Taking Care: An Alternative to Therapy

by David Smail

Taking Care established David Smail as an important social and political analyst whose background happened to be in clinical psychology. In this work he develops the analysis of mental illness, and psychology in general, in the contexts of society, power and interest.People's experience is embodied in the world in which they exist. Notwithstanding the claims of some, psychology cannot, in the same way that magic cannot, change the nature of that experience fundamentally. At best, psychotherapy might provide a degree of understanding about that limitation. The historical relationship between psychology and magic is examined.The socio-political and economic structures of the society in which we live have the greatest influence on mental health, as on many other matters. Therefore, the individuation of focus in psychology on personal relationships, happiness, and sexuality can significantly miss the point. We need to develop political and social structures that 'take care' of people, to enable them to have meaningful 'public' lives. In that way feelings of self-worth may be fostered, with individuals being less likely to yield to anxiety and distress. Such an environment, further, is more likely to be conducive to successful 'private' relationships.The unfettered market, allowing some to pursue their interests at the expense of others, it is suggested, is not the mechanism best suited to promote self-worth and minimise anxiety and distress. A wide range of social, political and philosophical commentators are drawn upon, making this a work of scholarship, as well as of contemporary analysis.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Mental Health

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 1987

Reviews

[Paul Bard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The meme says “So the whole idea of therapy is you go talk to a liberal until you agree with them right?”

In this case, it’s a Marxist. And they diagnose your problem as Margaret Thatcher. Or downsizing. Or hookup culture. Or - basically - any form of alienation due to incursions of capitalism into personal life.

And therapy doesn’t work. Because it’s just friendship when it works.

The organic, private, personal, faith-based aspect of the book is most helpful. I’m sure he was a wonderful therapist.

Taking care means seeing people as ends in themselves, not means to social good. It’s a kind of epistemic humility that engages wisely. Smail’s solution is organic embodiedness and an ethic of generosity love justice equality and truth.

It’s nice that humanism can find expression in a Marxist form.

[RPlumtree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been interested in psychology and psychotherapy and I often asked myself what is the validity of such therapeutic approaches" embued in our western cultures. After a long and fruitless search on books that could answer this question I finally came across this book.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good primer connecting individual "pathologies" to systemic causes

[Zohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wakeup! You've been commoditized

David Smail , clinical psychotherapist, levels his sights on the etiology of mental health. Smail points out, the individual seeking treatment is the exploited victim of a commercialized culture which renders us all as a useful sources of goods and services. This subliminal and cold arrangement creates distress to the human organism manifesting as symptoms in need of care.