EP85 Panel 07 - Psychotherapy and Social Issues - Ronald D. Laing, MD; Judd Marmor, MD; Paul Watzlawick, PhD; Joseph Wolpe, MD
- Average Rating:
- Not yet rated
- Topic Areas:
- Topical Panels | Psychotherapy | Communication | Cultural and Social Contexts | Family Therapy | Resistance | Systems Theory
- Categories:
- Evolution of Psychotherapy | Evolution of Psychotherapy 1985 | Pioneers in Couples and Family Therapy
- Faculty:
- Ronald Laing, MD | Judd Marmor | Paul Watzlawick, PhD | Joseph Wolpe, M.D.
- Course Levels:
- Master Degree or Higher in Health-Related Field
- Duration:
- 54:44
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Original Program Date:
- Dec 12, 1985
- License:
- Never Expires.
Description
Description:
Educational Objectives:
- To compare and contrast clinical and philosophical perspectives of experts.
*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*
Outline:
Psychotherapy and Social Issues: Introduction and Initial Remarks
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Ronald Laing critiques a U.S. law requiring therapists to report confessed illegal activity, reflecting on its chilling effect
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Shares reactions from a San Francisco conference where professionals debated the implications of such laws
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Mentions a New York social worker scandalized by child abuse, wife abuse, and incest, and the challenges in addressing them
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Emphasizes the need to consider the social context in psychotherapy and its role in addressing societal issues
Historical and Cultural Context of Psychotherapy
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Judd Marmor outlines how psychotherapy evolved alongside cultural and societal shifts
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Highlights humanistic and existential therapies as reactions to overly mechanistic approaches
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Notes Freud’s distaste for American culture, despite psychoanalysis flourishing in the U.S.
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Discusses how views on sexuality, feminism, and abortion have shaped therapy models
Social and Economic Influences on Psychotherapy
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Marmor points to the nuclear arms race as a key societal pressure impacting mental health
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Notes how third-party payer systems drive the adoption of shorter, more accountable therapeutic models
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Predicts that social and economic trends will continue to reshape psychotherapy’s structure and practice
Challenges and Limitations of Psychotherapy
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Paul Watzlawick supports Marmor’s arguments but warns against therapists overreaching into sociopolitical domains
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Argues for value-free therapy and cautions against imposing utopian solutions
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Emphasizes respecting the therapeutic boundary while acknowledging the broader social context
Social Evils and Promises in Psychotherapy
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Joseph Wolpe criticizes the practice of blaming patients for failed therapy and the overuse of ineffective long-term treatment
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Shares a case where behavior therapy succeeded after nine years of unproductive psychoanalysis
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Condemns therapists who ignore evidence-based treatments and sabotage alternatives
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Highlights the promise of behavior therapy to address real social issues effectively
Interaction and Debate Among Panel Members
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Marmor responds by urging a balanced perspective, noting that therapy outcomes depend on therapist-client interaction
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Emphasizes that no therapy is universally effective and caution is needed in attributing blame
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Watzlawick agrees and explores the pros and cons of assuming therapist failure as a default
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Wolpe reiterates the ethical imperative for therapists to use methods backed by data
Social and Cultural Differences in Therapy
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A participant raises the need to consider cultural and racial factors in therapy
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Marmor stresses the importance of viewing the patient systemically—biological, intrapsychic, interpersonal, and social levels
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Laing shares insights from Scotland, where social class and cultural identity shape the therapeutic process
Ethics and Social Responsibility in Therapy
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A question arises about the ethics of sexual reorientation therapy
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Wolpe supports such therapy if the client is motivated and consents
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Marmor opposes forcing change but supports offering it as an option; emphasizes helping clients accept themselves if change fails
Conflict Resolution and Government Involvement
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A participant asks about behavioral science in international diplomacy
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Marmor references Pugwash conferences but laments the limited influence of behavioral science in politics
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Watzlawick and Marmor note a growing systems awareness in corporations but highlight resistance in governmental structures
Representation and Accessibility in Psychotherapy
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A question is raised about low representation of Black and Brown populations in psychotherapy
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Marmor attributes this to systemic and financial barriers, not therapist disinterest
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Watzlawick emphasizes the importance of addressing the broader ecosystem of inequality
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Discussion affirms the need for wider access and greater inclusion
Final Remarks and Questions
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A participant likens the nuclear arms race to a psychiatric symptom signaling deeper societal dysfunction
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Watzlawick agrees but cautions against simplistic or overly idealistic goals
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Wolpe reaffirms his critique of psychoanalysis, calling for evidence-based validation
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The session closes with consensus on the importance of addressing social context in psychotherapy and a call for ongoing dialogue
Credits
Faculty
Ronald Laing, MD Related Seminars and Products
Ronald David Laing, usually cited as R. D. Laing, was a Scottish psychiatrist who wrote extensively on mental illness – in particular, the experience of psychosis. R.D. received his M.D. from Glasgow University. Laing's name comes to mind when one thinks of practitioners who have been most effective at challenging prevailing medical thinking on schizophrenia. He has practices psychotherapy for more than 35 years and has authored 11 volumes.
Laing teaches and practices in London. Formerly he served as Chairman of The Philadelphia Association; was associated with the Tavistock Clinic; and was a Fellow of The Foundations Fund for Research in Psychiatry.
Judd Marmor Related Seminars and Products
Judd Marmor, MD, was an American psychiatrist known for his role in removing homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Judd was an adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California in LA, was Franz Alexander Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Southern California School of Medicine. he has practices medicine for more than 50 years, having graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1933. He is past president of the American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Psychoanalysis, and The Group for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis, and The Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. He is recipient of the Bowis Award for Outstanding Achievements in Leadership in the Field of Psychiatry from the American College of Psychiatrists and the Founders Award from the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Marmor served on the editorial board of 14 journals.He authored five books and co-authored one. He has written or co-written more than 300 scientific papers. Much of his writing has been on psychoanalysis and human sexuality.
Paul Watzlawick, PhD Related Seminars and Products
Paul Watzlawick, received his Ph.D. from the University of Venice in 1949. He has an Analyst's Diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute for Analytic Psychology in Zurich. Watzlawick has practiced psychotherapy for more than 30 years. He was research associate and principal investigator at the Mental Research Institute. He was Clinical Professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center. Watzlawick is a noted family therapist; he is recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Family Therapy Association. Also, he is author, co-author or editor of eight books on the topics of interactional psychotherapy, human communication and constructivist philosophy.
He formulated five axioms. They are:
- It is not possible to not communicate. Every behavior is some kind of non-verbal communication.
- Every communication has a content. In addition, there is 'metainformation', which says how the communicator wants to be understood.
- All partners involved in a communication process also interpret their own behaviour during communication.
- Human communication involves both verbal and non-verbal communication. In addition to the spoken words, there are is also a non-spoken part (gestures, behavior, intonation..) which is part of the communication.
- Communication between humans is either symmetric or complementary. This is based on whether the relationship of those communicating is based on differences or parity.
Joseph Wolpe, M.D. Related Seminars and Products
Joseph Wolpe, MD, was a South African psychiatrist, one of the most influential figures in Behavior Therapy. Wolpe grew up in South Africa, attending Parktown Boys' High School. Joseph received his M.D. in 1948 from the University of Whitatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was Emeritus Professor fo Psychiatry and Former Director of Behavior Therapy Unity at Temple University Medical School. He was Professor of Psychiatry at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. One of the leading practitioners of behavior therapy, he has authored three books and co-edited two, and has more than 200 professional publications. He cofounded the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry. He is receipient of the Distinguished Scientific Award for the Applications of Psychology from the American Psychological Association.