Roger B. Burt's Blog, page 20

A Time of National Reformation

Understanding the Need for Change

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Do you believe we are facing major change or just major disorder?

It has not yet been described as such, but it would seem we are on the verge of a national reformation. We appear to be suffering conflicts with no solutions immediately on the horizon. It is often dismissed as political but we have to suspect we are dealing with more fundamental issues.

The reaction to recent mass shootings is just one indicator of a national crisis. We are looking at demogra...

Orlando! The Meaning and Impact of Mental Illness IV

 

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Dealing with Life

Each of us can be placed on dimensions of a set of behaviors and processes. When there is mental illness is a matter of dispute and fashion. When mental illness is defined, too often it is a function of funding and professional achievement. That sounds obscure, but think about it for a moment.

When community mental health blossomed, we learned, at least in inner city poverty, that poverty is stressful (seriously?) if not just plain overwhelming. The social workers were cl...

Diagnosis and the Real World

Under what diagnoses do you suffer? (Curious question isn’t it?)

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Let’s Begin Here

Two definitions come to mind at once as we look at this post. Psychiatry is defined as: “the study and treatment of mental illness, emotional disturbance, and abnormal behavior.” Psychology has a variety of definition but I prefer: the study of human and animal behavior. The numerous other definitions suggest we aren’t actually sure what psychology is and I share that position. in fact, there is even a philosop...

Orlando! The Meaning and Impact of Mental Illness III

 In the Private Sphere

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The story is long and detailed and over the years I saw so many dysfunctions related to how the mental health field was constructed. In private practice later I had to confront the insurance industry. In the end they were successful in virtually destroying much of the “mental health” field. They required ever more serious diagnoses if they were to grant payment. Often my decisions as a doctoral level psychologist were at the mercy of someone with a two year general col...

Feminism and the Roles of Characters

Changes For Female Characters

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How do you feel about recent changes for women?

It has gotten more challenging to write female characters, especially now that the traditional role of women is being questioned. “The woman’s place is in the home” has receded into history and the permissible roles are changing. Yes, I chose the word “permissible” deliberately. There are still pressures regarding what a woman should and should not do and how she should act. This is an evolutionary process. And it...

Orlando! The Meaning and Impact of Mental Illness II

 

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Have you had contact with mental health professions?

An Ongoing Dispute

When I wrote the initial copy for this post it was entitled The Myth of Mental Illness. That was also the title of the 1961 book by Thomas Szasz that I hold in high regard. He questioned the foundation of psychiatry as do I. His case gets stronger as time passes.

The fact is, I chose to become a psychologist for reasons I’m still uncovering. Probably the chief among them was my need to deal with my mother’s severe depr...

Building an Unplanned Business

 

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Do you have a life plan?

It Just Seemed Like a Good Idea

The house was finished and we had it furnished. But we weren’t going to move in full time. We had our clinical practice near Baltimore. This was a vacation home and we thought it would be a retirement home someday. We had okayed first to build a cottage but our builder, Wayne, had sold us on the idea that we might want to rent it so we went larger.

How Did That Happen?

We hadn’t actually thought a great deal about the rental process...

Orlando! The Meaning and Impact of Mental Illness I

Another Terrible Warning

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On what did you focus about this tragedy?

The massacre in Orlando, which was described as hate inspired terrorism, also raised the specter of mental illness along with a lot of other concerns which included effects coming from the political arena. Prejudice and failure to act in the national interest had a significant effect along with the manipulations by power hungry people who claim to be acting from a religious viewpoint. The true meaning of the attack has to be...

The Origins and Sources of the Majesty Trilogy – Pt. 4

The Human Potential

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Emerging Themes

In writing the Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy I found, even though I had a chart of its arc, that components of it were emergent. Just as the characters emerged as well. To me it was not a story of whatever form. It had to have a future reflective of us and possibilities. 

In the scope of things it may be that we are merely a life form that emerged on this beautiful and unusual planet. And in time we may well vanish into the history of the universe leaving no trac...

The Personality of the Artist (Painter)

 

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Our Own Personal Style

While I did well in school it often did not hold my attention. Some things were fascinating and some things trivial. So frequently I “went out the window” which meant dreaming and exploring while the teacher went on his or her way. This process continued into graduate school. Some part of the subject matter was really interesting, other parts not so much.

As the time came closer for me to choose a doctoral dissertation topic I was working with a professor who held my...