On the chance that there really are some people on this list who don't
believe that they are getting enough list-generated email, I'm going to take
up what might otherwise be considered an inordinate amount of bandwidth. I
would like to post an article that I have submitted to my local state
psychological association's newsletter. I would be interested in hearing
what people might think of these ideas. My academic background is in
psychology, so I'm sure that I could benefit from those with a stronger
understanding of Foucault and a better background in philosophy in general.
In particular, I would like to know if people think that my application of
Foucault's notion of disciplinary power to the operation of behavioral
managed care is actually in keeping with his ideas, and I would like
comments about the ethical issues that are raised. (Anyone with an interest
in medical ethics, for example, I would appreciate your thoughts on how to
address the issues raised.) The article is a condensed version of a longer
working paper that I have circulated among colleagues; however, this article
is still about 15 paragraphs long, so I am posting it in four parts. This
(the first part) of the post contains the article's introductory paragraph,
which I hope will allow folks to decide whether they are interested in the
remainder of the article. I appreciate the time of those who give this
their attention.
SURVEILLANCE AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
The following thoughts relate to two articles in previous issues of THE
TENNESSEE PSYCHOLOGIST by Dr. William MacGillivray. In the first of those
articles, he reviewed the Bollas and Sundelson book, THE NEW INFORMANTS:
BETRAYAL OF CONFIDENTIALITY IN PSYCHOANALYSIS AND PSYCHOTHERAPY, and added
his own thoughts and observations regarding the erosion of confidentiality
in the practice of psychotherapy, and in the second article, "Managed
Privacy," he noted how we have become accustomed to the practice of opening
an individual's life to inspection and documentation by agents of an ever
expanding array of authorities. It is against the background of this
declining expectation of privacy and confidentiality that we can best
understand how we, as psychologists and psychotherapists, now constitute
cases for documentation and examination by managed care companies. The
premise that confidentiality is crucial to the practice of psychotherapy is
old and generally accepted, but these days the actual practice of
psychotherapy is often shaped by parties other than the therapist or the
client, which suggests that the pre-eminence of this principle for
psychotherapists is slipping. Drawing upon Michel Foucault's critical
analysis of power, I hope to provide the basis for regaining our
appreciation of what is at stake when the interests of third parties
compromise confidentiality.
believe that they are getting enough list-generated email, I'm going to take
up what might otherwise be considered an inordinate amount of bandwidth. I
would like to post an article that I have submitted to my local state
psychological association's newsletter. I would be interested in hearing
what people might think of these ideas. My academic background is in
psychology, so I'm sure that I could benefit from those with a stronger
understanding of Foucault and a better background in philosophy in general.
In particular, I would like to know if people think that my application of
Foucault's notion of disciplinary power to the operation of behavioral
managed care is actually in keeping with his ideas, and I would like
comments about the ethical issues that are raised. (Anyone with an interest
in medical ethics, for example, I would appreciate your thoughts on how to
address the issues raised.) The article is a condensed version of a longer
working paper that I have circulated among colleagues; however, this article
is still about 15 paragraphs long, so I am posting it in four parts. This
(the first part) of the post contains the article's introductory paragraph,
which I hope will allow folks to decide whether they are interested in the
remainder of the article. I appreciate the time of those who give this
their attention.
SURVEILLANCE AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
The following thoughts relate to two articles in previous issues of THE
TENNESSEE PSYCHOLOGIST by Dr. William MacGillivray. In the first of those
articles, he reviewed the Bollas and Sundelson book, THE NEW INFORMANTS:
BETRAYAL OF CONFIDENTIALITY IN PSYCHOANALYSIS AND PSYCHOTHERAPY, and added
his own thoughts and observations regarding the erosion of confidentiality
in the practice of psychotherapy, and in the second article, "Managed
Privacy," he noted how we have become accustomed to the practice of opening
an individual's life to inspection and documentation by agents of an ever
expanding array of authorities. It is against the background of this
declining expectation of privacy and confidentiality that we can best
understand how we, as psychologists and psychotherapists, now constitute
cases for documentation and examination by managed care companies. The
premise that confidentiality is crucial to the practice of psychotherapy is
old and generally accepted, but these days the actual practice of
psychotherapy is often shaped by parties other than the therapist or the
client, which suggests that the pre-eminence of this principle for
psychotherapists is slipping. Drawing upon Michel Foucault's critical
analysis of power, I hope to provide the basis for regaining our
appreciation of what is at stake when the interests of third parties
compromise confidentiality.