john herr psychologist los gatos saratoga california

On Sabbatical

 

Unpublished Opnions

Diagnoses in Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry

Is aware that medical diagnoses are metaphors for understanding the behavior and spirituality of our species and that medical diagnoses are not concrete nouns referring to physical objects of precise and universally accepted dimensions? Some say the greatest contribution of Freud was to reintroduce and apply the wisdom of the antiquities to medical science in his day.  Edith Hamilton’s (Greek) Mythology, and the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—4th ed. (DSM-IV)  are simply two different metaphorical interpretations of humankind’s external and internal struggle for meaning and comfort.   A therapist who thinks Mythology is based superstition and the DSM-IV is based on science may have a short sighted view of his or her work.

 


On Sabbatical!

When my office lease expired at the end of 2004, I decided to turn it into a "sabbatical" from my private practice. Many years ago, in my grandfather's 89th year of life, he told me, "John, it is important to smell the roses while you can still smell them." His life gave living a very good reputation. It is also true that the pursuit of that philosophy required my grandfather to to re-open his assay office/ore market in Wickenburg, Arizona as a 75-year-old because he had run a little short of retirement money. Thus, if blessed with his luck and health, I'll be back.. --jjh

Copyright 1998-2007  John J. Herr, Ph.D.                                   Please send comments to jjherr@clinicalpsychologist.com