Psychotherapy

From: Roberts, Craig (CRAIG92@psy.soton.ac.uk)
Date: Thu Feb 23 1995 - 12:00:57 GMT

A question we would like to raise regards Stevan's comments in today's
lecture about therapy being a 'mind-mind thing.'

Behind all of this is a deep rooted concern we have pertaining to the
relation between mind and brain. Do you believe that the mind is a
separate entity or do you believe the mind is a function of the brain?

If, as we believe, the mind is a term used to describe the apparently
non physical aspects of the brain (we are willing to defend this
point of view if you wish) then they are one in the same. We hold
this position because there is a tendency to assume that the physical
has to be tangible whereas in actual fact matter is energy. Therefore
a thought may have a physical existence in terms of a wave or
electrical impulse in the brain, but we cannot extract it.

With respect to therapy, could this explain why it is reported to
work no better than chance, whereas a drug like Prozac acts upon the
chemical nature of the brain and is reported to be beneficial?

Craig, Darren and Laura.

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