The ''Subject''

By Patricia Lefave, Labelled, D.D.(P)

The first ‘subject’ any psychology student should observe and assess is the one looking back at him/her from the mirror.A good heavy dose of introspection causes a large increase in both internal and external understanding of the human race.

The next ‘subject’ the psychology student needs to therapize is one from his/her own student group. This will allow exploration of some interesting new material on the I/thou relationship.

The third ‘subject’ the psychology student needs to observe and assess is their own peer group as a whole. This will enable the individual members of this group to observe and assess the group dynamics and to determine how it is that ‘reality’ tends to materialize according to the beliefs and understanding (or lack of it) according to the group as a whole.

The next subject the psychology student needs to observe and assess is him/herself when she tries to disagree with a group consensus and to see, hear and feel what happens to him or her as a result. It is also important at this point to observe and assess the group as a whole in order to determine the elements which begin to affect a group when its beliefs are challenged by any individual. The student should be able to extrapolate from this point, the variables that go into the creation and growth of the mob mentality.

When the psychology student can easily assess his/her own perception/reaction problems, those of the closest friend/peer as an individual, and also those of the group as a whole, then and ONLY then should such a student be permitted to talk WITH, not ‘at’ or ‘about,’ anyone who is in a state of psycho- spiritual/emotional distress. The LAST thing someone in such a state needs is more ignorance, mocking, ridicule, humouring or condescension. All too often, that is the reason we have landed in such a institution in the first place. Please don't use 'us' to act out YOUR frustrations with the people in your OWN lives who can never be 'blamed' for anything either. We are people, just like you; not 'objects' of observation.

Anyone, graduate or not, who still believes ‘them’ and ‘us’ is anything other than a firmly entrenched dysfunctional illusion should be considering looking for another career choice. Such people are more suited to work ON abstract ideas or things than WITH living breathing human beings. Auto mechanics and plumbers make very good money and neither one requires you to take an oath to do no harm above all else.

If you see ‘harm’ in what you do and ignore it, deny it or worse still, support and enable it, after taking the Hippocratic Oath, then that makes you a Hypocrite according to your own definition. Better you should move on and away from all of us ‘subjects,’ than to add to our overload of chaos and confusion while calling it ‘help.’