Beyond the Therapeutic State

16 Feb Beyond the Therapeutic State

That’s the title of a conference taking place in Norway this coming June. I like the title for a few reasons. First, therapy has become “an arm” of the state. Second, I agree that we must believe in and work for something other than (“beyond”) the current therapy institution (what many refer to as the Psy-Complex). And third, there already is a beyond—organizations like the ones organizing this conference, me and my colleagues at the East Side Institute and The Social Therapy Group, and many other individuals and organizations worldwide who are doing something other than adhering to the state-sanctioned individualized medical model practices.

“Beyond the Therapeutic State” is subtitled (conference always have subtitles!) “Collaborative Practices for Individual and Social Change.” What kind of change is indicated in this sentence from the announcement: “In the end, it is toward a relationally oriented society we must move.”

You can read more about the conference at the Taos Institute site.