I used to think that people did not want psychotherapy, or for that matter that they did not want any advice whatever because they didn't know what they were missing. They just didn't have the taste for it since they never tried.
Recent events have shown me that it is quite otherwise. I was in my own session the other day and suddenly realized that what I was telling my analyst was so personal and so threatening to my self-understanding that I could barely stand it. The difference between myself and a "random" person on the street is - I asked to be in treatment, I knowingly wanted to say what was difficult to say, and I trusted my analyst enough (based on experience) to try it.
Can you (or better, can I?) imagine how excruciating, unwarranted and dangerous any kind of psychotherapeutic advice may sound when it comes randomly, when it is not asked for?
This is a new lesson to me, although I still don't know how to respond to someone in pain. When a doctor sees a sick person or someone asks what to do about an ailment, is she obligated to respond? If so, what kind of remedy should she provide, should she advise treatment and follow up? Or should she investigate the cause of the illness with the person (provided that they both have time)? And does it depend on who are the doctor and the person in distress, how do they relate to each other?
These are some questions I'm thinking about...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
What if it*s true?
Dear b:
Thinking today that many people don't need or don't want psychoanalysis (psychodynamic psychotherapy). The funny thing is - it could probably help them, in fact I think it would. However, not everybody recognizes this way of being, not everyone looks to explore their personal world in order to improve their life.
Again - comes up the question, who is psychotherapy for?
I know many people that may become interested in this type of psychology, yet they do not take time to pursue it. Maybe because the space is not organized, maybe if there was enough attention and opportunity created early many more would be interested, take it as part of their life.
Sometimes I just want to say that I don't care if we don't touch everyone, nothing is supposed to affect every person. I actually think that local economies and culture are very important, so why should psychotherapy be any different?
We all need air, food, and water, and relationships, but what else is universal?
Thinking today that many people don't need or don't want psychoanalysis (psychodynamic psychotherapy). The funny thing is - it could probably help them, in fact I think it would. However, not everybody recognizes this way of being, not everyone looks to explore their personal world in order to improve their life.
Again - comes up the question, who is psychotherapy for?
I know many people that may become interested in this type of psychology, yet they do not take time to pursue it. Maybe because the space is not organized, maybe if there was enough attention and opportunity created early many more would be interested, take it as part of their life.
Sometimes I just want to say that I don't care if we don't touch everyone, nothing is supposed to affect every person. I actually think that local economies and culture are very important, so why should psychotherapy be any different?
We all need air, food, and water, and relationships, but what else is universal?
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Who's in charge of the psychotherapy economy?
Dear blogster:
The world challenge we have to take on today can be narrowed down to the following: what, who, and how are we going to change the structure of the economy/social world so that psychotherapy is more understood and better utilized? Let me try to write that again, how can we take a discipline that is on the further end of the social norm, and make it into something educational and accepted, such as math.
Forgive me for forcing this issue all the time, but there has to be a way to dig deep and make this a recognizeable thing. I mean there are always ways to make something interesting, to kind of dive in and create excitement and desire for a certain way of living. Think about all the commercials we see for some type of exotic vacation, what are they doing but encouraging a particular way to enjoy your money and free time. They are saying, "hey if you want to have a good time just hop online purchase a ticket and its carefree adventures from then on." What if we could create some type of ads for psychotherapy, how can we tap into the knowledge of marketers to take make this industry affordable, and accessible?
I get so angry when I realize how little outreach actually exists in the mental health field. There are literaly millions of people struggling with some aspects of their daily lives, which we can help them with! Doesn't that make you just want to light a fire under your own motivation and just get active =)
please, share your experiences suggestions and thoughts with me
The world challenge we have to take on today can be narrowed down to the following: what, who, and how are we going to change the structure of the economy/social world so that psychotherapy is more understood and better utilized? Let me try to write that again, how can we take a discipline that is on the further end of the social norm, and make it into something educational and accepted, such as math.
