A Word of Caution Against Pathologizing

July 15th, 2009  |  

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

One of the principle ideals behind the concept of good therapy is that it should be non-pathologizing; that is, difficulties faced by clients should not be seen as intrinsic, inescapable diseases, nor should treatment focus on “healing” an issue in such a way. There are many reasons why a departure from pathologizing therapy is beneficial, both for the client and for the mental health professional (not to mention the field at large). But recently, psychotherapist Tammie Fowles published an op-ed piece that describes, if incidentally, a particularly important idea in the argument against pathologizing.

Fowles notes that all too often, approaches to therapy seek to internalize emotions, transforming knee-jerk reactions and emotional reflexes into complex ideas about what is wrong with the self. In this way, the experience of fear at the sight of someone being assaulted or the emotional reactions sustained during a store robbery might be turned on their head and used to reflect something maladaptive or insufficient within the client. Yet while the examination of why we react as we do has the potential to enlighten and heal, attributing our feelings to being a certain kind of person or having an emotional “script” that we follow based on some internal problem can not only disrupt the healing process, but can ignore the greater picture.

That greater picture, suggests Fowles, is that society as a whole is far from being perfect, and many of the more common challenges we face day to day are reflections of the society of which we’re a part. Pathologizing as a treatment modality, then, can sometimes make individuals responsible for those attributes of society that aren’t so positive. Though Fowles has many scathing points to make in her exploration of the modern face of therapy, this subtle nod towards a more proactive and realistic approach has been welcomed by many.

If you like this article, please bookmark it or share it with others using any of the following services:

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
  • Digg
  • Google
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • del.icio.us
  • Live
  • YahooMyWeb
  • NewsVine

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Columbia Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

6 comments so far

  • Delly July 15th, 2009 at 7:04 PM #1

    love this perspective. keep up the good work Tammie

  • Therapistinstudy July 15th, 2009 at 7:24 PM #2

    I am a trainee student and I found this really fascinating. Is it important for a therapist to start the day like a blank sheet of paper emotionally? Is it more important to be aware of one’s state of mind and still be alert to our own responses. I have found it difficult on many occasions to be objective with a client when one has a personal issue through the day to deal with. Sometimes that problem could be the source of misdiagnosis or judgemental behavior. How does one stop our own knee jerk reactions from interfering?

  • Dru July 16th, 2009 at 3:37 AM #3

    Not sure I really catch the drift of this. Are you saying that we react to certain things in a way that we think we ought to react instead of in the way that we really may be feeling? Is that the script issue?

  • Tara July 16th, 2009 at 3:58 AM #4

    This makes a good point. Anything can set off a client, especially if it’s thru pathologizing. I enjoyed this article very much and found that it does make sense.

  • Laura P July 17th, 2009 at 11:55 AM #5

    Love to see the constsnt emergence of new ideas and the different ways that they are making their way into mainstream thought. Seems like good therapy is the perfect forum for that.

  • Jessica July 20th, 2009 at 2:10 AM #6

    I think it makes a lot of sense to avoid pathologizing. Sometimes in the early phase of one’s career it is difficult to stay off the pathologizing path. Experience definitely lends a hand with the objective.

Leave a Reply

By commenting on this blog you acknowledge acceptance of this Blog's
Terms and Conditions of Use

* Required

 

Note to Self

GoodTherapy.org is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, medical treatment, or psychotherapy. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice nor delay in seeking professional advice or treatment because of something you have read on GoodTherapy.org.

 

Blog Categories

Subscribe

Email me updates to the Therapy Blog!

Your email: 
Subscribe Unsubscribe
 

Recent comments

  • Fletcher: The UK has the added blessing, or complication perhaps depending on your point of view, of the National Health Service where healthcare,...
  • Dionne S.: Women — and I’m including both those that work in and outside the home here — are the glue that holds families...
  • Teach: PTSD is also a gigantic problem for returning troops and not just from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Vietnam vets are not to be...
  • Victoria L.: Bless them all. I hope WHO move fast to address this and keep it in the public eye. It’s tragic and so sad how quickly people...
  • Sparky: If nothing else it would break the cycle of eating because you’re depressed about how you look, getting more depressed the heavier...

Submit Articles

Find a Therapist | Explore Therapy | Workshops | Blogging Therapy | About Us | Contact | Join Us | Log in | Sitemap

Copyright © 2007-2009 GoodTherapy.org. All Rights Reserved.

5984 queries in 6.629 seconds.