Dear all, In addition to Mark's response below, I attach a piece I wrote in 2008, commenting on the community psychologists' statement and highlighting the political / economic rather than altruistic nature of funding for provision of CBT. Because of the target audience, it's written rather politely! All the best, Jacqui From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark Burton Sent: 08 August 2013 23:46 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] Politically neutral BBC as always... Here it is again in one click rather than click-scroll-click: http://www.compsy.org.uk/changing%20minds.pdf I have to say the statement itself was somewhat limited - e.g. the concept of prevention is in danger of being seen technocratically - as I saw at a depressing 'Festival of Public Health' last month - all behavioural interventions and social marketing and precious little of the heroic tradition of Chadwick and others. Some of us have argued the need for a trajectory from prevention to liberation. It was also not possible to include information on the dubious evidence for CBT's eficacy, but Paul Moloney's post in this conversation does this for us. As a community psychology list we need to maintain a focus on what a community psychological alternative looks like. On 08/08/13 21:48, Mark Burton wrote: As a network we issued a statement on CBT in 2007. You can download it from this here: http://www.compsy.org.uk/Position%20statements%20and%20media%20releases.html The link to this was broken but has been restored today so people might have missed it. Mark On 08/08/13 20:16, Jivan Mohanty wrote: I would agree with Martín-Baró when he says that one cannot be a psychologist (or do psychology) 'without trying to make a contribution toward changing all those conditions that dehumanizes the majority of the population, alienating their consciousness and blocking the development of their historical identity'. He continues to say that psychology should critically question its activity and its role: 'by whom' is psychology done and 'for what benefit' is it done. Whilst Baró was specifically referring to Latin American psychology, I believe many of his ideas can apply here in different ways. I believe CBT's effect is to adjust individuals to the way of the world without problem posing their subjective experience vis-a-vis the objective and subjective social conditions, of which one may be unemployment as a political and economic tool or part of this particular socio-economic system which is not natural but designed by man. It is politically important also because it is a cheaper therapy than the alternatives, which raises the question of why this specific cheap therapy is being put in the vanguard of psychological assistance in the US and UK. In varying degrees depending on the therapist, I think it limits exploration to the individuals problems, not seeing it in the context of varying social wholes (household, local community, nation, world, etc.). It divorces the subjective effect of being unemployed (I am feeling useless) from the objective need (I want to uncover and challenge the myths around unemployment for example, and employment for that matter, and want to be actively engaged in reality, trying to transform the objective situation in, and with, the varying social wholes). It's as if, as long as the person doesn't feel useless, the psychologist's job is done, whereas humans must be way more complex than that: the manifestation of feeling useless resides itself in a whole host of interrelated basic material and psychical needs being unfulfilled. These are probably not the aims of most CBT practitioners, but I believe that CBT has the aforementioned effect. On 8 August 2013 18:15, Nicky Hartigan <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: But surely any psychologist or CBT practitioner is working with people to challenge the assumptions they may be making about having been made unemployed (ie "I've lost my job therefore I am useless") and is certainly not working to suggest that unemployment is not a problem which needs to be addressed by the government and society? Sent from my iPhone On 8 Aug 2013, at 17:36, Jivan Mohanty <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: Thank you Mike for that reference I will have a look; and I totally agree Penny. Having experienced only 4 group-sessions (not going for the remaining 2) of CBT around a year and a half ago I knew something was off with its very foundations. I am struggling to figure out how to approach the all pervasive advocacy and practice of CBT, not only in the welfare function of my University, but peers of mine. It's so frustrating because the people who advocate it are 'experts' and the peers who support it, support it exactly because it is advocated by 'experts' who are 'evidence-based', whatever that means. On 8 August 2013 15:15, pennypriest <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: But that idea, about CBT being based not on events themselves but our interpretation of events, is precisely the very foundation of CBT. So it's not just BBC reporting which is the problem, but CBT itself...which has obviously been said many times. On 2013-08-08 14:46, Michael Walton wrote: Hi, I just read the article myself and I share your concern. I'm especially worried by "CBT is based on the idea that problems aren't caused by situations themselves, but by how we interpret them in our thoughts". This sentence alone is blaming the victim, and suggests that situational factors do not matter. If an individual were depressed because they were unemployed, helping them to reinterpret their job hunt could help, but it won't improve the economy, make more jobs or remove the competition. Have you read much on critical health psychology? The area has some interesting critical view points on 'mainstream' psychology. Mike On 8 Aug 2013, at 10:26, Jivan Mohanty <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/23590545 Is anyone at least in the slightest perturbed by the BBC's article above, and general orientation towards psychology, that uncritically advocates CBT? I don't even know who authored this article. How to even begin combatting this one-dimensional view of therapy that is being made/has been made hegemonic by the BBC and other news outlets? ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK -- From: Mark Burton Scholar-Activist. Visiting Professor, Manchester Metropolitan University 37 Chandos Rd South Chorlton Manchester M21 0TH; UK Telephones: +44 (0)161 881 6887 landline +44 (0)777 594 9479 mobile skype name: markburton52 http://steadystatemanchester.net<http://steadystatemanchester.net/> Steady State Manchester http://libpsy.org<http://libpsy.org/> Liberation Psychology Network h<http://www.compsy.org.uk/>ttp://www.compsy.org.uk<http://www.compsy.org.uk/> Community Psychology UK http://mmu.academia.edu/MarkBurton Academia.edu profile http://uncommontater.net<http://uncommontater.net/> personal blog Book: Critical Community Psychology <http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405188847,descCd-buy.html> Report: In Place of Growth: Practical steps to a Manchester where people thrive without harming the planet.<http://steadystatemanchester.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/inplaceofgrowth_ipog_-content_final.pdf> [Boycott Amazon] ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK -- From: Mark Burton Scholar-Activist. Visiting Professor, Manchester Metropolitan University 37 Chandos Rd South Chorlton Manchester M21 0TH; UK Telephones: +44 (0)161 881 6887 landline +44 (0)777 594 9479 mobile skype name: markburton52 http://steadystatemanchester.net<http://steadystatemanchester.net/> Steady State Manchester http://libpsy.org<http://libpsy.org/> Liberation Psychology Network h<http://www.compsy.org.uk/>ttp://www.compsy.org.uk<http://www.compsy.org.uk/> Community Psychology UK http://mmu.academia.edu/MarkBurton Academia.edu profile http://uncommontater.net<http://uncommontater.net/> personal blog Book: Critical Community Psychology <http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405188847,descCd-buy.html> Report: In Place of Growth: Practical steps to a Manchester where people thrive without harming the planet.<http://steadystatemanchester.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/inplaceofgrowth_ipog_-content_final.pdf> [Boycott Amazon] ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK This email and any files transmitted with it were intended solely for the addressee. If you have received this email in error please let the sender know by return. Please think before you print. ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK