Rockit:
You wrote, “tlik- and have you yet counted how many casualties have happened from the well intentioned (or not well intentioned) advice given by psychologists and other mental health personnel who did not understand the subject matter? many many more than the casualties that you refer to.”
There are several errors in your thinking here. Let me enumerate some of them.
1 – Advice. The traditional mental health practitioner, with few exceptions, is not an advisor. In fact, giving advice is taboo to most schools of mental health, as the goal is to assist the client in understanding the choices they need to make for their benefit. Direct advice is occasionally given, but this is limited to very specific things.
2 – Who did not understand the subject matter. There are doctors who should never have patients outside of cadavers. There are mechanics who should only fix obsolete gadgets that will never be relied upon. Aside from the fact that no field of service is not without its idiots, mental health is subject to another form of limits. Therapy is not surgery. The client is the effective individual in virtually every single bit of change. It requires the mobilization of internal resources to effect the modification of behavior, the working through of emotions, and all the rest of what clients in therapy must undergo. Even the physician prescribing medication cannot bring about change when the patient must fill the prescription and take it as directed. Yes, mistakes are sometimes made. Overwhelmingly, the failures belong to the client that neglects to take the direction of the professional. Often times the shidduch between the client and therapist is off target.
3 – I’d like to know the source of your information about the greater number of casualties from professionals. The therapists I know have been complaining for years about the bulk of their caseloads coming from the casualties of rabbonim and similar rabbinical persons. In fact, rabbonim have complained to the major organizations in the frum community that they have little problem conducting the affairs of the Moroh D’asra of saying shiurim, appearing and speaking at the simchos of congregants, and other communal events and functions. However, they are overwhelmed at the bludgeoning confrontation with personal problems in their kehilos for which they are not prepared with knowledge or skills.