Thought Police

I'm talking here about my own thought police, the thoughts in my mind that prevent me from doing certain stuff.

For instance I have a lot of ideas about expanding the world of the psychotherapist to other fields, business, athletics, musics, and others. However, what is preventing me from taking this futher?

Ideally I think psychotherapy should be incorporated into our lives. What we think and do effects us, same as what we eat influences the way our bodies work. In other words what thoughts we have and how we process information and feelings plays a huge role in determining our future actions and possibilities.

What would teaching all this stuff and incorporating it in modern culture induce::::?

The importance of Truth

To be honest with you, I don't care much about politicians. Most of them annoy me--they are a large group of people who largly have never experienced psychotherapy and often are not aware of their own biases or pet ideologies. In fact, it's a bonus it seems in today's politics to be completely inarticulate and unaware, not to mention unidirectional, in picking your point of view and sticking to it.
However, the reason for this post is solely one--there is an important psychological component to all of it. What if we take these politicians to be our leaders, our thought police, our enlightening members of society, our leaders of spirit. Well, in that case I'm quite sure that we will no doubt find ourselves often lost, confused, in pain, and suffering. Sometimes we may also become stupidly rich and unthoughtful and learn to exercise little concern for other human beings. Hey, am I being biased? Tell me!
Mostly there is importance in leaders. Human psychology teaches us about modeling, it teaches us about great parenting, it teaches us about reciprical communication. It teaches us to listen!
Well, let me assure you that if you listen to today's political news these are not qualities that we often hear about or witness. And what of that? Well, if our leaders behave that way, do they pave the way for us to follow or do they encourage us to resist?! Or does it also depend on our personality?
All together what I'd like to say is that it's nice to hear a politician support your point of view. Makes you feel safe, kind of. It's like thinking, "wow somebody out there hears me and supports me." Wow woW wow Wow what a good feeling.
Listen to Dennis Kucinich

News and Notes

Thats a title of a nice NPR news program; for today I'd like to borrow that title for my own blog. Because today's writings have much to do with both news and notes.
As I'm learning from my employment office there is much to be noted about the divide between dream and reality.
I am thinking about brief treatment, and its effects on the population that seeks psychotherapy. More specifically, what do treatment mandates have to do with pt mental health and chances for improvement. If a person cannot make a personal choice when and where to pursue psychotherapy and if the alloted time for treatment is limited by another third party, what role does that play in the pt's strive for autonomy; what role does it play in the relationship that exists between the therapist and pt--which at a certain time may be interrupted, questioned, examined, or otherwise by a company that may not know much about psychotherapy or the pt and therapist involved. What all this means to me is the importance of supporting oneself financially is ever more important. To clarify--one is an ideal state of financial health when one is knowledgeable about his or her money, where it's coming from and where it is going (children of course are not in this category). Getting aid from insurance to pay for psychotherapy is important and helpful, however depending on such systems may be dangerous and damaging.
The question I'd like to ask all of you: are there any ideas for how to afford psychotherapy?
Some I have thought of include Having a medical savings fund specifically for therapy treatment, investing early on in money 'vehicles' that are aimed specifically to access psychotherapy if needed, obtaining therapy early when treatment may be briefer.
Of course these are just temporary remedies that may be used in a our current economic climate. Why not fight for mental health parity instead?

That is the principal argument of this post and this blog- We cannot and should not simply accept the rules of the insurance companies; instead we must collaborate, negotiate, and sometimes fight to assure that individuals get the kind of treatment they need and deserve.

Also this is about the economy

"In the name of control"

The world today is a complicated place. More co[m]pliCated than perhaps for all of the time that people have existed. WHY well maybe it's because we are all living together now and mixing all the cultures that have created their own separate ways of existing<--that's one complicated thing to organize in our mind.

I think sometimes about the psychological challenges of the real world, how varied it is, and how diverse the different ways of living are. I like to think personally that I have stuff figured out<> that I can live the way that things make sense to me.

Yet the other world keeps mixing it>>>I'm in D.C. Wash today and ?I see all the mansions that I can never afford and consider what that means to me.

Yet if I can live in my own mind universe (that's short for seeing the world only my way and ignoring everything else) I can imagine beeing happier. Is this a challenge for psychology or sociology--and Economics?

