Are Two Souls Better Than One?

[Questioner]

Jim, I think you might appreciate David Viscott's book The Making of a Psychiatrist, and also the book Conscious Loving by Gay and and Kathlyn Hendricks. David and Gay both found that work in the mainstream mental health system showed that sometimes, the system is itself a refuge for people who have a great deal of emotional, psychological, spiritual immaturity and unwillingness to grow or face their own feelings. Some of these immature people manipulate their way into positions of judgment and control of those who are more open to life and love.

After his professional training, which the book is about, David was able to provide open-hearted service to many people in a successful career. On the other hand, Gay had to leave behind his professional career credentials before he and his wife could offer the loving perspectives he longed to share. I don't know if these two have ever participated in a panel discussion about the institutionalized "blind spots" of the mental health system. Such a discussion would be fascinating.

You've discussed the gap between your own passionate response and what others are able to connect with inside their own shells. I also imagine that the examples in the Hendricks book of how to talk about one's own inner experiences may help you to find new ways to bridge this gap.