It still amazes me that in 2008, 2500 years after the earthly presence of the Buddha, 2000 years after the earthly presence of the Christ, 2500 years after Aristotle wrote about psychology, a good hundred years only from the time of Freud, mental health is such a taboo topic for so many people in the United States. I don't know for certain, but I think this stigma may be less in many European countries.
It amazes me too, to tell the truth, that we in the US just elected an African American to the presidency. Six months ago I was saying that neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama had a snowball's chance in Hell of being the Democratic party's nominee. I didn't think we as a country were ready for either a woman or a Black man. I'm delighted to admit that I was wrong.
Of course, after eight years of the tyranny of the Cheney, uh, I mean the Bush Dynasty, maybe it's not so surprising after all. Apparently we really are ready for some healthy change.
Which brings me back to mental health. Therapy is really all about healthy change.
I propose that we continue the momentum of the election and vote individually and collectively for more mental health. I'm prepared to be amazed again and again as more people say "Yes" to helping themselves and their loved ones along the lines of genuine happiness and well being. And remember,
If you give a man a fish, you feed him for today. If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.
