Authority

In a recent blog post, New York psychiatrist Hugh Polk is quoted on the subject of authority:

Ive been thinking recently about how some of my clients see me as an authority figure. I think thats problematic. Even more problematic is that I sometimes relate to myself in that way. As a psychiatrist, I was trained to think of myself as a keeper of truths, a judge of what behaviors, attitudes or reactions are right and wrong, normal and abnormal, good and bad. If Im not attentive to what Im doing, I can fall into old habits. I really dont want to play that role, because it stifles human connectivity and gets in the way of creating a collaborative environment with clients in which they can develop.

Read the whole brief conversation here: On Whose Authority?

The conversation reminded me of an article, Imposing Beliefs, posted for listeners only by @Moana22 in these forums last week. I think it's interesting that discussions around these issues of belief and authority are relevant far beyond 7 Cups.

I also found it interesting that some commentators said they found the whole conversation "icky". One said:

With all due respect to the authors, I think this is the best example of why so many people feel abused, dehumanized and marginalized by the mental health industry, straight from the mouths of clincians [sic]. I cant detect a grain of truth or light in this piece whatsoever. I find it to be pure self-indulgence and self-aggrandizing, as usual–and this time, squared. This IS the problem. Frustrating.

I think this is because, although the conversation is superficially about not being authoritarian, it's presented in a way that is itself authoritarian, something like, "Because we know best, we know that we must never give the impression that we know best." To what extent does this, or should this, apply to listeners at 7 Cups? I'm not sure.

Charlie