Igros Moshe(YD II 57 p77) Regarding mentally ill people that need to go to doctors, the psychiatrist or psychologist. Is it permitted to go to those who are non believers and heretics? In my humble opinion they should not go to such doctors to be cured. That is because the healing doesn’t come from drugs but from the intensive discussions they have with their patient which reveal the thoughts which are causing suffering. The therapist then advises the patient what to do . Obviously, there is concern that the therapist will give advice occasionally that is against the laws of the Torah and even against fundamental religious principles, conduct and modesty. This is not comparable to being healed for physical ailments by a regular doctor who is a heretic or denier since the cure comes from physical medicine or treatment and thus the religious beliefs of the doctor are irrelevant. The prohibition to be cured by heretics is only with those cures involving incantations or idolatrous names {Tofos Avoda Zara 27; Shulchan Aruch YD 155]. However in the case of psychology and psychiatry where the cure comes entirely from words, there is a clear concern that he will use words of heresy or nivul peh. However if they are truly professionals and they promise the parents that they will not speak anything against religion and mitzvos of the Torah, then perhaps you can rely on the fact that they are professional and will not lie. Therefore it is best to find a therapist who is Torah observant but if one is not available you should obtain a promise that there will not be any discussions with the patient concerning faith and Torah.
Very interesting
ReplyDeleteRav Moshe appears at least open to the idea that psychology is real and effective, as well as permissible.
Unlike Rav shach for example who referred to it as heresy.
Problem is that frum therapists often create their own unproven system, and foist it on an unwitting public.
Professor Twersky was quite broad minded as a psychiatrist, although he popularised self esteem as a selling point.
What is more harmful is going to an untrained man who has a basic semicha and thinks he knows everything.
Once again, Rav Moshe does not insist on learning as being a means to psychological cure.
I have heard that he took this approach to a gay Talmid, and told him to devote himself to Torah learning
KA it has never been established that training actually makes a person a more successful therapist. I remember as a graduate student being told by my professor who had devoted his career to studying the matter and had written the most authoritative book on the subject saying "No one questions that a person is a better plumber because of training but it is not clear that training makes a better therapist."
DeleteWow .
DeleteWould you say the same about rabbis?
DeleteGood therapy is a combination of training, empathy and common sense.
DeleteBut pills also work, contra this teshuva
Pills may work for serious imbalances like BPD.
DeleteJust like some rashaim may become psychologist's, similarly, some tzaddikim may choose to get semicha.
In any case, frum people have difficulty accepting humanists, because they want what's best for people on a psychological level. Someone this is going to turn them away from Torah. But the Torah in the tochachot says that we did not serve Hashem with simcha and tov Lev. That's a problem for perushim who believe in self mortification.
ReplyDelete