MetaFilter posts tagged with Psychotherapy

Psychological Science?

escabeche — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:14:44 -0800

"Research has shown that numerous psychological interventions are efficacious, effective, and cost-effective. However, these interventions are used infrequently with patients who would benefit from them, in part because clinical psychologists have not made a convincing case for the use of these interventions ... and because clinical psychologists do not themselves use these interventions even when given the opportunity to do so." In Psychological Science in the Public Interest, psychologists Timothy Baker, Richard McFall, and Varda Shoham argue that clinical psychology needs to embrace its status as a science in order to save itself as a profession. If that's too long, Walter Mischel -- yes, the marshmallow guy -- writes an accompanying editorial. : "The disconnect between much of clinical practice and the advances in psychological science is an unconscionable embarrassment..."

Aaron Beck & Cognitive Therapy

Non Prosequitur — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:05:20 -0800

“The psychoanalytic mystique was overwhelming. It was a little bit like the evangelical movement.” How Aaron Beck and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helped increase empiricism in psychotherapy.

The Concept of Internal Cohabitation

memebake — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:36:09 -0800

Each person has one mind, right? Wrong, according to the Concept of Internal Cohabitation - we are all born with two autonomous, sentient minds. One of them can think rationally and relate to other people, and one of them is fundamentally negative in outlook, and opposed to relating. Both minds watch the world through our senses, but compete for control of the body. But if this is indeed the case, why is it not common knowledge? How could such a fundamental aspect of human nature go unnoticed for so long? The answer is twofold. The second, non-relational mind hates to be recognised or seen. It frequently acts covertly, influencing the actions of the relational mind and leaving it thinking that it is the only mind making choices. When the non-relational mind does take complete control of the body, it may well wreak havoc, but the relational mind is left thinking that it was responsible. After such an incident, someone might well explain that they had 'lost control'. The other part of the answer is that it hasn't gone unnoticed; the duality of humans has long been recognised, which is why it is such an enduring theme in art, literature and film. Jeykll and Hyde, the Incredible Hulk, Gollum and Smeagol, Anakin and Darth Vader, and Fight Club all fascinate us with their dualistic stories. Consider also many idioms of speech: "In two minds", "Out of one's mind", "singleminded determination". Do these stories and phrases all point to a deeper truth? The Concept of Internal Cohabitation has been developing in psychotherapy circles for about 15 years. Terminology around the subject can get complicated, because our language usually assumes one mind per body. In psychotherapy papers on the subject, 'the patient' normally refers to the relational mind, and 'the co-habitee' or 'co-habiting other mind' refers to the non-relational mind. The psychotherapy material suggests that in 'normal' humans, the actions of the non-relational mind may be fairly subtle - the odd bit of irrational behaviour, minor addictions, the occasional act of self sabotage. In 'mentally ill' humans, the distinction and contract between the two minds is much greater - as in psychosis, paranoid schizophrenia, etc. As the sitation of two minds in one body is considered to be permanent, there can be no question of 'removing' or 're-integrating' the non-relational mind. Instead, "treatment is conceived of as fostering the development in the patient of a genuine capability for making decisions in life which adequately take account of the needs of his own mind and that of his cohabiting other mind. This is complicated by the fact that the other mind never wants what he needs and hates anyone having his needs met including his own. This does not preclude having those needs met but it does mean that the process of working out how to do this requires a great deal of detailed knowledge of both minds." Internal Cohabitation is referenced in many psychotherapy journal articles, but there are very few mentions of it on free-to-view internet pages. Here is a selection of links to papers, unfortunately none of them free: Who is the mad voice inside? (Dr M Sinason, 1993) Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Vol 7 Part 3 (A longer version of the essay linked to at the top of this post) Cohabitation and the negative therapeutic reaction (Richards, 1993) Psychoanalytic psychotherapy Vol 7 Part 3 p 223-39 Clinical application of the concept of Internal Cohabitation (Jenkins, 1999) British Journal of Psychotherapy Vol 16 Part 1 p27-42 How can you keep your hair on? (Sinason, M, 1999) Publiched in Psychosis (Madness), edited by Paul Williams, Institute of Psychoanalysis, London Art Therapy And The Concept Of Internal Cohabitation (Wright, 2004) International Journal of Art Therapy, Volume 9, Issue 1 Living with an internal other: an extended review of psychoanalysis, identity and ideology (Tower, 2005) Psychotherapy and Politics International, Volume 3 Issue 1 Narcoleptic States in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (Richards, 2007) British Journal of Psychotherapy, Volume 11 Issue 4 Psychodynam ic Practice, Special issue, February 2007 Psychodynamic Practice Volume 13, Number 1 - a special issue containing 4 papers and an editorial on the subject of Internal Cohabitation. Paranoia about the existence of an internal other - a serious clinical and social problem - A talk given by Dr Sinason at the Tavistock clinic in March 2007. The talk is not online but this page has a summary of the talks that day. The most complete free link available is Dr Sinason's essay Who is the Mad Voice Inside?, the main link at the top of this post.

