Posted by Reggie BoStar on August 16, 2006, at 1:44:49
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on September 22, 2004, at 20:15:16
I was surprised to see one of M. Scott Peck's books in the list of recommended readings in this thread.
Huh? In the first edition of "The Road Less Travelled", he suggests that sex between therapist and patient could be beneficial.
Sorry. No way. In response to the resulting collective shock of his readers, he supposedly removed this passage from later editions; but not before this incredible gaffe gave warning to the effect that his agenda might have nothing to do with psychotherapy.
What was left after the controversial passage was removed? Take a look at one of his other gems: "In other words, mental illness occurs when the conscious will of the individual deviates substantially from the will of God, which is the individual's own unconscious will."
Did someone say "flow of consciousness"? That last one was a flash flood, going from mental illness, to religion, to New Age double talk.
Enough said about "The Road...", which I wish M. Scott would hit.
In "People of the Lie", he personifies "Evil" and proceeds to label patients as such. What happened to behavioural illness? Are people who suffer from behavioural illnesses really "evil"?
He even goes so far as to call one severly depressed patient "dependent, infantile, lazy."
Wow. What a loser that guy was, eh, M. Scott?
Later, he tells one patient she's "evil" and suggests a treatment of exorcism to her!
I think I'll pass on therapist/patient sex, demonic evil, exorcism, paranormal experiences, and M. Scott Peck. I have enough troubles, and I suspect that his patients do, too.
poster:Reggie BoStar
thread:393889
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20060808/msgs/676971.html