#34: What is Illness? — Dr. Amanda Rabinowitz

Researcher and clinical psychology PhD Amanda Rabinowitz returns to Redeeming Disorder to talk psychiatry, dive deeper into therapeutic techniques (especially CBT and its behavioral activation offshoots) and contemplate a number of murky dichotomies within her field:

• Nature vs. Nurture


• Categorical vs. Dimensional Thinking


• Suppression of vs. Identification with Mental "Illnesses"


• Collectivist vs. Individualist Perspectives


• Cultural Context vs. Universality

As a whole, Amanda's interview underscores dichotomies within the whole of psychology — dichotomies in which her approach contrasts with that of our last guest, Dr. Eric Maisel. Where Eric calls disorders made-up, psychiatry corrupt and its systems illegitimate, Amanda calls disorders sociologically valuable, psychiatry complicated and its systems worth working within. I don't pretend to know who is right, or if either of these psychologists is right. I don't particularly think that's important. In Eric Maisel and Amanda Rabinowitz I see two people carrying out a labor of love, with tremendous intelligence and compassion, impactfully helping others.

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