tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post2355911452009987391..comments2024-03-18T03:28:36.581-04:00Comments on Shrink Rap: Questioning the RulesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-68389117852201894542014-11-30T12:38:35.363-05:002014-11-30T12:38:35.363-05:00I think when the psychiatrist or therapist shares ...I think when the psychiatrist or therapist shares some information about themselves it can be helpful. I've seen different mental health professionals over the years, and the blank slate thing doesn't work for me. I met a psychiatrist once who had no facial expressions. I kept thinking "flat affect," "poor eye contact," etc and wondered what her diagnosis was. It was like talking to a tree stump. I spent the entire time trying to see if I could get her to have a single facial expression, and it was a waste of time. I never went back. <br /><br />Then, I had the opposite extreme where a male psychiatrist told me waaaaay too much about himself. I know his kids' names, I know about his life growing up, I know some things about his love life, etc. He talked too much in general. He constantly quoted books and movies, and it had a show off quality to it. That psychiatrist needed some serious therapy, himself.<br /><br />The therapist and psychiatrist who have been helpful to me have disclosed minimal personal information about themselves in an appropriate manner. It shows they're human. I need them to show they are human.<br /><br />P-KAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-89406671789897529862014-11-26T16:57:39.503-05:002014-11-26T16:57:39.503-05:00My shrink tells me where she is going on vacation ...My shrink tells me where she is going on vacation and it's actually one of the things I most love about her. Jennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-7970447296599007282014-11-25T02:49:14.721-05:002014-11-25T02:49:14.721-05:00Non-disclosure is more a guideline than a "ru...Non-disclosure is more a <a href="http://blog.stevenreidbordmd.com/?p=11" rel="nofollow">guideline</a> than a "rule." Competent psychodynamic therapists assess what and how much to disclose on a case by case basis. Rather than debunking analytic methods in general, Weiss shows that Freudian (ego psychology) interpretation is not always the best approach. This hasn't been news since object relations theory was developed by psychoanalysts Melanie Klein, DW Winnicott and others over 70 years ago.<br /><br />The actual practice of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy is a good deal more nuanced than detractors imagine. Difficult patients often highlight our neglect of existing analytic theory that anticipates the problem. The article is a good illustration of a healing relationship, an important part — but only a part — of dynamic work.<br /><br />The article on violence and mental illness again highlights how the term "mental illness" obscures more than it clarifies. After all, nicotine addiction is in the DSM. If we limit relevant "mental illnesses" to those associated with violence, we just made the association tautological (circular). It makes much more sense to predict future violence based on past violence. However, restricting gun ownership on this basis overlooks confounding factors. E.g., people in violent settings are the very ones most apt to seek the protection a firearm provides. As an extreme example, consider police officers. I wonder how many "minor disputes" a typical officer has in an average work week? (Not blaming the cops, just saying that context matters.)Steven Reidbord MDhttp://blog.stevenreidbordmd.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-78663066259076264712014-11-24T15:33:17.871-05:002014-11-24T15:33:17.871-05:00I like this post a lot. I tried to make (what I t...I like this post a lot. I tried to make (what I think was) a similar point in a post on my blog entitled, "Psychotherapy As A Game of Discovery." Sometimes negotiating the rules is the important part of psychotherapy.<br /><br />(If this post is too self-serving, I'm sorry. I just get excited about this topic.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-27821561813267757242014-11-24T15:25:19.822-05:002014-11-24T15:25:19.822-05:00This article highlights the damage done to psychia...This article highlights the damage done to psychiatry in general, but especially psychotherapy, by the unfortunate association with psychoanalytic theory. There's even yet another embarrassing couch cartoon. At least there is a disclaimer telling us that the details of the case were changed, which is more than I can say for articles by Dr. Friedman in the same publication. moviedochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03617061594621924756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-35019321182322031072014-11-23T11:02:06.988-05:002014-11-23T11:02:06.988-05:00I read the article by Robin Weiss -- and appreciat...I read the article by Robin Weiss -- and appreciated it very much. I have revealed some choice personal bits of info about myself to folks over the years and have seldom regretted it. It has to be about the pt, not about me. Some people want to know nothing about the therapist and some want some basis for connection. It is also different if a pt is meds only vs therapy. The relationship is not always the same and therefore we have to be flexible about what works for the relationship. <br /><br />Thanks for posting this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com