Psychiatrist Vs Clergyman

The two sources for this week look at two different themes, first, where does the job of a clergyman end and a psychiatrist begin? Should the clergy be allowed to assist or counsel those with mental illness? And how did psychiatry take over the job of the clergy. And second, an examination of madness in the late 1800s (mostly neurasthenia), Freud, and some of the strange treatments that went on during those times.

The first source, “When the Clergyman and the Psychiatrist Meet” (1936) starts out discussing the relationship between a clergyman and psychiatrist. The two share similar goals and purpose, but come at it from different angles. The Clergyman believes in saving a soul, as opposed to the Psychiatrist who focuses on reinvigorating the psyche, but the article argues that this is the same thing. There is possibility for conflict between the two, but also a lot to learn. Another main point is how each arrived and took on this job, the psychiatrist recognizing an issue with behaviors and mental illness and attempting to solve it, and the clergyman moving from explaining

My mother is a school counselor and is working on her Ph.D in psychology and counseling, my father is a marriage and drug rehabilitation counselor, and was a minister in his younger years. I agree heavily with the concerns as well as the conclusion with the article. It is important to not trust all clergymen with every problem, some are best left to psychiatrists, and many clergymen are not qualified to help. They may even make the problem worse. But it is also very important to recognize that no two psychiatric cases are the same, each require unique approaches. And, regardless of your opinion on religion, it can be a useful as a tool to help change people’s lives, as the head of a state hospital said, “I’d appoint a horse-doctor to the staff if I thought he might do my patients any good!”