Forgive me for forcing this issue all the time, but there has to be a way to dig deep and make this a recognizeable thing. I mean there are always ways to make something interesting, to kind of dive in and create excitement and desire for a certain way of living. Think about all the commercials we see for some type of exotic vacation, what are they doing but encouraging a particular way to enjoy your money and free time. They are saying, "hey if you want to have a good time just hop online purchase a ticket and its carefree adventures from then on." What if we could create some type of ads for psychotherapy, how can we tap into the knowledge of marketers to take make this industry affordable, and accessible?
I get so angry when I realize how little outreach actually exists in the mental health field. There are literaly millions of people struggling with some aspects of their daily lives, which we can help them with! Doesn't that make you just want to light a fire under your own motivation and just get active =)
please, share your experiences suggestions and thoughts with me
Saturday, January 19, 2008
what about Environment + personality types...
Dear r(eader)
the post today is a complicated thought process, like the rest of them, that resides in my brain mostly and I communicate onto electronic paper-> therefore its accuracy may be dubious and is suspec to criticism and multi-dimensional correction.
that being said...
I've been thinking about the development of psychotherapy, and the tendency of its practicioners, "followers" and benefactors to be interested in all things psychological. In other words what I mean is - many people who go through therapy become therapists, or have already had some interested in psychology and the like studies. What does this suggest, are we treading on well-worn ground and do we not access the other populations that we so hope to reach [such as politicians, judges, school teachers, and many others].
I'd like to do a study, collecting the numbers of people from various social classes, settings, regions, professions, blood types, and other variables who come for and benefit from treatment.
For now, I'm just looking to meet up with some corporate executives who'd like treatment.
let me know
peace,
the post today is a complicated thought process, like the rest of them, that resides in my brain mostly and I communicate onto electronic paper-> therefore its accuracy may be dubious and is suspec to criticism and multi-dimensional correction.
that being said...
I've been thinking about the development of psychotherapy, and the tendency of its practicioners, "followers" and benefactors to be interested in all things psychological. In other words what I mean is - many people who go through therapy become therapists, or have already had some interested in psychology and the like studies. What does this suggest, are we treading on well-worn ground and do we not access the other populations that we so hope to reach [such as politicians, judges, school teachers, and many others].
I'd like to do a study, collecting the numbers of people from various social classes, settings, regions, professions, blood types, and other variables who come for and benefit from treatment.
For now, I'm just looking to meet up with some corporate executives who'd like treatment.
let me know
peace,
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
little criticisms
Dear reader
I'd like to address in this issue something I recently learned.
I think it takes a special kind of situation, and a particular built-up strength or stamina, to handle criticism. Just think of it - someone tells you that you're doing something wrong and you have to respond to it. You can
1. ignore it
2. deny your error
3. submit to reparative action
4. contest the entire thing
5. you get the picture
So what comes next? If the person (boss, friend, lover,..) tells you something very large that incorporates many actions/thoughts/emotions -it is difficult to translate it into a cohesive thoughtful response. For example, it might take you a while to get around to realizing what happened if someone breaks up with you suddenly. On the other hand, if that someone says "Don't do that!" while you are driving on the wrong road side of the road, it's a bit easier to adjust.
What that adds up to is the following: depending on our state of mind, the person saying it, and
the situation our response is very different. In daily life this would mean that a person giving us a kind remark (with some reproach) would have a greater effect if we were ready to hear it - warmed up so to speak.
So my advice, or the recipe, is to give comments gently, in bite size pieces. That way your warm and caring attitude opens up the person (slowly) to receiving a comment or remark about something you'd like them to do differently.
that's it!
I'd like to address in this issue something I recently learned.
I think it takes a special kind of situation, and a particular built-up strength or stamina, to handle criticism. Just think of it - someone tells you that you're doing something wrong and you have to respond to it. You can
1. ignore it
2. deny your error
3. submit to reparative action
4. contest the entire thing
5. you get the picture
So what comes next? If the person (boss, friend, lover,..) tells you something very large that incorporates many actions/thoughts/emotions -it is difficult to translate it into a cohesive thoughtful response. For example, it might take you a while to get around to realizing what happened if someone breaks up with you suddenly. On the other hand, if that someone says "Don't do that!" while you are driving on the wrong road side of the road, it's a bit easier to adjust.