"I think that the mad voice inside is someone who is conceived at the same time as the patient and shares the same sex as the patient since they share the same body. Living all of his life out of sight and out of the mind of others the cohabiting other mind becomes attached to his isolation and hates to be seen. He never has his own name and will hate any name that anyone gives him. The profound isolation and abandonment which is intrinsic to his experience gives rise to autoerotic preoccupation with bodily sensations and an extreme negativism in relation to the human interpersonal environment. The mind of the cohabiting other is impaired by his preference for relating to body experiences rather than the interpersonal world. This leads to difficulties in language development and emotional processing so that this internal other being has a very different childhood from the patient."

Now, assuming that the Concept of Internal Cohabitation is correct, then bear in mind that while you have been reading this, your co-habiting other mind may also have been reading it, and quite possibly misunderstanding large parts of it on your behalf. So if you are now feeling that this idea is 'crazy', or you are feeling angry or feel like dismissing the whole idea out of hand, it could be that you are experiencing interference from your cohabiting mind.

The Gloria Tapes

Del Far — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:19:22 -0800

In 1975 a young divorced mother named "Gloria" volunteers, in an attempt to find some answers to the problems in her life, to be videotaped being a client to three rather new psychotherapies: Person-Centered Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy. Not only is she filmed participating in each therapy, she receiving the therapies from the respective founders of each therapy, Carl Rogers (Part 1, sadly it's cut short), Fritz Perls (Part 2), and Albert Ellis (Part 3). They all take the time before each therapy to explain their methods and there beliefs and how the therapy will go.

LSD Psychotherapy Artwork

homunculus — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:00:52 -0800

Visions From LSD Psychotherapy. Artwork created by patients undergoing LSD psychotherapy, from the book by Stanislav Grof. There are more resources on psychedelics at the Bibliographia Studiorum Psychedelicorum. [Via Mind Hacks.]

Turn on, tune in, get out

homunculus — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:42:40 -0800

Entheogens and Psychotherapy. A 2001 paper by Canadian psychotherapist Andrew Feldmar on the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelics and his own experience with LSD. Now, because of this paper, he is no longer allowed to enter the U.S. [Via Mind Hacks.]

If you'll show me yours.

escabeche — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 09:27:09 -0800

Nude Marathon! Psychotherapy traveled down a lot of strange paths in the 60s and early 70s, but perhaps none stranger than the naked group therapy sessions, some up to 48 hours long, supervised by Paul Bindrim. Bindrim's sessions were the subject of a documentary film and an unflattering, thinly fictionalized novel by Gwen Davis Mitchell. Bindrim sued Mitchell for libel. Can descriptions of a fictional character be libelous of a real person? Yes.

Oh... the evils of psychotherapy.

gregb1007 — Tue, 18 Nov 2003 04:09:52 -0800

Oh... the evils of psychotherapy. And they are many - by turning to therapists, we don't get the strong emotional bonds that are the benefit of sharing your trouble with friends. (More Inside)