Pope: A_silenced_profession_The_tox

Flashcards covering the paradox therapists face, the nine taboo topics, mechanisms of silencing, consequences for clients and therapists, historical examples about incest and rape, research findings on discussing culture, and the broader sociopolitical context of silencing.

What paradox do therapists face regarding taboo topics in psychotherapy?

They encourage clients to speak freely about private, sensitive topics, yet may avoid discussing certain key issues themselves.

List the nine taboo topics discussed in Chapters 7–15.

Physical difference and disability; sexual and affectional orientation; sexual reactions to clients; anger; oppression; White supremacy culture; religion; money and fees; death and dying.

What metaphor describes topics that are present but not acknowledged in therapy sessions?

The elephant in the room.

What are common ways therapists silence taboo topics during sessions?

Denying relevance, interrupting, skating past the topic, discounting the speaker, redefining what is said, or discrediting the speaker.

What are externalization and avoidance in the context of therapy silences?

Externalization attributes the problem to others or circumstances; avoidance is failing to accept the true source of the issue.

Describe the weight-focused misinterpretation example used in therapy.

A therapist focuses on the client’s weight and possible eating disorder, ignoring other issues like discrimination, making the client feel unheard.

What are the consequences of silence for clients?

Clients feel unheard and unhelped; important issues may go unaddressed, contributing to ongoing harm or discrimination.

What are the consequences of silence for therapists and training?

Therapists may experience anxiety, discomfort, guilt; the therapeutic alliance can rupture; training quality suffers and new clinicians inherit silence codes.

What do Knox et al. (2003) analogue studies suggest about addressing cultural issues?

Addressing cultural issues facilitated more positive client outcomes and disclosures; avoiding them evoked frustration.

What do Owen et al. (2016, 2017) studies suggest about discussing cultural identity in therapy?

Therapists’ comfort with cultural issues is linked to better outcomes; missing opportunities to discuss culture correlated with worse outcomes and higher risk of stopping therapy.

What does the history around incest reveal about silence in the field?

Professionals treated incest as rare or fantasy, delaying recognition and response, which harmed victims and allowed abuse to continue.

What did Freud claim about girls' reports of incest in 1917/1965?

He suggested that such reports were fantasies, not real occurrences.

What were Weinberg (1955) and Henderson (1975) estimates of incest incidence?

Weinberg: about 1–2 cases per million; Henderson: 1.1–1.9 per million.

What did Herman (1981) contribute to understanding incest?

Documented difficulties clinicians had in recognizing incest and breaking the collective silence.

What did Estrich (1987) and Wigmore (1934/1970) say about rape myths?

Estrich noted rape accusations were often viewed as lies or fantasies; Wigmore suggested many rape claims were false and tied to fantasies of women.

What is the heading “TOXIC EFFECTS OF SILENCE” about?

The harm caused by silence: victims are dismissed or unsupported, training suffers, and the cycle of silence persists.

How does silence affect the training of new psychotherapists?

New generations inherit silence codes, often lacking awareness, knowledge, or skills to respond when taboo topics arise.

What broader forces contribute to silencing taboo topics in the field?

Organizational cultures, professional codes, political polarization, cancel culture, and laws/studies shaping what can be taught.

What is the main goal of addressing silence in this chapter?

To understand silencing systems and cognitive cues, and to speak more openly about taboo topics.

What does the staff meeting example illustrate about resisting taboo topics?

A therapist of color raises White supremacist culture concerns, but others defer due to time, agenda, or competing topics, illustrating real-world silencing.