Be the Change: Therapy as a Political Act
January 26, 2023
Hosted by Deborah Cox
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Episode Description
Be the Change As a helper, do you believe you make a difference in the wider world? Or do you see yourself operating on an individual scale, helping people improve their lives but not creating large-scale differences. In 1969, activist Carol Hanish wrote, “The personal is political.” This statement became a center point for feminist psychotherapy in the 70s and beyond. Deborah and Tracy talk about the politics of doing therapy. While most therapists probably believe what we do is apolitical, therapy is always political. We either reinforce or challenge the status quo within the dominant culture. So we helpers need to examine our values and look at how the work we do supports the values we hold. To learn more: Cushman, Philip (1995). Psychotherapy as Moral Discourse. In Cushman, P. (1995). Constructing the Self, Constructing America. DaCapo Press. Totton, Nick (2006). The Politics of Psychotherapy: New Perspectives. New York: Open University Press.
ReConceive
Episodes available on demand on VoiceAmerica Empowerment Channel
As a global community, we witness rates of depression, anxiety, and self-harm skyrocketing in the wake of more than two years of unprecedented stress and need. Helpers (caregivers, therapists, teachers, and even parents) face more demands than ever, often working hours of concentrated, solo emotional labor each day. We see helpers leaving their professions in droves, suffering their own health crises and burnout. So, who and what helps the helper? The fields of neuroscience, art, fitness, and physiology bring us insights never before available. But how do we utilize the burgeoning information to move from overwhelmed and lonely to inspired, thriving, creating, and connecting? ReConceive answers these questions. ReConceive probes connectedness for everyone navigating the mental health pandemic. Deborah Cox, psychologist, and Tracy Maxfield, body psychotherapist, explore new methods for working with our clients, and ourselves, through movement, art, and love.
Deborah Cox
Deborah Cox is an artist and licensed psychologist, board-certified in Couple and Family Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. She writes about anger, relationships, and recovery from religious trauma, and helps clients write their own stories of creativity and healing. Her autobiographical novel, Wife Material, tells a story of growing up in a Southern, fundamentalist sect. Deborah uses EMDR and art methods at the Mosher House, in Springfield, Missouri’s historic district.
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