We have a problem -- 1

We in the psychotherapy profession have a problem, and it is going to be getting worse in the near future. I am going to probably take a few of the next several entries here to spell it out for you. I know that the world has been waiting impatiently for me to do this so I will try to work on it here a few times so that I have a chance of making sense.

Part of the problem is that we are low-tech. The world has become very impressed with technology. I know I have. As soon as my eye heals and I can read the small font I am getting an iPhone. 85,000 apps! My God, there is nothing I will have to do any more -- except psychotherapy.

Look at the equipment we need -- chairs. And we don't even need them, although it is better than standing for almost an hour. Sometimes though, I have gone for a walk with a patient.

But that is only a small part of the problem, The big part is that, after a hundred years of trying somewhat scientifically to deal with psychological, emotional and behavioral problems, there is still not direct way into the mind. In fact, we really are still trying to find out what the "mind" is. Yes, we agree, it has a lot to do with the brain, but it is not the brain; it is different.

Yes, but then, what and where is the "mind?"

See, we have a problem, and already it is getting complex and confusing.

But, given all of the marvelous new technologies, people expect that there must be some way to get in there and make people better.

As I said a month or so ago, when they fixed my eye they went in, cut out the bad parts, threw them away and replaced them with good parts. My eye is healing and I expect that soon I will be able to see pretty well.

Now, even though we have marvelous fMRI machines to watch the brain, lots and lots of drugs to pour into people, and we are even learning about the genes that contribute to our talents and temperaments, we still can't get right at it. There are thousands, if not hundred of thousands of attempts, but none of them have really been that successful. We don't even really agree on what we are trying to get right at.

Now, the new US health plan (whatever it will be) is on the way. And the plan will expect that there will we empirically validated and specific treatments for whatever we do, if we are to get paid.

See, we have a problem.