Amen.
However I think it is actually unhelpful to keep attacking CBT a
relentlessly negative way (I know not everyone does but . Lord Layard
may have a hugely simplified view of social difficulties and know only
marginally more about how to interpret any sort of evidence than the
Society of Homeopaths (the least credible thing I can think of of the
top of my head) but I think he sincerely believes in the power of CBT to
help people. (in fact I rather feel his sincerity is part of the
problem). Completely trashing this on the other hand is actually
basically pretty alienating to people (though undeniably satisfying if
you like intellectual blood sports).
As well as providing everyone with an opportunity for critical thinking
(though the members of this list may they don't need it) I can't help
feeling that there is something to be learned from Lord L's lobbying.
Though as part of it is basically a kind of intellectual debasement one
wouldn't obviously want to copy it in its entirety.
A challenge for me is to try and have a more informed and in depth
debate.
J
________________________________
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Smail
Sent: 05 December 2007 11:27
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "I doubt if press releases will achieve much, even if they
get taken up"
I don't disagree with any of that, David. There are definite proximal
benefits to forming and expressing solidarity. The point I wanted to
emphasize was that the Layards of the world, the UCL 'CORE' and DCP
people that Craig also referred to, in many ways understand and use
power better than 'we' often do.
To reinforce Craig's point, as long as I can remember (which is longer
than most!) our democratically elected leaders in clinical psychology,
anyway, have pretty well without exception been mesmerized by power and
occasionally quite good at manipulating it. The only power-critical
person who immediately comes to mind who had a similar understanding of
political structures was Don Bannister, who now, sadly, hardly anyone
remembers. While he was around there was greater awareness, I think,
that, for example, the BPS is a democratic structure, and if we don't
like the direction its officers take us, there is nothing to stop us
trying to do something about it through already existing, established
channels. While there are lots of things we can't do, like influencing
world politics, there are in fact some things we could, in principle,
do, like attacking and exposing the dishonest and potentially oppressive
practices of our own profession, and perhaps indeed setting up in
opposition to them via the said democratic channels. Though I
profoundly disapprove of it, I think one has to acknowledge that the
'CBT lobby's' penetration of governmental structure is quite an
impressive achievement. I'm sure there are all sorts of reasons for
this state of affairs, but it certainly isn't that 'our' hands are tied.
David
________________________________
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Fryer
Sent: 04 December 2007 22:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] "I doubt if press releases will achieve
much, even if they get taken up"
Dear David,
Just to pick up on your comment "I doubt if press releases will achieve
much, even if they get taken up"
I agree of course that policies, procedures and practices which create
and maintain oppression are powerfully entrenched and vigorously
defended. Poverty will not disappear because of a UK CP press release
nor will those who make vast amounts of money through Seroxat be quaking
in their boots after the UK CP statement in support of SUG (though I
think the way big pharma sometimes vigorously and sustainedly goes for
individuals who critique them suggests that such critique is threatening
to their interests at least to some extent). However, I think press
releases and similar statements may nevertheless have other worthwhile
outcomes.
The now defunct ENCP (European Network of Community Psychology) was not
a particularly politically active or progressive organisation and the
newer ECPA (European Community Psychology Association) showed little
sigh of that either. At the recent ECPA meeting in Seville, Ilana
Mountian, Paul Duckett and I discussed the appeal that had been
circulated by Art Veno for support for Australian psychologists lobbying
for the APS to take a strong stand against the complicity of
psychologists in torture and moved a motion at the final plenary that
the meeting send a message of support to Art. After a brief discussion
there was an unanimous collective decision to send the message of
support from ECPA. Immediately after the decision there was a round of
applause. I believe that this was more than an act of self
congratulation but that engaging collectively in critical reflection and
to act in collective solidarity was enormously valuable in many ways to
those who did so. In this case Art Veno has also said that he believes
the statement was valuable to colleagues in Australia in achieving a
progressive outcome. I do not want to overstate this. The statement was
not particularly radical, the effect was no doubt miniscule both locally
and distally etc but collective resistance even in such small ways is
important in itself and prefigures what is possible when we act
critically and collectively and makes that more likely in my view.
