As therapists we cannot deny that our work, our clients, and ourselves are directly impacted by the context in which we live. The work we practice daily in our offices is affected by the political systems around us--systems that often have been oppressive to the most vulnerable in our communities. Bessel van der Kolk poignantly and elegantly addresses the truth of the relationship between politics and PTSD, and his remarks from the PN networker conference are essential reading for any therapist practicing today.
The Politics of Mental Health
Pioneering trauma specialist Bessel van der Kolk took aim not only at the politics within the therapy field that determine what diagnoses get into the DSM, but the politics in the larger arena that lead people to ignore the prevalence of trauma in society.
