The Dark Side of Psychology
America is in a state of reckoning indeed, for even as we are in the midst of a national, mental health crisis, we are also at a crisis point in the field of psychology, as the American Psychological Association (APA), the nation’s top policing force for psychologists and psychiatrists, has just issued a bombshell memo that is replete with admissions that are damaging, truthful and the very first steps on a long road towards rectifying the field of psychology, and the quality of services that it endorses.
On Friday, October 29, 2021, The APA issued a headline that reads: “The APA Apologizes For Longstanding Contributions To Systemic Racism.
Wow! Just, WOW!
They have finally said it! Now begins the writhing of the can of worms of dismantling systemic racism though, as it is so endemic to American society, that it is going to take YEARS, a great deal of reparations, I feel, and a continued commitment to the truth, which this admission now serves to replenish.
It is sad and embarrassing that the nation’s top enforcing conglomerate for mental health clinicians was not ahead of this though. It speaks to their racist and elitist nature which led us to this in the first place, where new ideas could not permeate the wall that they had created. It had to take the wallop of George Floyd’s impact to cause them to follow the trend of the nation, which is to stop burying the whole and unavoidable truth.
Efua Andoh had it right when she said these words: “In short, psychology has two choices — advance or become irrelevant,” and the fact that the leading organization on psychology DID NOT lead — it had to follow the trend of the times — I see a dark road ahead for the organization, as its actions now are merely a matter of self-preservation.
What is the use of the APA saying this now?
We know!!! Thanks for joining us in the fight. But now, we still cannot trust you, because you are acting to save your tail, rather than to meet the needs of the people, which is a very different service point.
To do something for someone because you care, is very different from doing it because you are afraid of losing your status with them, so this pivot does not bring warm and fuzzy feelings all over.
It IS saddening that psychologists, the ones at the forefront of treating Black, Brown, Cream and all cultures of people, could not say, “Hey, we have to stop this, we see the damaging effects of treating people less than.” No. They joined in and did it themselves, and they are now only toning to rectify their behavior after they got caught.
What a shame! I am crying tears of hurt and pain because that is what it has come down to, at this point: the pain! The years and years of pain. When people deny you your freedom, deny you your rights, and then they are building organizations that are purporting to “help you,” — the equivalent of peeing down your back and telling you that it’s raining — how can you go on to trust them?
You cannot! I think that what the APA is saying here boldly is, “You cannot trust us,” which is the saddest thing in the world, today.
This is supposed to be human service. Social service. The very meat of social currency is trust, and I am caught between crying and laughing at the sore, honest, fact that the agency that spends large amounts of time saying how people should be treated, is admitting that it does not know how to treat people.
How is this remaining relevant? Clearly the APA is in need of receiving treatment too, and apparently, it is moving on as the one that oversees that treatment.
Bizarre, wouldn’t you agree? To me, it’s just another instance of whiteness trying to remain relevant and “in sight,” which is as narcissistic as it is sadistic, because they are still purporting themselves to be leaders of the field. Leaders. Ha!
Here comes the tears though, as it begs the ones who are sore with the field of psychology for its years of mistreatment, to join the ranks of covert, racist organizations “as if nothing has happened.”
We cannot do that! I know that some may expect people to just carry on now that the APA is trying to churn out the truth, but that is selfishness to me, as they are unwilling to recognize the full extent of the damage that has been done — which, to be clear — affects both races with dire consequences.
Nothing good comes from consistently lying to one group and trampling on the rights of the next, as this is the root cause of the catastrophic mental disasters that we are now seeing all across the board — and I think that it is time that whiteness has a reckoning with itself and examine its purpose, and the use of a system that seeks to classify people by the color of their skin.
The impact has only been to defraud the nation and its people, and if the APA truly is a remorseful agency, it will now be begging to repair the damage with loads and loads of incentives for psychologists and clinicians who can prove that their careers have been harmed by racism, and even individual clients as well, who can prove such claims.
It is not enough to just issue an apology, and to be fair, their apology comes with a three-part plan to address this issue moving forward, but all of that should only be part of the deal.
The fact is, the APA is a governing body that failed to do its duty to protect and righteously treat the people that it serves, to their continued hurt. They allowed this to go on for decades, and it was not until they were caught red-handed, in broad daylight, that we see the change. This cannot be enough.
Punitive damages are due. They have admitted to knowing about it, and doing nothing, so in order to convince us — black, brown and cream people — that they are conscious of the ramifications of their actions, their prestige needs to be righteously restored with some large giving.
The economic impact of restoring balance to people with monetary compensation will be two-fold, as it is likely to cripple and absolve certain government agencies — a necessary pruning in my view — but it will also expand the economy in countless ways due to the liberation and the healing of loads of educated, smart people. This will only be good for our civilization!
People with good intentions will be liberated from the unrighteous exile that they have suffered, and I believe that it is these people who will advance and shape psychology for the future.
A keen eye is a necessity and a boon for clinicians, and the fact that the country had to practically fall apart before whiteness conceded to the truth is troubling. An extreme self-examination is in order, as any psychologist knows that behaviors that have been given so much leeway are difficult to dismantle.
True rectification is possible, but it is probably best solved by dismantling agencies, rolling back policies, and meeting the needs of a crippled populous, at least a century-long investment, in my view. This will also be difficult to manage because it involves a lot of people coming together over a lengthy period of time, which can go awry at anytime. Hopefully, we will strive to take steps still towards unearthing all of the ways that psychologists have failed us, in an effort to heal ourselves.
As I said, this apology is the first step of the thousands that we will have to take as a field, and as a country to change futures, heal lives and claim victory over this crippling, unhelpful structure. Today, we begin.
