The APA took my baby away.
Submitted by thebenignconspiracy on Sat, 03/03/2007 - 11:59amSo here's a lovely little exchange I had with a professor (obsessor) the other day. I was talking about studying depth psychology and archetypal imagery when I graduate from my program. In myopinion no school of psychological thought has gotten closer to actually trying to explore the bounds of human thought and experience. It not only helps to probe into individaul experience, but the experience of the collective whole.
Wait, where was I? Ah, yes, my professor is a mindless drone. No, no... the APA is evil and my teacher is a drone.
When I told her about this, she looked at me and said, "That program can't possibly be APA approved. Be careful, you would never want to enter into a program that was not APA approved...that would be DISASTEROUS." And I can't be sure, but I believe she flicked the lights on and off, wiggled her fingers in my face and went wooooo, booga, booga.
The APA apparently, has become the SS of the psychological arena, everybody is afraid of them, everybody must conform, and nobody speaks up for the individuals who have to suffer the most at their hands. We just reach in our drawers and give out samples of the newest APA approved treatment, even if it does cause seizures or increased suicidal thought or a degeneration of executive functioning or liver failure, or memory loss or fine motor skills, or destroys your autonomy...etc,etc,etc.
OK, I have to stop here before my head explodes.
your title is
your title is hilarious...
yeah, really disasterous to pursue studies in something you're passionate about and find fascinating. better just do what you're told and stick with the plan laid out by corporate america...
Don't you know, passion is
Don't you know, passion is not allowed here, what do you think I am some kinda bipolar artist? Dangerous stuff you're talking about here, I'll have to write the authorities about you.
social psychology
Into the unknown
Depth psychology gleans a great deal of it inspiration from Buddhism and mysticism. It looks into the collective unconscious, and many depth psychologists focus on archetypes. Pacifica is a university in California focuses on depth psychology you can google it. Also, if you want to read some interesting takes on psychology and society read James Hillman's We've Had A Hundred Years of Psychotherapy and the World is Getting Worse. As for me, I would love to do individual psychology that allows people to maximize creativity and become closer to themselves and not some artificial view of normal, healthy or sane. I believe that "a man can only becom what he already is and has always been" (Carl Jung).
Thanks for you interest.
cool
thanks, benign,
I actually have a book, "Blue Fire"of selections by James Hillman sitting right here on my desk that someone lent me that I haven't read yet. This gives me incentive to get cracking.
Good luck in your pursuits. If you're anywhere near Buffalo when you get out, let me know artisticdisobedience@yahoo.com so I can refer people to you!
peace-
Amy