' leading to mutual fragilization and insecurity.

This phenomenon presents challenges in clinical encounters. The cross-pressured self must become vulnerable to the clinician, who may hold beliefs that implicitly invalidate those of the patient. Clinicians must be aware of their own beliefs and ensure they don't impinge upon the patient's. It's essential to affirm, rather than further fragilize, the patient's beliefs.

Any clinician aiming to be truly holistic must find authentic ways to address belief systems, whether consonant or contrary to their own. Empathy is crucial in clinical engagement, not the dubious objectivity of disengagement. As Crossley notes, language about mental illness can suggest a particular moral status, and professional help is often needed to resolve resulting tensions. Understanding what our patients think and say about themselves and their beliefs is paramount.

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Everything You Need To Know

What is the 'buffered self' and why is it important in understanding how to provide holistic care?

The 'buffered self,' as described by Charles Taylor, is an increased awareness of our self-identity, leading to a sense of being buffered and disengaged from the world. This perspective is significant in the context of holistic psychiatry because it highlights how individuals in secular societies often perceive themselves as capable of objectively viewing the world. Understanding this perspective is crucial for clinicians aiming to provide comprehensive care, as mental disorders can distort this sense of self, impacting well-being and human flourishing. This concept challenges traditional approaches by emphasizing the importance of addressing self-understanding within a secular context.

What is holistic psychiatry, and why is understanding it important to the concepts discussed?

Holistic psychiatry is the practice of providing comprehensive care by navigating a world of diverse beliefs. In the context of this discussion, it is important because it helps to understand how the 'self' is viewed in contemporary Western society, where traditional belief systems have declined. The implication is that clinicians must address the challenges of self-understanding in a secular context, where individuals often grapple with fragmented beliefs and a sense of disconnection. It means moving beyond solely focusing on pathology to consider fundamental concepts of selfhood and identity, which is critical for providing a truly comprehensive and effective form of care.

Why is Charles Taylor's philosophy important, and what are the implications for psychiatric practice?

Charles Taylor's philosophy is crucial because his insights into modern identity and secular society impact psychiatric practice. His work encourages us to consider what kind of self is deemed 'good' in our secular age. Understanding Taylor's perspective is important because the tension between viewing the self as a responsible agent and envisioning it in broader, more holistic terms helps to establish a connection between the concept of 'self' and the practice of holistic psychiatry. The implications are that clinicians must consider the individual's self-perception and the impact of mental disorders on that perception to provide truly comprehensive care.

What is the 'malaise of immanence,' and what are its implications for understanding self and well-being?

The 'malaise of immanence,' characterized by a loss of meaning and transcendence, creates cross-pressures, leaving individuals torn between religious belief and unbelief. This is significant because it affects the individual's sense of self and well-being within a secular context. The implication is that the proliferation of moral and spiritual options creates a 'nova effect,' leading to mutual fragilization and insecurity. For holistic psychiatry, understanding this means recognizing the challenges individuals face in navigating diverse beliefs and addressing the resulting sense of disconnection to help the individual.

What is the goal of therapy in relation to the concepts discussed in the article, and why is it significant?

The aim of therapy within the context of this discussion, is to restore the self to a healthy state of disengagement, which emphasizes objectivity. This therapeutic goal is significant because it is a crucial element of holistic care and the care of individuals with mental disorders, like alcohol dependency, to help them gain a more objective and realistic viewpoint. The implication is that it emphasizes objectivity. For holistic psychiatry, it means recognizing the challenges individuals face in navigating diverse beliefs and addressing the resulting sense of disconnection to help the individual, restoring the self to a healthy state of disengagement.