What do I think I'm doing?

I have to acknowledge that sometimes I simply don't know. Of course, the medical (or medicinal) models used to help those with psychological and/or emotional struggles might likely see this as heresy; you have to know. Be right.


I have just listened to two gladiatorial psychiatrists tussling over their respective positions and opinions on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.  Womens' Hour presenter - "What would you say to anyone listening who may have a very real concern about their children's ADHD diagnosis and subsequent treatment, when they hear two 'experts' unable to agree?" Their response was to completely ignore the question and to continue to battle their respective stations. 'I'm right' - 'No, I'm right!'. Quite clearly their own positions being paramount; completely ignoring the concern of their 'patient'.


I remember recently being at a seminar/workshop where an experienced and respected colleague described much of his work as 'fumbling around in the dark'. Aware as I am that this description might evoke doubt, uncertainty, hopelessness and fear in those seeking help and comfort, this, indeed, can be my experience, I cannot run, shy away, from these feelings and experiences; they are the constituents of darkness; a world we all deal with on any given day, and most certainly the central nature of therapeutic work; we are constantly fumbling around in the dark.


Daring to do this we sometimes stumble into or trip over some enlightening insight. Things can become clear through darkness.

Idiotic Assessments of Peoples' Troubles (IAPT)

'IAPT' is the acronym for 'Improving Access to Psychological Therapies'; a recent government initiative engineered by an economist whose father was a Psychoanalyst trained by one of the founding fathers of therapy, Carl Jung.
I've always had a playful, cynical response to acronyms and my outraged response to a recent talk/discussion on 'Happiness' with Lord Professor Richard Layard (said economist) at the 'How the Light Gets In' festival at Hay-on-Wye, and these recent developments with which he is inexorably connected, tempted the following from me:

Idiotic Assessments of Peoples' Troubles
Institute of Acting Profoundly Thoughtlessly
Inappropriate Analysis of Psychological Therapy
Inexcusable Acts of Projection and Transference
Initiatives Advanced from Paternal Transference
Inappropriate Acts of Philanthropic Transference

IAPT is part of Layard's Orwellian plan for a happy society; he is now running round the country promoting his book and another initiative - 'Action for Happiness'. A noble enough intent I think, though for a man of some seventy something years, alarmingly naive. In Hay, his viewpoints in discussion with Simon May, philosopher, and Jess Norman, Conservative MP, left me and many others open-mouthed. While of course, I hope his promotional and proselytising journey evokes happiness for others, and indeed himself, his belief that happiness is a measurable state, and one which can be engineered (via IAPT e.g.) all in the name of economic sense tempts me to call NAIVE!

And finally......., while I don't have the exact quote to hand, one phrase rang out from his talk at Hay; it goes something like this: "We can always resort to medication"!!! This man is the advisor to the government on our psychological therapy! Oh dear!


First Noble Truth:
birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering

This is what a therapist deals with! Happiness is a fleeting bonus. May you be happy.

It really is a risky business

Why? Why on earth be a therapist? It's so risky. I have to do and say things most uncomfortable and most discomforting. I am almost certainly going to be disliked. I'm almost certainly going to be liked. I will be invested with considerable expectation; considerable power and authority. I'm going to be loved. I am going to be hated. I might fall in love. You might fall in love with me. You really won't want to call me in the first place! You are going to think coming to see me will be VERY risky. You might feel really scared; scared that I might see your (so-called) weaknesses (those parts of you which you don't want anyone to see). So it is risky for both of us or all of us if we're in a group setting. Aaaaah!