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Kathleen Weber's avatar

"Literature and theater offer more insight into human psychology any professional publication ever has. Had Freud not had Oedipus Rex and Lear to draw on, would he ever have gotten anywhere? I doubt it. The best most of us can hope for is the ability to interpret greater minds, in this case, that of the playwright Steven Levenson."

This is actually a life changing paragraph for me. It expresses a thought that has been trying to work its way out of my psyche for some months. I celebrate the idea that the humanities, among which I include my discipline of history, can reveal more about human nature than any randomized control trial.

When I come forth with an idea based on history and my lived experience, I feel I deserve to be taken seriously. If someone wants to subject my ideas to scientific Investigation and possible confirmation or disconfirmation, that is absolutely fine with me. It is frustrating to be dismissed simply because what you said isn't “scientific.”

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Zida Grant's avatar

No one thinks giving an impassioned speech is going to work, but this idea that choosing “the hardest way” will fix us is no solution either. If it’s not true that we don’t need a therapist’s presence, support, acceptance, etc. then why hire an incredibly expensive therapist? Why not do it on your own or read a self-help book? Sure, some people can, but these are not the people who end up with a therapist. Suggestions that shame can be overcome by actions or an attitude shift—these are shaming to those of us who are embedded in shame.

I’ve heard many times that when therapy works, it works because the patient is seen/understood and accepted for who they are. That is, they react in exactly the opposite way that the patient’s family and previous therapists reacted, and it is this surprise that makes change possible. I believe this is true. Unfortunately, most therapists don’t really see and understand their patients (especially if the patient has C-PTSD and dissociation) and when they get glimpses of the worst within, they recoil, often even dumping their patients (I’ve heard about this many times) or, more often, just putting up defenses. This can be even worse because the patient doesn’t understand what is going on, and blames herself for not making progress. More shame!

Is it really true that “indulging in insecurity and self-preoccupation” is wrong? The very word “indulging” says that it is, but insecurity is what we need help with and self-preoccupation is necessary for insight. Ignoring your issues/trauma and going on with life means that your issues are still there.

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