I should like to let people know that I totally agree with Wendy's email,
and add a political note (with a deliberate small"P".)
I went to Richard Layard's lectures at LSE and was very taken by his
Happiness Economics and its crossover with psychology. There was a very
interesting paper in the Psychologist by Oswald as well. Layard's lecture
notes and references are on cep.lse.ac.com, and worth down loading.
The two concepts I would like to see openly addressed by community
psychologists are;
happiness....unashamedly
and politics....local action.
I look forward to hearing how we might develop a debate on our aims which
brought in these issues.
Andrea Hughes
>From: "Franks, Wendy - Clinical Psychologist"
><[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: whose interests . . . continued
>Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 12:02:44 -0000
>
>I was interested to read both of your comments, Penny and David.
>
>I must say that whilst I appreciate your concerns, David, about much work
>of
>psychologists protecting our own self-interests, that I tend to agree with
>Penny on the importance of sharing information. If I hadn't come across
>ideas and research from a critical/community perspective, I could well have
>developed into a much more medical-model/individualistically biased kind of
>clinical psychologist. I find it difficult, working within a medically
>dominated, individually biased system, to put forward an alternative view.
>But, for now at least, I am deciding to continue working within that system
>in an attempt to have a degree of influence, against the medicalising of
>distress, within my own small, local area. I acknowledge that I have a
>(rather small) amount of power, and a voice within this organisation, which
>I endeavour to use in a way that I can live with. There may come a time
>when
>I feel that this is no longer sustainable, but in the mean time, hearing
>and
>reading about the work of other similar-minded people gives me ideas,
>inspires me, and enables me to stay positive.
>
>I felt chastened by your remarks, David, about how it is not enough 'to
>'think' that 'hopefully' people we work with will benefit 'at the end of
>the
>day'?', I may not have been as clear or articulate in stating my
>intentions,
>but I wonder how much what I try to achieve actually differs from your
>search for 'ways to work with integrity and solidarity with community
>members to make a positive difference'?
>
>Of course power can be used against people with less power. But surely that
>is the point of much of our efforts, to offer our skills and power for
>others to use. You want to use your skills to the benefit of the groups you
>work within. You acknowledge that yours are different to others' skills,
>but
>that they may be of use to the group. Ultimately we make decisions about
>how
>and where to allow this to happen. We each have to make these decisions,
>and
>I think it is helpful to have a forum where we can be challenged, rather
>than simply assume that our own good intentions are good enough. And for
>this reason, I'm grateful for your comments and contributions here.
>
>I was curious about your last request for research relating to clubhouse
>models of mental health. Clearly you do appreciate the value of
>publication.
>I'm sorry to say that I'm not familiar with that research, but I look
>forward to investigating Jill Anderson's suggestions and any others that
>come up through this site. Within the trust in which I work, there is a
>cafe
>that was set up jointly, and is run by service users, but I don't know of
>any publications in relation to it.
>
>Wendy
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: pennypriest [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: 02 March 2003 14:29
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: whose interests . . . continued
>
>
>Hi David
>I am replying to you, with the thoughts and words of George Albee fresh in
>my mind from his talk in Nottingham. Along with Richard Wilkinson (and
>Carolyn Kagan in a previous talk), George advocated trying to bring about a
>PUBLIC recognition of psychosocial processes, and to keep going on with
>this
>until people realise, or accept publicly, what the real origins of distress
>may be.
>
>If you are looking for 'ways to work with integrity and solidarity with
>community members to make a positive difference' I think it would be really
>helpful to have something like a SIG (I personally already find the West
>Midlans Community and Critical Psychology Interest Group helpful); as a 1st
>year clinical psychology trainee, it is very hard to think of, let alone
>create, ways of making a positive difference when the dominant model is one
>with an 'individualistic bias, one to one intra-psychi treatment default
>and
>collusion with medical model assumptions.'
>
>I agree with what sounds like an ethical stance of the highest order, in
>terms of being part of a group, and your work actively contributing to
>change rather than simply talking about it. However, the very fact that you
>need to make your point through this forum indicates to me how important it
>is for these sorts of ideas to be shared. It also highlights the difficult
>balance that needs to be maintained in working in this way. But I really
>don't think you should be keeping quiet about it. It things need to change,
>people need to make a noise. This was what George Albee was recommending
>the
>other day. He talked about his faith in the power of research (and truth).
>He stressed the idea and possibilities of, for example, ridiculing the
>pharmaceutical industry, and to keep 'hammering away' to get the attention
>of the public.
>
>George also identified the increasing number of undergraduates who may be
>receptive to critical and community psychology messages - they have been
>brought up in a world where 'there is a drug or pill for firtually
>everything.' He also named environmental activists as another 'obvious
>force
>which can be mobilised.'
>
>Finally, I would like to draw to people's attention an article 'Off The
>Treadmill: Transfering the system of academic assessment' by Lee-Anne
>Broadhead, which appeared in Resurgence Jan/Feb 2003. She mentioned the RAE
>in particular, but to give a bit more of a flavour she said: 'My own
>experience tells me that the real thrill of research come from finding a
>voice in a magazine such as Resurgence. Connecting with a community of
>readers which not only shares the basic ethical stance which underlies my
>own work, but which is also actively involved in the task of changing the
>world, is far more fulfilling than publishing any number of academic
>article. Sharing knowledge, information, ideas and even strategies for
>change is the real goal of academic research. If we only talk among
>ourselves, what is the point?'
>
>I look forward to anyone's comments.
>Penny Priest
>----- Original Message -----
>From: David Fryer <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2003 10:10 PM
>Subject: whose interests . . . continued
>
>
> > To continue the discussion re. whose interests it would serve to write
>up
> > the work with the mental health expressive arts group I mentioned . ..