I write a short regular column for "The Community Psychologist" a sort
of newsletter for SCRA (Div 27 of the APA) about community psychology in
Europe. This goes to all SCRA members worldwide. Because I think such
statements have some value I included in my recent piece reference to
both the UK CP poverty statement and the ECPA torture statement:.
"As community and critical psychologists we believe that psychologists
have a fundamental responsibility to join with others to end both
poverty and societal inequality independent of absolute wealth, which we
believe are personally, collectively and socially destructive.
We believe mainstream psychology to be complicit with the prevailing
psychologically toxic neo-liberal economic order and believe psychology
has allowed itself to be used to hide systemic effects of poverty and
inequality and instead position poverty as a consequence of individual
psychological dysfunction.
We call for the radical transformation of psychology so that it has
the resources necessary to expose the personally, collectively and
socially destructive effects of poverty and inequality and the proactive
deployment, with allies, of this transformed psychology to end poverty
and societal inequality and the exploitation, exclusion, oppression,
distress and illness which result from them."
"Those present at the final plenary session of the II European Community
Psychology Association International Seminar ("Integrating new migrants
in the New Europe: A Challenge for Community Psychology") held in
Seville, Spain 19-21 September 2007 considered the widely circulated
request by eminent community psychologist Professor Art Veno for
international support in his attempts to ensure that the involvement of
psychologists in the practice of torture is condemned by the Australian
Psychological Society. Those present at the final plenary session of the
II European Community Psychology Association International Seminar in
Seville unanimously voted to send a message of support from the meeting
to Professor Veno, his colleagues and all those condemning the
involvement of psychologists in the practice of torture".
Of course if we did no more than talk and reach collective decisions on
such issues and disseminate them we would be doing something perhaps a
very little something but that is an argument for doing more, not less
David
________________________________
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List on behalf of David
Smail
Sent: Tue 12/4/2007 08:56
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: FW: Mental Health and Employment
Annie - in response to your last two postings.
I think you do an excellent job of listing the difficulties, and I also
see
little chance of things changing in the short or medium term. I think
perhaps that one of our problems is that we (insofar as one can talk of
'we'
on this list!) are both apathetic and scornful in the face of the
institutions of power (though not at all in other ways), whereas those
'we'
often see as 'them' (e.g. Layard et al.) are patient, persistent,
industrious - sometimes, indeed, obsessive in the lengths they will go
to to
find their way around the structures that shape and support our society.
As
an example, I think a perusal of the 'CORE' website (start at
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/clinical-health-psychology/CORE/CBT_Framework.htm)
is
instructive. Until I read it,I for one had no idea how thoroughly
embedded
the CBT lobby had become in the DoH,etc., and one can see some of that
influence reflected in the dismaying document you attached.
I don't of course know what the answers are - if there are any - but I
doubt
if press releases will achieve much, even if they get taken up.
David
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Annie Mitchell
Sent: 04 December 2007 07:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] FW: Mental Health and Employment
Dear all,
Lots to critically comment on re the attached latest government
initative..
For example note the business language in this. People are called
customers.
Annie
________________________________________
From: Social Inclusion Discussion Group
[[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 December 2007 13:28
To: Annie Mitchell
Cc: Ana Padilla; Graham Turpin
Subject: [social-inclusion] Mental Health and Employment
Dear Colleagues
Please find attached a statement from Peter Hain Secretary of State for
Work
and Pensions.
with all good wishes
Nigel
P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail, or its
attachments
Can we send this out asap,
Many thanks,
Fabian
Dr. Fabian Davis
Consultant Psychologist (Community & Social Inclusion) Lead for Social
Inclusion Bromley Mental Health Services Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust Ist
Floor Keswick House 207A Anerley Road Penge London SE20 8ER
Tel: 020 8778 9548
________________________________
From: Carol Chads [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 30 November 2007 17:25
To: Carol Chads
Subject:
Dear All
Please see the attached for your information.
Best regards
Brendan
Brendan McLoughlin,
Programme Director for Wellbeing, Inclusion and Psychological Therapies,
London Development Centre, part of the Care Services Improvement
Partnership, 11-13, Cavendish Square, London W1G 0AN Phone; 020 7307
2431
Mobile: 07721 670863
e-mail:
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
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