[di meliora]

In his blog, Evil Deeds, Dr. Stephen Diamond again takes on the major issues psychotherapists currently are encountering:

Indeed, we are in the midst of a monumental mental health crisis, and in particular, a runaway rage epidemic here in America, one which has insidiously been spreading across the globe. (See my prior posts.) In my opinion, part of the cause of this crisis is our failure as a society, and, in particular, the failure of psychotherapy, to meaningfully address this profound frustration, rage and embitterment in our patients. And I suspect there is some positive correlation between the predominance in recent decades of both the pharmacological and cognitive-behavioral approach to psychiatric treatment and this surging tidal wave of anger, rage, mental illness and violence we are now witnessing. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...and-treat-ment

Dr. Diamond concludes:

Still, the kind of psychotherapy I am promoting here has less to do with the duration or cost of treatment than with how we view the fundamental nature of symptoms and purpose of treatment itself. Real psychotherapy provides patients adequate opportunity, when needed, to grapple with life's thorny questions and emotions--which are often closely, though unconsciously, related to their presenting problems. The goal of such therapy is to assist patients in developing their own philosophical or spiritual perspective in life, to find some solid psychological ground to stand upon within themselves so as to be able to deal with future issues and stressors from a position of inner strength, autonomy, integrity and stability. To find and fulfill their destiny. Or at least take some tentative steps in that direction. If psychotherapy continues to be perceived as a predetermined, mechanistic cookbook recipe of rote techniques designed just to rapidly suppress certain troublesome symptoms or behaviors, such treatment goals will increasingly seem moot. Patients receiving this sort of severely curtailed and dogmatic treatment today are being tragically deprived of a much-needed chance to consciously wrestle with what existential theologian Paul Tillich called life's "ultimate concerns." We live today in a stifling therapeutic culture that devalues talking or even thinking about such things. But if psychotherapists and patients can recognize and respect the highly pragmatic therapeutic value, power and importance of addressing meaningful subjects such as beauty, God, death, evil and the daimonic, even in brief, intensive treatment--psychodynamically, existentially, cognitively, behaviorally, and, when needed, pharmacologically, since all have their clinical value--then maybe, just maybe, psychotherapy has some small chance of surviving for another century. But only if we--clinicians and mental health consumers--are willing to stand up right now and fight passionately for its future against those who would do away with it. And let the world know that psychotherapy and its precious healing secrets is still desperately needed and worth saving. Are you ready for the next psychotherapy revolution?

We must join the revolution. Having our input in a treatment plan is so critical to achieving a good result. Too, having our input in the discussion on how best to treat patients in the realm of psychotherapy is exceedingly important.

[Fresia]

This is a good reminder of how vital our role in our treatment is and finding a provider we can believe in and work with towards our goals in treatment. Thanks for the article, E.V.

[Gus1234U]

how very true, the anger and disappointment of false and broken promises by the pharmacopia, the therapies, the talking the shocking, the locking away~~ it's not PTSD if it's still happening~!

thanks for your hard work Elan, researching this and sharing it with us~~ best wishes, Gus