> >
> > The work with young mothers sounds interesting and the points about RAE
>and
> > publication are relevant for some but neither is really germane to the
>point
> > I was trying to make. I will try again.
> >
> > It is precisely serving the interests of clinicians and psychologists
>which
> > concerns me and which I want to avoid.
> >
> > This is not just about scepticism of the role and value of clinical
> > psychology though my bias is that mainstream clinical psychology with
>its
> > individualistic bias, one to one intra-psychic treatment default and
> > collusion with medical model assumptions is part of the problem rather
>than
> > part of the solution. I wonder if clinical psychology qua clinical
> > psychology is compatible with community psychology?
> >
> > More importantly it seems to me that psychologists, collectively,
>already
> > spend massive amounts of time, effort and resources trying to promote
>their
> > own interests.
> >
> > I have for a long time had reservations about setting up a special
>interest
> > group, section or division of the BPS precisely because of such
>concerns.
> > The last thing we need is yet another type of credentialed middle class
> > professional alien called 'community psychologist' to parachute into
> > communities.
> >
> > There are already loads of talking shops and groups to promote the
>interests
> > of psychologists and such groups usually soon become preoccupied with
>their
> > own expansion or maintenance and power issues within and between it and
> > other bodies.
> >
> > What I am looking for are not more ways to promote each others'
>interests
> > nor ways to provide new ways of working for clinical psychologists nor a
>new
> > specialism of community psychologist professionals but ways to work with
> > integrity and solidarity with community members to make a positive
> > difference. It is just not enough to 'think' that 'hopefully' people we
>work
> > with will benefit 'at the end of the day'?
> >
> > Not only do we seldom make a positive difference but we sometimes make
> > things worse. Because of this I doubt whether reaching the widest
>possible
> > audience with publications is desirable. Given the oppressive
>distribution
> > of power in out society, whatever we do with whatever intentions can be
>used
> > to further disadvantage those we work with and for. I have found this
>with
> > my unemployment and mental health work certainly. If our work can be
>used
>as
> > a stick to beat the already disadvantaged, perhaps we are better to keep
>it
> > away from some stakeholders?
> >
> > To come to the point, now the context is clearer, what interests me in
> > working with REACHOUT is to be of assistance to the group to promote
>their
> > effectiveness and thus to be part of a team promoting mental health and
> > reducing stigma and stereotype in relation to mental health issues. I
>want
> > to do this without treating members as subjects, participants, clients
>or
> > patients, as a source of data, as case study or as raw material for
>articles
> > wherever they might be published. I want to use my particular skills as
> > others do theirs in the group. Sometimes this might involve research and
> > writing skills but the prime interest group here is the group membership
>not
> > the academy or the profession. Sometimes publishing helps - as in making
> > future funding for the group more likely through constructing sources of
> > legitimisation beyond the local area. Usually it will serve no purpose
> > oither than to distract from the job in hand?
> >
> > David
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: annie mitchell
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: 21/02/2003 11:03
> > Subject: Re: research collaboration
> >
> > Great reply, Wendy, I love your example of writing up more
> > locally. But it is hard for "academics" when our
> > institutions do not rate that sort of non RAE output and
> > tempting to be cynical - a feeling that with academic
> > output it is often merely insitutional insitutions whose
> > interests are being served, and that the criteria for (most
> > academic publications , with JCASP an honourable exception)
> > do not necessarily include the sorts of criteria that the
> > ppeople who we are trying to serve in the public sector
> > would rate (does the work share power, is it participatroy,
> > does it challenge inequalities, is it on topics that are
> > likely to meake a real difference to peoples' lives etc,
> > etc).
> > Annie
> >
> > On Thu, 20 Feb 2003 09:54:01 -0000 "Franks, Wendy -
> > Clinical Psychologist"
> > <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > > Interesting work, you describe, David. 'Stirling work' made me
> > smile... a
> > > double-entendre? But whose interests would it serve to write it up?
> > >
> > > Well, I think it would serve the interests of people like me, who are
> > > working to bring community psychology ideas into our clinical work in
> > > practical and meaningful ways. And also the people with whom I work,
> > who
> > > would hopefully benefit at the end of the day. I think there are
> > issues
> > > about the best vehicle for dissemination of this work...in academic
> > > journals, or somewhere more accessible. Ideally both, so you reach the
> > > widest audience. Some work that I was involved with (a group - with a
> > mental
> > > health promotion agenda - for mothers of young children in an inner
> > city
> > > estate) was written about in our local press, as a way to promote the
> > group
> > > locally, and acknowledge the achievements of the women who made it
> > happen.
> > > The development of the group followed on from my ClinPsyD thesis
> > research,
> > > so I am also in the process of writing it up to submit for
> > publication.
> > >
> > > Why not write about the wonderful things you are involved in? Where
> > else
> > > will 'young' psychologists like me find our inspiration?
> > >
> > > Wendy
> > >
> > > COMMUNITYPSYCHUK - The discussion list for community psychology in the
> > UK.
> > > To unsubscribe or to change your details visit the website:
> > > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/COMMUNITYPSYCHUK.HTML
> > > For any problems or queries, contact the list owner at
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> > Annie Mitchell
> > Lecturer in Psychology,
> > Clinical Director, Doctorate in Clinical and Community Psychology,
> >
> > School of Psychology,
> > Washington Singer Building,
> > University of Exeter,
> > Exeter,
> > EX4 4QG
> >
> > Phone 01392 264621 or
> > Liz Mears, Programme Administrator 01392 403184
> >
> > COMMUNITYPSYCHUK - The discussion list for community psychology in the
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> > To unsubscribe or to change your details visit the website:
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