Destructive Trends in Mental Health: The Well Intentioned Path to Harm
Destructive Trends in Mental Health: The Well-Intentioned Path to Harm documents and critiques the ascent of social activism over open-minded scintific inquiry and quality care in the current menatl health establishment. This book is a must-read for anyone who cares about menatl health care in this country. The book casts a eye on much of the psychological and psychiatric professional associations' social activism over the last 30 years. Drs. Wright and Cummings cannot be dismissed as disgruntled conservatives. Their deeds validate their claim to be lifelong liberal activists..–Washington Times, The (DC), Warren Throckmorton, associate professor of psychology and fellow foe psychology anf public policy., 01/03/2006This book may be the read of the year for mental health practitioners. It is the most sweeping critique (and often indictment) of the mental health professions in recent memory. It is occasionally freewheeling, unfettered, and polemical on the one hand, and precise and surgical on the other. Readers are going to either love it or hate it. This is a wide-ranging provocative book that offers a sweeping critique of several areas of science, practice, and the profession that may be valuable in stimulating discussion as we look ahead. It provides an important voice in a growing chorus demanding reform..–Frank Farley and V.K. Kumar, Reviewers, Contemporary Psychology, 06/07/2005According to Cummings, self- interested destructive trends have permeated the mental health professions, threatening harm to the patients who seek their help and betraying the society they are sworn to serve. This book echoes many of the charges that up to now have come from outisde the therapy profession. This isn't a book that can be dismissed as just another ideologically inspired, partisan attack..–Psychotherapy Networker, Richard Handler, Radio Producer, Jan/Feb 2006Are you open - minded? If so, this book will captivate, fascinate, and disturb you. If you are unquestioningly married to political correct ideology, you will brand this book conservative dogma and look for reasons to discredit the authors, but ironically, the editors and principal authors are life-long liberal activists. The book leaves few sacred cows un-gored. Nick Cummings wryly gives step by step process for fabricating a new syndrome that would be widely accepted. He posits that by truly integrating psychology with healthcare and casting psychologists as behavioral primary care providers, the number of psychology patients could increase 900%. This book is exciting, profound, and the most thought provoking book ever to be read in at least a decade..–Independent Practitioner, Michael Brickey, Summer 2005This book is about the taboos surrounding many controversial subjects. It is such a challenge, the editors, mature and experienced professionals, and book contributors dissect many aspects within the field of mental health. These are as pertinent to the practice of social work as they are to psychology.This book is not to be overlooked. It has a plethora of references, primarily from psychology even though many of the subjects have been presented in the recent social work as well as the psychiatric and psychoanalytic literature. It is well written and parts of it are fun to read. Like the child who pointed out the emperor's nakedness, this book will promote reconsideration of many problems in the area of mental health and in the profession of social work. Social workers who like to think and who respect challenges will find this book a must read..–Florence Lieberman PhD/DSW, Professor Emerata, Hunter College School of Social Work