RE: Berkenkotter & Ravotas article
Francoise Herrmann (fherrmann who-is-at igc.apc.org)
Sat, 7 Feb 1998 12:28:30 -0800 (PST)
Hi Carol, Hi Doris, Thank you for your prompt and clear answers to
my messages. I think that the two different fronts that you are
working on are great and comforting and that the steps you are
taking, cautiously along with many others who think and feel like
you, are really important. Pushing my thoughts about your article
further, I was happy to read Doris' message, because to highlight
the workings of institutional pressures and the powers of
nosologist categorization in the genre of clinical reports to me
uncovers the encompassing issue of thinking and cognition and how
these shape the practice of pschotherapy and likely psychaitry
also. You write a text to de-mythisize the workings perhaps in
hopes of changing the thinking and providing alternative ways to
see and conceive of the practice. Ultimately though, it is the
approach and the attitudes that need to change. And that is the
MOUNTAIN. Of course as Doris writes there are third force
psychologies (with their structured practices) to join forces with
you. But in the meanwhile, I was reawakened in really clear terms
by your article, with a better understanding of all the binds that
are entailed, via institutional pressures, intertextuality and the
reproduction of conserving forces, in the show of competence for
example that you outline. Thank you for a terrific, mind opening
and clarifying read. And your care to answer my concerns.
Francoise Francoise Herrmann fherrmann who-is-at igc.apc.org
http://www.wenet.net/~herrmann