Basically; what I'm wondering dear friend is what do psychological problem solving skills get one in life? Is it the chance to see the world better and accomplish more, to give one the freedom from some kind of distant burndening memories/ or is it just a way to MAKE believe that things are good/well/ok.

PLZ don't take it as a question about me personally, this is just my message saying what does psychology mean to you?

P.S. I am promising now that in the near sometime future there will be some more interactive material on here--maybe like a fun survey or even an essay or how about an interview with a local psychologically inspired individual; whatever that means.

So many Dead words

Recently, today in fact, I heard a telephone call that promised to put me in a sour mood ( at least temporarily). It was from Maryland, but I don't know anybody there. I picked up regardless and heard a recording say that I could be involved in a real time discussion with my local State Representative-an on air town hall meeting. Neat.
The discussion went on in this manner: a person presses the pound key to be put in a que to ask the Rep about things going on in this state. As the Rep answers questions everyone waits and listens. Quite a discussion! Jokes aside I'd like to point out the real dilemma here--the questions being asked were quite wonderful yet the responses nill and avoidant. Let me run a little demonstration of what happened.

Caller 1: You know I'm outraged Rep, the gas prices are so high. I paid $60 for a full tank. (He sounds like an elderly man from a "more controlled corporate irresponsibility" time). We should be asking where all the profits are going-to the oil industry of course! Why don't we ask them whats going on!
Rep: Yes, Bill (or whatever), I believe that is a true problem. I am a believer in alternative fuels. In fact there is a real future in bioDiesel, they got thousands of those cars in Europe and we don't have any. And plus alternative fuels are the way!
Caller 1: Ok, but that is probably years away (remember he is not so young) and doesn't even answer my question.
Rep: Oh no, many things are happening here in (such and such district).

enough? or want to hear about caller 2?

Caller 2: Ok Rep, I'd like to talk about terrorism and the threats to national security. (A young guy obviously "up and coming" so to speak). I work in an IT company and we are sending our servers overseas and they contain Visa and Mastercard files--isn't that dangerous? Why would we want other people to hang on to and control our accounts? (His voice is angry and clearly demands a response)

--the Rep doesn't answer the caller is mysteriously cut off and the Rep doesn't even mention this but goes on to the next person.

Caller 3: Dear Rep, I'm so and so and I really care about our economy. I know our cars aren't being imported overseas but perhaps that's because they are of cheaper quality.
Rep: Oh no, I know those Toyotas have a good name but in the last year or so our quality has really picked up. Customers are really liking the new American cars. (Is this bullshit or what, how can there be even enough time to test out the reliability of these vehicles?).

This is where I listened a little more and then hung up. Whats the use of when the guy is basically taking good questions and turning them into nil statements such as "Yes, and oh I have a bill, and you make a really good point." Do SOMETHING, why don't ya brother. Basically my question is: why isn't the Rep squaring up with companies, other politicians, and etc on important issues--if US cars suck (and some do) why don't we comment on them and ask whats going on rather than complain about Japanese imports. If fuel costs so much that some can't afford to drive to work, why not ask the 'record breaking profits' oil companies (u know who you are) to cut it out rather than create a whole new industry that's gonna take years (I'm all for alternative fuel).

Why not just acknowledge some human decency and admit that you can't do it all as a politician and you have to talk some tough talk. I do it all the time!

This blog is meant to point out that psychology happens everywhere. When this politician is not addressing the points of the view of the callers, not even aswering them in fact, that speaks a lot about the type of democracy we live in. How can one's mind stay motivated to the landscape around if the people 'responsible' for some of our livelihood aren't even talking normally?
Where do politicians come from and what do they do for us, I want to know!
[acknowledgment--some politicians are good, and many are good hearted people, so to speak, but why not be more honest, does it take too much time? Image at top is from republicansareidiots.com]

This Video (street psychology)

In this excerpt a few friends of mine, in an undisclosed location, are making a street protest-discussion on the topic of music, psychology, and freedom. They make some very important points--such as why shouldn't we be free to express ourselves wherever we want? I think this is one of the defining features of civilizations, how much freedom of expression there really is. Notably in this video some people very much enjoy spontaneous fun and creativity while others have different boundaries, either defined by personal values/ideas or by ideas that originate in other cultures, such as that of department stores and corporate associations.

