This chapter describes how therapists may work in an unjust mental healthcare system and ill-treats therapists like their clients struggling with Social Injustice (SI). Therapists sometimes feel (un)safe in their personal lives and physically, emotionally, and socially in their workplace. Therapists may ask self-reflective questions to identify SI in their work with clients and their mental health care services and systems, such as: What meaning does SI have for clients, therapists, team leaders, managers, policymakers, and politicians? How do therapists approach SI? What is the relationship between the therapists and the system? How does SI develop? The author argues that addressing SI in the mental health care system is vital, starting by changing unjust personal actions, interpersonal transactions, denial, internalization, and unhelpful self-fulfilling actions. Examples of broad trends of SI in mental health care systems include using therapy as an explicit or implicit disciplinary measure or manipulation; being inaccessible and untailored to the unique needs, strengths, and preferences of diverse clients; and not explicitly acknowledging the client’s SI and helping them to achieve a sense of justice. Therapists need to be realistic about what is in their power to change and what is not and to engage in mindful self-compassion.

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Working as a Therapist in an Unjust Mental Health Care System

  • Joel Vos

摘要

This chapter describes how therapists may work in an unjust mental healthcare system and ill-treats therapists like their clients struggling with Social Injustice (SI). Therapists sometimes feel (un)safe in their personal lives and physically, emotionally, and socially in their workplace. Therapists may ask self-reflective questions to identify SI in their work with clients and their mental health care services and systems, such as: What meaning does SI have for clients, therapists, team leaders, managers, policymakers, and politicians? How do therapists approach SI? What is the relationship between the therapists and the system? How does SI develop? The author argues that addressing SI in the mental health care system is vital, starting by changing unjust personal actions, interpersonal transactions, denial, internalization, and unhelpful self-fulfilling actions. Examples of broad trends of SI in mental health care systems include using therapy as an explicit or implicit disciplinary measure or manipulation; being inaccessible and untailored to the unique needs, strengths, and preferences of diverse clients; and not explicitly acknowledging the client’s SI and helping them to achieve a sense of justice. Therapists need to be realistic about what is in their power to change and what is not and to engage in mindful self-compassion.