‘Public Health’ at Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life, Page 2

Much of my practice over the years has involved treating individuals with significant disturbances of character. What they need most is to learn self-regulatory skills and self-discipline, but quick-fix medications rob them of the opportunity to make meaningful investments in personal development.

Where does it go wrong? It seems to me that we know how to help individuals heal from trauma. It seems to me that we even know how to enable individuals to live more fulfilling lives. But this doesn’t transfer neatly and naturally into making the world a better place.

I’d like to say that it is an essential part of psychotherapy to contribute to making the world a better place.

Numbers are important, but it’s easy to mix up quantity and quality — especially when it comes to quality of life. The quality of our lives is partly determined by our own values and preferences, our sensitivity and the disciplines we pursue.

It is often argued that quality is subjective, but I am convinced this line of thinking is wrong. I can enjoy reading trash and listening to schmaltzy music, but I don’t think that the trash is as good as Shakespeare or the schmaltz as good as Bach. I can separate quality from enjoyment.