Just when you need it my email client seems to be malfunctioning so this
message didn't go through an hour ago - apologies if you get it twice.
Further disorganisation is that I'm in this evening (thought I was out) so
could finalise it early evening.
Will post a slightly revised and formatted version in a few minutes.
Mark
If it's OK I will make the final changes this morning using David's
final version and adding/amending as suggested by the consensus in the
subsequent posts - a) take out the reference to clin psy, b) acknowledge
Annie's second point below, c) if possible point to preventative
strategies more explicitly ( in the notes to editors bit after the
statement). I'll add the other names that came in later.
I need to get this done by 9.30 at the latest. If this is too soon,
then let me know - phone 0161 881 6887.
Finally - if anyone has suggestions on where to send it, newsdesk faxes,
emails etc let me know.
Is there anyone who can act as contact person for enquiries - I'd rather
not do this as my areas of expertise/affiliation would be seen as to
specialised to be credible.
Mark
Annie Mitchell wrote:
> Dear David, Thanks for this and for the chance to have a final
comment.It is looking good, and I like the title and summary statement.
2 points. . ( acknowledging I am maybe just being too picky now)
>
>
>
> 1) I don;t want to be make comparisons with clinical psychologists as
if to imply that level of training is some sort of ideal ; I suggest
change the wording at the end of sentence 1 under notes for editors to
" by people who have some basic training" instead of " by people who
have shorter training than clinical psychologists".
>
> 3) , my understanding is that the planned low volume high intensity
interventions are to be based on what's called a stepped care model,
starting with guided self-help, using techniques drawn from cognitive
behaviour therapy , and leading from low level interventions to more
complex interventions for those whose anxiety/ depressions is not
helped by the less intensive interventions. Critics of our statement
would say that the whole point of these low volume high intensity
interventions are to deal with the very issue that there will never be
enough people to go round 1:1 for everyone who "needs help". I don't
seem to be able to find the concise wording needed to capture the
argument here, but am aware tht our statement as it stands, unless it
acknowedges this, risks being seen as insufficiently aware of what is
actually intended. David, can you find a wording that would capture
this.. sorry; too late at night now for my brain to work properly.
>
> Annie
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List on behalf of David Fryer
> Sent: Mon 15/10/2007 21:52
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: The CBT announcement - who is going to tell them they've
been had? Penultimate version?
>
> Dear All,
>
> Below please find the revised penultimate version of the statement as
promised. I have tried to incorporate all the suggestions made which are
consistent with community critical psychology as I understand it. I
apologise in advance for the points I have missed or garbled.
>
> 6 preliminary points
>
> 1.
> I revised my draft statement in line with posts posted before 1900
before looking at Mark's and Julie's suggested versions. I amended it
again to accommodate some of Mark's points which had not already been
amended (many had).
> 2.
> I preferred to stick with the version which has been considered on this
list rather than Julie's more popular version. It might seem just a
matter of style but the version which has evolved below is a
condensation oflots of quite carefully made points and I would
personally prefer not tolose those.
> 3.
> I think it has been important for this whole process to be open and I
would prefer the final stages to done in public on the list too
personally.
> 4.
> I did not add in comments about 'self actualisation/realisation of
human potential set in within the context of the communities and
society we live in' or 'PSA 16 Agreement' because I see them both as
critically problematic, think others might too and think we should
stick with what has been generally agreed
> 5.
> I have intended to append as signatories only and all the names of
people who explicitly asked to have their names included. Some people
may have thought that was implied. If your name is not there and you
wish it tobe, please make that clear ASAP.
> 6.
> Apologies if the snappy 'title' is not snappy enough for you
>
> David
>
>
> For immediate release
>
> Statement
>
>
>
> Changing politicians' minds about changing our minds
>
>
>
> "Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and associated approaches are
comprehensively problematic. Primary prevention is only way to
substantially reduce socially, economically and materially caused
distress. To be effective primary prevention must involve social rather
than cognitive change. Reducing income inequality in our society would
be one of the most effective ways to reduce psychological distress and
ill health" says the UK Community Psychology Network.
>
>
>
> Notes for Editors:
>
>
>
> The government has recently announced £170m is to be made available by
2010 to increase the availability of low intensity, high volume,
interventions, of which Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is currently
the most favoured, to be delivered at primary care level to adults of
working age by people who have shorter training than clinical
psychologists.
>
> We welcome the recognition of widespread emotional distress and the will
to spend public money on it but the scale of socially caused distress is
so vast and growing so rapidly that it is impossible to 'treat it
better' by training enough individuals to treat all individuals in
distress one at a time with any therapeutic technique.
>
> Even if we could train enough of such practitioners, there is little
reason to think that the one to one talking treatments by professionals
aremore than marginally effective in the hands of some practitioners for
some people, especially those in the most difficult living circumstances
>
> Whilst classic community psychology research suggests that untrained
volunteers are usually more effective than professionals in delivering
helpthrough talking and listening, the effectiveness CBT and kindred
interventions in any hands is widely exaggerated and they are impossible
to apply in many situations.
>
> Moreover these treatments individualise social problems, draw
attentionaway from the more important social economic and material
causes of distress and position individual cognitive dysfunction as both
the cause of the person's problem and the locus for intervention.
>
> It is bad enough to be depressed because you have been unemployed or to
be anxious because you are subjected to regular domestic violence
without being told your depression or anxiety are caused by your own
dysfunctional cognitions. Blaming the victim like this imposes
irrelevant therapeutic rituals on top of societal oppression
>
> Besides, when those treated go back into the psychologically toxic
contexts which had made them distressed in the first place, to which
many or most will have no alternative, they are subjected to the same
social causes of distress all over again and if those treated do not go
back into those psychological toxic contexts, there will still be an
epidemic of newly damaged people coming on stream due others being
subjected to the ignored social causes of distress.
>
> Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and associated approaches are
comprehensively problematic and primary prevention is only way to
substantially reducesocially, economically and materially caused
distress. To be effective primary prevention must involve social rather
than cognitive change. Contemporary research shows that reducing income
inequality in our society would be one of the most effective ways to
reduce psychological distress andill health.
>
>
>
> John Cromby
>
> Bob Diamond
>
> David Fryer
>
> Annie Mitchell
>
> Paul Moloney
>
> Penny Priest
>
> Mark Rapley
>
> David Smail
>
>
>
> on behalf of the UK Community Psychology Network
>
>
>
>
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