What that adds up to is the following: depending on our state of mind, the person saying it, and
the situation our response is very different. In daily life this would mean that a person giving us a kind remark (with some reproach) would have a greater effect if we were ready to hear it - warmed up so to speak.
So my advice, or the recipe, is to give comments gently, in bite size pieces. That way your warm and caring attitude opens up the person (slowly) to receiving a comment or remark about something you'd like them to do differently.
that's it!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Meaning of Money
Dear blog reader:
This week I would like to comment on a particular issue, which sits at the heart of much treatment debate, controversy, and lamentation.
I think we have all heard of the shortage of money in regards to public funds for mental or physical health. There is always some bureaucrat stating that "we need to curtail spending," or "create sustainable treatment programs," or the worst "achieve cost-efficiency." One might think that on the outside looking in, it may make sense that spending money needlessly is a stupid endeavor. In fact, that has some validity.
However, when one also begins to examine the large amounts of money that is made from the health industry and then poorly redistributed, it is difficult to look at the same argument and not feel a bit nauseated. For example, heatlh insurance companies notoriously make very large profits from the healthcare industry and simultaneosly willingly provide petty sums for mild preventative treatment (to the nearly healthy) and carefully limited amounts the most exacerbated patients who can no longer be denied healthcare services.
The most upsetting part of this picture is that if the system goes under reorganization - it would be possible to provide better treatment at cheaper prices to a larger portion of the population. Of course this is difficult because there are so many points of view about treatment, health insurance, money allocation, etc.
If you dear reader are interested in learning about how to make treatment successful and how to teach others empathy all the while empowering them to work with oppressed populations - please read Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains.
The book is the story of Paul Farmer, an American doctor who has done much to encourage others to help the poor. He has done it by providing an excellent level of care to a very disadvantaged population -mostly through hard work and a devotion to making others around him realize this is possible.
So what is the point that I am belaboring: I think we need to make more effort to change the general viewpoint that mental health is unachievable, too expensive, or unworthy. In fact if enough of us make an effort to work with oppressed populations we can create pathways, beliefs, and points of attentions that others can focus on and elaborate over time.
anyway - just thinking out loud.
take action!
This week I would like to comment on a particular issue, which sits at the heart of much treatment debate, controversy, and lamentation.
I think we have all heard of the shortage of money in regards to public funds for mental or physical health. There is always some bureaucrat stating that "we need to curtail spending," or "create sustainable treatment programs," or the worst "achieve cost-efficiency." One might think that on the outside looking in, it may make sense that spending money needlessly is a stupid endeavor. In fact, that has some validity.
However, when one also begins to examine the large amounts of money that is made from the health industry and then poorly redistributed, it is difficult to look at the same argument and not feel a bit nauseated. For example, heatlh insurance companies notoriously make very large profits from the healthcare industry and simultaneosly willingly provide petty sums for mild preventative treatment (to the nearly healthy) and carefully limited amounts the most exacerbated patients who can no longer be denied healthcare services.
The most upsetting part of this picture is that if the system goes under reorganization - it would be possible to provide better treatment at cheaper prices to a larger portion of the population. Of course this is difficult because there are so many points of view about treatment, health insurance, money allocation, etc.
If you dear reader are interested in learning about how to make treatment successful and how to teach others empathy all the while empowering them to work with oppressed populations - please read Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains.
The book is the story of Paul Farmer, an American doctor who has done much to encourage others to help the poor. He has done it by providing an excellent level of care to a very disadvantaged population -mostly through hard work and a devotion to making others around him realize this is possible.
So what is the point that I am belaboring: I think we need to make more effort to change the general viewpoint that mental health is unachievable, too expensive, or unworthy. In fact if enough of us make an effort to work with oppressed populations we can create pathways, beliefs, and points of attentions that others can focus on and elaborate over time.
anyway - just thinking out loud.
take action!
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