Need the perspective of a mental health professional with a deity.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by wyceeric

When we got the referral, we considered asking for an alternative. Since it was just an assessment for ADD, we figured it wasn't that big a deal since we would be in and out in an hour or so, and that they should be able to handle it competently. It wasn't until that one specific question came up that I began to think maybe we had made a mistake.

If it had been for a real crisis issue, or something that required an ongoing relationship with the organization, there's no way we would have taken him there in the first place. Not a chance.

Another factor is that this was when he was maybe 7-10(?); he's 25 now. I have little idea how the landscape has changed in the intervening 15-18 years, but this area's conservatism makes me think probably not much. I do know that the place we took him is still the 800 pound gorilla in this region, and will be for the foreseeable future. For most people around here, it's what they want- and what they expect. For a lot of folks I know, a referral to a secular service provider would be unthinkable.

Now I am confused. He's 25, and the guy with the dodgy question was when he was 7-10? So is there an issue now?

[BigElCat]

OP's rhetoric is not really a question.

It's an appeal for the American Psychological Association to ban all faith-based counseling.

Oddly enough, I'm on-board for that.

[Pio1980]

In my limited personal nonprofessional experience, there is frequently a delusional religious aspect to mental irrationalities. I'd be concerned about having it part of therapy.

[wyceeric]

The original question from the first post was, "How is a mental health professional with an invisible friend who's will he obeys, qualified to diagnose delusion in someone else?" What are the professional standards around this, and how do I know that the person can tell the difference?

The incident that raised this question was some years ago. Mention of the temporal gap was only to illustrate that the question persists. The rest of the information was to illustrate the environment in which the question arose. I'm asking the question here, now because it just occurred to me to do so. I've been a member on AK for many years, but thought I'd check it out over here.

I suppose the degree to which it is an issue depends on whether you are the one interacting with the person who is an adult with an invisible friend who's will he obeys, and is also in charge of diagnosing whether or not you are subject to delusion. Seems like a conflict of interest, does it not? True today, tomorrow, or 15 years ago.

Hadn't thought of it as an appeal to the APA, other than to hope that someone with credentials, and maybe an invisible friend who's will he obeys, could explain it to me. I do agree, that if I ever needed it, I'd opt for science based counseling, rather than the faith based kind.

Fair question about why live here. It's the same question I ask the guy at work who complains about winter. Truth is, it is better.

When we moved into our previous house in June of '98, within 60 seconds of meeting my new neighbor, Dave, over the back fence, he asked me, "So which church do you attend?". A standard "getting to know you" question in this part of the world. I have been asked that question many, many times. But not lately. That's progress.

Since we got the hell out of the suburbs, and moved where we live now, in July of '19, neither of my two closest (but not too close) neighbors have asked me that question. That's progress.

A silver lining of the oppressive religious environment was, that the counter culture, while small, was vibrant and wonderful. Probably in a way it could not have been, had it not had anything to push against. When I moved down here in '85 for college, it was pretty bleak; but the freaks found each other, and I got exposed to a lot of people making their own really interesting fun.

When things started to relax after some years, a lot of those people were instrumental in creating what would become essentially, "the rest of the cultural landscape" in this area, outside of the symphony and ballet. Now there's music and art everywhere, and I've been working with one of those organizations for over thirty years.

That said, let's not lose sight of the fact that this side of the state is RED. Outside of the largest city in the region, no one without an R next to their name holds any office. In addition to which, the cross is as important as the R.

[BigElCat]

I live in a very similar environment.

As far as 'Church Folk' being delusional, the vast majority have never had any encounters with the Holy Spirit. They don't have any experience with paranormal phenomena mentioned in the Bible, i.e. demons/angels. They don't try to discern the will of God.

They just go through the motions, do what the Preacher says. Some go to jobs in the mental health field, rubber stamp other people as delusional even when it's contrary to scripture. That such things can and do happen.