Freudian slip: psychotherapist speaks too much truth on woke ideology
Not so much nowadays. Midwives attend to ‘pregnant persons’, police do social work, teachers indoctrinate, librarians empty the shelves of books, all for the agenda of transforming society from traditional mores to the revolutionary dogma euphemistically defined as ‘equality, diversity and inclusion’ (EDI). Now it seems that psychotherapists are expected to prioritise identity politics over individualised therapeutic intervention.
Concerned at this wrong turn in her profession, highly skilled and experienced therapist Sue Parker Hall put her hat in the ring for chairperson of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). The process has hardly been fair. The organisation’s blandly conformist journal New Psychotherapy has promoted three stances taken by her rival candidate. The UKCP is making clear who they want to win an election that it should be running without favour.
Most troubling for Sue Parker Hall is a letter signed by numerous members of the body, accusing Sue of expressing ‘far-right’ views, conspiracy theories and harmful misinformation. The petitioners strive to discredit her and ensure that she is not elected. Indeed, the hostility is so intense to suggest that they want to hound her out of the profession.
Four days ago, Parker Hall decided to publicise her fears for psychotherapy and her victimisation in a You Tube video. Stressing the importance of critical thinking, intellectual freedom and ethical integrity, she criticises the political activism that is diverting psychotherapy from its raison d’être. The unjustified attack on her character is corrupting democratic process, yet the UKCP board has remained silent.
The contrast between what psychotherapy should be doing, and what it is doing instead, is stark. This passage in her monologue is worth reciting: –
‘Intersectionality is at odds with the clinical framework because it prioritises group identity over individual experience. It encourages clients to see themselves through the lens of oppression rather than as whole integrated people. It shifts the therapeutic focus to external social forces, which can be disempowering and discourage self-exploration. It also unhelpfully frames relationships as power struggles, fostering division rather than connection, which runs counter to psychotherapy’s aim of healing relational wounds and deepening empathy.’
Imagine being a White heterosexual male on the couch, with a judgmental therapist blaming you not for your own problems but a legacy of social ills caused by your sex and race. Parker Hall comes across as humane but also a therapist who will challenge faulty thinking rather than build that into a model of systematic discrimination. Words like ‘harm’ and ‘safety’ are weaponised by the radical ideologues in a way that deters therapists from confronting the client’s problematic outlook, which may exacerbate their struggle and maintain cycles of distress.
In the comments below the video there is plenty of support and gratitude. But puritanical conformity is prominent, Parker Hall having committed heresy: –
‘What you call ideology I call human rights.’
‘Whenever someone is worried about EDI, I can’t help but think of Trump.’
‘Maybe some people should be deplatformed after all.’
Typically lacking insight is a comment by Robert Downes decrying Parker Hall’s argument against ‘critical social justice theory’. This is ‘not a thing’, he says; ‘nobody identifies themselves as a proponent of such theory or practice.’ This despite reams of ‘research’ and ‘clinical guidance’ on such balderdash. And this being the same chap who declares that Parker Hall is a right-wing extremist. Free speech for me but not for thee….
The open letter opposing Parker Hall, addressed to the board of trustees, has been signed by over a thousand UKCP-accredited psychotherapists. It begins by stating that Parker Hall appeared in a video on the ‘far-right platform’ Rumble, in association with the World Council for Health, claiming that the Covid-19 pandemic was orchestrated by the authorities, using ‘cultic thought reform techniques’ for totalitarian ends.
The letter accuses Parker Hall of being willing to be publicly associated with conspiracy theories based on right-wing propaganda and lies, including Covid-19 denial, claims of vaccine harm, climate change denial and anti-LGBT narratives. Furthermore, she runs a support group for ‘differently aware’ therapists who are concerned about ‘globalism, great reset, world banking system, nanotech, Russia, transgender issues Palestine and satanic child abuse’.
Such views, the letter argues, are ‘in direct conflict with the UKCP’s core values of inclusivity and ensuring that policies are informed by data and evidence.’
These therapists (with the diverse middle-class names of Hannah, Tara, Phoebe, Tiffany, Holly, etc) would surely regard themselves as following the motto to ‘be kind’. Yet they are acting like a lynch mob. And what is the relevance of climate change or global bankers to a therapists’ ability to do her professional role, whether practising with clients or chairing the council? Do any of these therapists know the evidence that would differentiate the contrived climate crisis from a scam? Is it not appropriate for Parker Hall, as a member of society, to discuss matters of political import?
The letter ends, somewhat confusingly, by urging the UKCP ‘to ensure that members have the information they need to vote for a candidate who reflects the values and aims of the UK’.
If I needed psychological help I’d be glad to have Sue Parker Hall facing me. But not many of her professional peers, who are exposing themselves as frenzied puritans more suited to Maoist cultural revolution than person-centred therapy.
I watched the video. The comments were about what i expected. The woman herself i have no sympathy with whatsoever. She & her type have gleefully thrown us all under the bus for a shitty career. They have absolutely no mercy on us, why should we care when the beast she serves eats her? I hope this collection of careerist bugmen elect the most extreme anti-white deviant possible because the more they hate us the stronger we get.
Action – Stress – Polarization – Reaction – Repeat.
I watched both videos to understand your “no sympathy” [for the woman]. She abandoned the anti-male bias of her colleagues (after studying male suicide) and is being attacked by the haters in turn. She is a nice old lady.