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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]> 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]> 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]> 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]> 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?

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