Vacuous " grief counseling " with no reference to a merciful God !

Discussion on Greater Good Science Center 1 comments

Two Views on Trauma | Greater Good

 

I carefully browsed psychologist Stephen Joseph's book " What does not kill us .. " and what I read validated my opinion that our mental health professionals abandon their critical thinking skills on the question of the capitalist social order , and even give a pass to the " crackpot realism " of the Pentagon war machine.

          But long ago I was inspired by Viktor Frankl's insights ( mentioned often by Stephen Jones ) on finding MEANING even in the midst of profound misery and suffering. Frankl had more respect for religious faith - which helps millions through life's sorrows and bitter disappointments- than most non-religious mental health professionals.

                I expect to read more of these secular versions of the " Amazing Power of Positive Thinking " which also never challenge or question a cruel and irrational capitalist economic system.

          How vacuous " grief counseling " with no reference to a merciful God ( a necessary leap of faith ? ) .

My point was exactly this : the corruption of the mental health profession . The leadership of professional Psychology and Psychiatry organizations are more concerned to defend THEIR capitalist and militarist economic/ political system than they are with the greater good of humanity.

          Whole books - written by older or retired mental health professionals with a social conscience- have been published in just the last decade critical of CONFORMIST psychiatry and psychology.

        Let any reader here view a number of documentaries on the plight of American combat veterans permanently traumatized by war horrors :

      [ " Thank You For Your Service " -the reality of war inflicted mental illness "

The U.S. military faces a mental health crisis of historic proportions. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE takes aim at our superficial understanding of war trauma and the failed policies that result. Director Tom Donahue (Casting By) interweaves the stories of four struggling Iraq War veterans with candid interviews of top military and civilian leaders. Observing the systemic neglect, the film argues for significant internal change and offers a roadmap of hope.
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As that SOCIALIST psychiatrist Erich Fromm asked in his classic " The Sane Society " : Cannot a society itself be sick ?

       American capitalist society is indeed SICK. And more and more young people are at least thinking and talking " socialism " - without embracing any form of totalitarianism . According to Fox News " democratic socialism " is all the rage on the generic Left.