Long (good) article

Alan Karbelnig, Ph.D.
National Psychologist, May/June 2007


Hopefully signaling the peak of an epidemic of excessive
self-protection, many psychologists now sport recorded voicemail
messages that advise callers to hang up and dial 911 in case of
medical emergency. Such warnings presumably inform unwitting callers
that psychologists cannot provide emergency medical services. These
911 outgoing messages must be proliferating out of fear that
psychologists could be sued by someone who expected to find cardiac
defibrillation, gastric lavage, suturing, or other emergency medical
procedures at the end of psychologists' phone lines. Failing to do
so, these psychologists fear, callers could become injured in some
fashion and then sue them for negligence.

Yet no such legal, ethical, or commonsensical protective
standard for psychologists exists. At their best, such outgoing
voicemail greetings reveal ignorance of the basic striving for
self-reliance that underlies and unifies all the varied
psychotherapeutic approaches; at their worst, these greetings insult,
demean, or confuse callers. They reveal blatant psychologist
self-protection, not concern for patient welfare.

Working to increase personal empowerment is one of the most
basic foundations underlying all psychotherapeutic approaches, from
the most cognitive-behavioral to the most psychoanalytic. Individuals
experiencing psychological symptoms disrupting the academic,
occupational, or social realms of their lives seek the assistance of
mental health professionals to reduce their discomfort and increase
their functionality. They select psychologists who then, utilizing
one method or another, work to increase their autonomy and
self-reliance.

Consumers of psychotherapeutic services obviously differ in
terms of level of impairment: The most disturbed may be acutely
psychotic or suicidal. They could have marked cognitive and
intellectual impairments. They may require a high level of external
structure, including direct support and guidance, environmental
manipulation, psychotropic medication, and even psychiatric
hospitalization. The least disturbed, in contrast, may seek
psychotherapy solely out of a desire for personal growth. However –
and this is where, again, all psychotherapies overlap with one another
– all forms of psychological treatment work to increase the capacity
for independent functioning. Patients need to be met at their unique
developmental levels. But all psychotherapeutic approaches
nonetheless work to increase their capacities for independent
functioning, regardless of their presenting status.

By offering on their outgoing voicemail messages information
most three-year-olds have already mastered, psychologists send their
callers a most counter-therapeutic message. They communicate numerous
anti-autonomous, anti-self-reliant ideas, including that these
callers: 1. lack sufficient intelligence to call 911 directly if they
are having a medical emergency; 2. lack sufficient judgment to make
such a discrimination before calling; 3. lack sufficient autonomy that
they would need psychologists to advise them of such information; and
4. are functioning at such a low cognitive and social level that their
very capacity to operate a telephone, to call anyone, is questionable.

Psychologists with these outgoing messages of course also
communicate about themselves. These messages suggest, first and
foremost, that they hold these potentially degrading beliefs about
their callers. They also reveal a certain grandiosity, specifically
the belief that they are medical professionals (or firefighters or
police) when, in fact, they are not.2

If callers were prone to anger, they might feel outraged at
being treated in such a demeaning fashion. If they were prone to
feeling insecure, they might receive the recording as a further sign
of their own inadequacy. If they were in fact feeling suicidal, they
might reasonably reach the conclusion that the psychologist would
impulsively transfer them to a medical professional if their
self-destructive feelings intensified. If they were psychotic, the
911 warning could well elicit confusion, i.e. do I need to call 911
now that worms are eating away at my internal organs?

Why, other than for protection against a wildly remote lawsuit,
would psychologists believe they need to offer such an option? It
would be difficult to find an individual, even an intellectually
compromised one, who would expect to receive emergency medical
treatment from psychologists. If psychologists feel compelled to warn
callers that they are not emergency room physicians, then should they
also inform callers that they are not lawyers, accountants,
veterinarians, or insurance sales people? Could psychologists be sued
because a caller was hoping for legal advice and instead received an
interpretation, or was hoping for financial advice and instead
received empathy? One wonders where this absurdity will stop.

These 911 voicemail warnings communicate inadequacy, not
self-reliance. They condescend rather than empower. They create
distance and formality rather than openness and acceptance. In short,
they contradict every basic, foundational aspect of psychological
practice regardless of theoretical orientation. As such, they should
be immediately discontinued by all psychologists that use them.