I love the language of Selichot. And I am enormously enriched in joining Jews everywhere in practising it during the Days of Awe - I can feel my ancestors alive inside me during the High Holy Days. I am actually in awe of it for its significance.
At the same time, I don't think it advantageous to be dismissive of all the good the practise of psychiatry can do. I don't mean feel good missives, or excuses for our behaviour through 'understanding of where it came from. In fact, if psychiatry is employed with a high level of skill this won't happen. If it's practised properly, the person concerned will do the work necessary to relieve their trauma to an extent and become healthier. I cannot speak for less serious and more lifestyle attributions of psychological reckoning; to me they're frivolous. There's no need for comparisons of Judaism with the benefits we now have of skilled psychological practices. They can co-exist. Indeed, I believe they cater to different realms.
Hey, lay off us therapists! Seriously speaking, I can tell you from clinical experience that Judaism has helped many people with their mental health AND also caused many people to have mental health challenges. There is no panacea. Like everything, religion is feature of a person's life and can be positive, negative or neutral. And you therapist is doing nothing but putting labels on you then you have a bad therapist. Fire them and get a good one.
As a practicing Roman Catholic with Jewish roots, this resonates deeply with me.
I love the language of Selichot. And I am enormously enriched in joining Jews everywhere in practising it during the Days of Awe - I can feel my ancestors alive inside me during the High Holy Days. I am actually in awe of it for its significance.
At the same time, I don't think it advantageous to be dismissive of all the good the practise of psychiatry can do. I don't mean feel good missives, or excuses for our behaviour through 'understanding of where it came from. In fact, if psychiatry is employed with a high level of skill this won't happen. If it's practised properly, the person concerned will do the work necessary to relieve their trauma to an extent and become healthier. I cannot speak for less serious and more lifestyle attributions of psychological reckoning; to me they're frivolous. There's no need for comparisons of Judaism with the benefits we now have of skilled psychological practices. They can co-exist. Indeed, I believe they cater to different realms.
Hey, lay off us therapists! Seriously speaking, I can tell you from clinical experience that Judaism has helped many people with their mental health AND also caused many people to have mental health challenges. There is no panacea. Like everything, religion is feature of a person's life and can be positive, negative or neutral. And you therapist is doing nothing but putting labels on you then you have a bad therapist. Fire them and get a good one.
Excellent