The Social Construction of Mental Illness and Its Implications for Neuroplasticity

By (author) Michael T. Walker

Publication date:

14 September 2016

Length of book:

254 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9781498524834

The Social Construction of Mental Illness and Its Implications for Neuroplasticity examines how the current concept of mental illness in society informs the dialogic skills and perspectives of psychotherapists. The common interpretation of unconventional behavior as a symptom of illness has marginalized the creative class and deterred mental health professionals from developing the skills and perspectives needed to empower their clients. Too often the neuroplasticity of the human brain is ignored in favor of the organizing metaphor of chemical imbalance which often results in the relegation of clients’ needs to the pharmaceutical industry. Michael T. Walker encourages psychotherapists to evolve their practice by considering the new information available in neuroscience, psychotherapy outcome studies, and postmodern psychotherapies.

1. The Structure of Social Scientific Revolutions
2. Neuroplasticity
3. The Pragmatists
4. The Postmodernists
5. The Social Construction of Reality
6. Vocabularies, Institutionalization, and Power
7. The DSM Criticized By Its Makers (Applies Equally to ICD)
8. Why this is the Wrong Metaphor to Begin With
9. The Creation of the Patient
10. Unleash This Creativity Onto the World
11. A Postmodern Narrative – the Subjectivity of Compassion
12. The New Psychology is an Art Form
13. If language is so powerful, then what we want is a powerful language – Postmodern Coaching
14. Postmodern Guerilla Tactics in Modernist Institutions

In clear and compelling terms, Walker joins a phalanx of critics who challenge the constraining and injurious practice of mental illness diagnosis. However, Walker draws from his extensive experience as a therapist and coach to explore a humanistic alternative to knee-jerk drug prescriptions. As he demonstrates, the results of artful compassion are indeed consistent with those of contemporary neuroscience. This is essential reading for therapists and the public alike.