The Myth of Psychotherapy

Mental Healing as Religion, Rhetoric, and Repression

De: Thomas Szasz

Narrado por: Robin Lawson

Until recent years, “bad” and “immoral” were the terms used to describe people who are now referred to as “sick” and “in need of treatment.” Moral and religious perspective has been replaced by medical and therapeutic rhetoric. It is little wonder why the world is plagued by legions of rapists, drug users, murderers, thieves, and child abusers, all of whom are now referred to as having one form or another of “addiction” and are thus either “sick” or suffering from “mental illness.” Accordingly, modern psychotherapists claim that these are in need of specialized “therapy” or “treatment” to help them “cope with their disease.” Moral relativism, bolstered by psychotherapy, has prevailed over the traditional ideas of self-control, individual responsibility, and moral culpability. Thomas Szasz moves to demythologize psychotherapy itself in a most provocative manner.

©1988 Thomas Szasz (P)1992 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Szasz’s important book will test the self-insight of anyone involved in the therapeutic process.” ( Publishers Weekly)

I like this narrator.

This narrator is not whiny & inappropriately over-expressive like other Narrator. His faint southern accent is humanizing without being distracting, snd goes well with Szasz writing. i believe Szasz remains the only honest, competent psychiatrist who ever lived, and the only one worth reading.

A true diagnosis of psychotherapy.

Thank you Dr. Szasz. Your contributions to the field will hopefully someday be a turning point in psychology history. You are greatly missed. This is a must read for all those aspiring to become psychology professionals.

Great work, solid performance, hissy mastering

The mastering on the audio is excessively trebly, making for an almost hissy-sounding recording. I could correct this with an eq, but wish I hadn't had to.

Libertarianism & rational thought meets Psychiatry

Where does The Myth of Psychotherapy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This ranks in the Top 10 so far.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The author is the foremost and favourite character as his no-nonsense approach to psychiatry relies on science and drugs and not "talking."

What does Robin Lawson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His presentation is very good and I would not nearly enjoy the book if read. The material is not dry but is far better listened to much like a professorial oratory.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"You're crazy, so what?"

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed Dr. Szasz's rational take-down of the cocaine addict and moronic Freud. How can anyone, after reading this book, take Freudian theory seriously?

Interesting approach

I was a bit skeptical regarding this audiobook but at the end I am quite satisfied. I really enjoyed the part on Jung, I really could understand what separated him from Freud. I recommend it.

I did not get my degree, and I'm jealous.

Based upon the recommendation of Dr. J. Peterson, I gave this author a try. The author has done a fine job at historical research, however he has missed the mark in affording an objective analysis of his findings. He does enjoy tangential rhetoric in describing why Psycology is a lie, as he sets the works of Freud and Nitze to an inferno, without pausing to peel the onion of such thinkers. I believe that his books were written as the ultimate trolling of clinical psycology and its roots in religion as a pseudo science. If you can finish the book, without the urge to throw it down and have a tantrum, then the book has done its job and you will be more astute in the application of your daily practice.

great info on the reformation against nut houses

excellent info from the mind of Thomas szasz about why mental institutions are bogus entities

Absolutely fascinating listen!

If you have ever questioned the validity or effectiveness of psychotherapy then you should listen to this audio book. More importantly, if you have never questioned either, then you must listen to this audio book. Szasz lays out that psychotherapy is not medical but rather religious in nature. It is at best essentially pastoral caring and not to be confused with medicinal curing. The danger here is that acceptance by Western governments of the scientific and medical certainty of modern psychiatry has created therapeutic States. Modern psychotherapists have the power to deny freedom via involuntary commitment to the potentially innocent or to set free the potentially guilty via expert testimony in court. Szasz lays out the intellectual pedigree of psychotherapy and proves that its practitioners are unworthy of, and therefore should not be entrusted with, such power.

Revealing and thought-provoking book on the roots of psychotherapy

Older recording has slightly muddy sound, with light rasping on S sounds. If possible, perhaps touching up the audio digitally would help? Narrator himself is excellent, with highly enjoyable tone, speed, and diction. Book material itself was fascinating and illuminating, giving language and solidity to some of my own half-formed but growing misgivings about the nature of psychology and therapy as healing practices. Great food for thought, at the least. Will be strongly recommending to others!

Dangerously well spoken misinformation

An eloquent explanation of things such as semantics which are largely irrelevant to the topics of both bodily and mental treatments. At other times a mischaracterization of the understandings psychiatrists try to convey. More likely to bias those who aren’t informed about mental health than to enlighten anyone.