[di meliora]

I found Dr. Sterling's article to be informative. He says:

Originally, the word "shrink" referred primarily to psychiatrists, but over the last 20 years its meaning has broadened and now it can be used with respect to just about any professional who does counseling or psychotherapy.

"Shrink" likely originated from a commingling of the two words "head shrink" and the single word "headshrinker," indicating that it likely originated as a disparaging reference comparing the process of psychotherapy to primitive tribal practices of shrinking the heads of enemies. Reportedly, "shrink" was first used in literature by Thomas Pynchon in his book The Crying of Lot 49 published in 1966. It figures that "shrink" had its literary birth out of the consciousness-expanding atmosphere of the 1960s.

"Shrink" has paradoxical meanings and uses and, by all analytical standards, has classic potential for connoting ambivalence (a favorite shrink word!). "Shrink" allows us to compare psychotherapy to primitive rituals, shamanism, and "sorcery" while still recognizing the more modern and scientific principles of mental wellness. "Shrink" attempts to create a balance between respect and irreverence, between affection and distancing -- can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. http://www.dearshrink.com/shrink.htm

Sterling has a more extensive discussion of the use of "patient" in a clinical setting:

Prior to the mid-1960s, the word "patient" was not under any major cloud of suspicion. A huge majority of those who consulted therapists or doctors in those days never gave a second thought to being thought of as a "patient." However, the times have been "a-changing," and the word patient is now kind of blowing in the wind in an uncertain dance with our psyches and our culture.

Some of us find no problem with being identified as a patient, while others of us find it demeaning or not particularly relevant to what is actually going on with us. Some conspiracy theorists might view the word patient as a plot to keep consumers under the medical industry's thumb.

A worthy read for me.

[lonegael]

Nowadays they are even trying to get the word "consumer" to be used here in Sweden. A bit wierd,I think. Help! I'm being Consumed by the hour! Or consuming my therapist! Now THAT is Freudian!

Originally Posted by lonegael

Nowadays they are even trying to get the word "consumer" to be used here in Sweden. A bit wierd,I think. Help! I'm being Consumed by the hour! Or consuming my therapist! Now THAT is Freudian!

same...

the word consumer is being used more and more over here

I've never used "shrink" in reference to my pdoc or t. I don't particularly care if I'm called a patient or a client one way or another. I've never heard the word "consumer" used in reference to me. Sounds really odd; don't care for that one.

[unaluna]

thanks, di. wow 1966 seems late, that would put me around 8th grade, I could swear we were trying to get mom to see a 'shrink' before that! but maybe not

[newtus]

i knew that history and ALWAYS told people

[anon61514]

I thought 'shrink' was only used in American movies, to be honest. Never heard it anywhere else. Seems very 1950's shock therapy to me.

[splitimage]

Don't get me going about patient / client /consumer labels.

The psychiatric consumer / survivor community has pretty much pushed through the term consumer for any psych patient in ON, and it drives me nuts. (no offense intended) To me consumer implies commercialism and marketing, not health care. But I'm a patient rep on my psych hospital's governing committee and I'm called a "consumer rep". I'd much rather be called a patient, because my psychiatrist is a Dr. and Dr's have patients. I think client is ok when you're talking about therapy with a non-MD, like my psychologist. I'm paying her for a service, so I'm her client.

This is a really hot button issue in the psych community in Toronto.

splitimage

[lonegael]

Believe it or not, brain shrinker is also a term used here, in direct translation, intead of head shrinker. Hjärnskrunkare. You can almost see the wrinkles in the word.

[purple_fins]

Interesting, thanks for this.

I've never cared for the label-- "shrink".... it's kind of disturbing to me

thx again,
fins

[anon61514]

I wouldn't mind if they had "Fixer" and "Wack-job" as the names, stigma will be there no matter what people call it - push on and keep on pushing :P

[possum220]

One organization near me is always using the words consumer/client.

[Yalom Fan]

Think of your clients as fellow travelers, rather than dividing into healers and the afflicted – we are all in this together and no person has immunity to the tragedies of existence.

-- Irvin Yalom

I personally despise the word; 'client' - i mean im not buying furniture from a therapist. I also don't like the word 'shrink.' It seems almost.....disrespectful. It certainly doesn't seem a professional term to me. Interesting thread thank you.