Operating Within a Larger System

At one time, clinical researchers and professionals conducted their work largely in isolation. Today their activities have numerous ties to the legislative, judicial, and economic systems and to technological forces as well. One reason for this growing interconnectedness is that the clinical field has reached a high level of respect and acceptance in our society. Clinicians now serve millions of people in many ways. They have much to say about almost every aspect of society, from education to ecology, and are widely looked to as sources of expertise. When a field becomes so prominent, it inevitably affects how other institutions are run. It also attracts public scrutiny, and various institutions begin to keep an eye on its activities.

When people with psychological problems seek help from a therapist, they are entering a complex system consisting of many interconnected parts. Just as their personal problems have grown within a social structure, so will their treatment be affected by the various parts of a larger system—the therapist’s values and needs, legal and economic factors, societal attitudes, technological changes, and yet other forces. These many forces influence clinical research as well.

The effects of this larger system on an individual’s psychological needs can be positive or negative, like a family’s impact on each of its members. When the system protects a client’s rights and confidentiality, for example, it is serving the client well. When economic, legal, or other societal forces limit treatment options, cut off treatment prematurely, or stigmatize a person, the system is adding to the person’s problems.

Because of the enormous growth and impact of the mental health profession in our society, it is important that we understand the profession’s strengths and weaknesses. As you have seen throughout this book, the field has gathered much knowledge, especially during the past several decades. What mental health professionals do not know and cannot do, however, still outweighs what they do know and can do. Everyone who turns to the clinical field—directly or indirectly—must recognize that it is young and imperfect. Society is vastly curious about behavior and often in need of information and help. What we as a society must remember, however, is that the field is still putting it all together.