This is where I will write more about the injustices in our mental health system, fulled by big pharma, and justified by psychology's medical model. Read Anatomy of an Epidemic and Native American Post Colonial Psychology. Talk to people who work in mental health. It is felt on all sides.
When the discipline of modern psychology was established over one hundred years ago it was intended to be a study of the human mind in all of it's variations and forms. It was, however, based in values of colonialism, which on both a cultural and interpersonal level is traumatizing to the one(s) being colonized. Over time, it changed to "mental health" and then again to "behavioral health", a term that is meant to be helpful, but screams with cultural insensitivity and a body of people who are alarmingly not trauma-informed. This is the same mentality that brought us conversion therapy and seeks to change or eliminate natural variations and nuances in people to this day.
On the other hand, if we revisit the original intention of the study of psychology, which is to understand (not psychically prune) people, we learn exactly how multifaceted and amazing humans really are. If we remember our roots in curiosity and acceptance, we can be properly prepared to assist and support each other in navigating life on the margins, allowing people to thrive and lead enriched lives.
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