Embracing (Rather Than Fixing) Our Authentic Selves

We are a society of armchair psychologists, who are constantly self-diagnosing. There are scores of books and television programs that suggest ways for us to reprogram and rid ourselves of disturbing feelings and behavior patterns. Bedrick is deepening the dialogue about the role and practice of psychology in today’s society. Much of mainstream or “pop” psychology give us plenty of labels, but does it go deep enough to motivate us to truly change destructive patterns? David Bedrick gives us a new vision of psychology where people are seen not as either functional or dysfunctional. It’s a psychology where awareness and dialogue are more important than labels.Mainstream psychology often misses the range of diversity in people and tries to “normalize” them into a sea of sameness. In Process Oriented Psychology, for example, there are no 7 steps to a cure. This branch of psychology acknowledges that everyone is different. Bedrick is an awareness follower and says, “I’m using my awareness in watching all the communication a person gives me, much of which is not verbal.” He follows what they are showing him until the client reveals their own cure or medicine. He gives many exciting examples in this dynamic dialogue. (hosted by Justine Willis Toms)