Marsha Linehan is one of the most famous psychologists around. She is known for the development of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). DBT is primarily used for the treatment of severe Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

What nobody knew until now is that Dr. Linehan apparently had BPD as a teen. She recently shared her story of having lived though her own crazy, suicidal "hell." When you hear about her sense of being out of control with self-mutilating acts, it sounds like demonic activity to me.

Watch the two minute video of her encounter with Christ in the chapel that transformed her in a minute. What's strange, and disturbing to me, is that despite her attributing the bulk of her healing to this one-time encounter in the chapel with God, she does not promote Christianity within her psychotherapy perspective. Something feels off about that.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06...ml?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Marsha Linehan arrived at the Institute of Living on March 9, 1961, at age 17, and quickly became the sole occupant of the seclusion room on the unit known as Thompson Two, for the most severely ill patients. The staff saw no alternative: The girl attacked herself habitually, burning her wrists with cigarettes, slashing her arms, her legs, her midsection, using any sharp object she could get her hands on. The seclusion room, a small cell with a bed, a chair and a tiny, barred window, had no such weapon. Yet her urge to die only deepened. So she did the only thing that made any sense to her at the time: banged her head against the wall and, later, the floor. Hard. “My whole experience of these episodes was that someone else was doing it; it was like ‘I know this is coming, I’m out of control, somebody help me; where are you, God?’ ” she said. “I felt totally empty, like the Tin Man; I had no way to communicate what was going on, no way to understand it.”

I'd never heard of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. I agree with you, Shasha. This whole complicated system she's come up with seems a world removed from what actually helped Linehan herself in 1961. But wasn't that a miraculous medal she had around her wrist?

Yes, that looks like a miraculous medal around her wrist.

With all due respect for how much good DBT has done for patients thanks to Dr. Linehan's contributions, the DBT intervention she promotes entirely misses the mark of what healed her, by and large. That's not to say cognitive-behavioral methods didn't help her with coping.

The Lord healed her while she was sitting in a Catholic Church gazing at the Crucifix. So why not come clean and recommend that people seek healing through Christ Jesus? IMO, it seems a bit dishonest for her to leave this major fact out of her clinical work. IDK, does it bother anybody else?

It would be like a medical doctor promoting a new kind of chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer, which is proven effective. But the doctor himself experienced a God-encounter that led to the disappearance of a tumor he had had. This example is oversimplified, but you get what I mean?

One (at least) other point on this: I don't feel it's generally a good idea for psychotherapist to disclose about their own personal history. Generally! This kind of thing often cause way more harm than good, despite good intentions. So I'm not saying Dr. Linehan should be giving personal testimonies to her patients that Jesus healed her--not necessarily.

But has she missed the mark in NOt giving God credit for healing her of her "craziness," as she put it? Has she ditched God and inadvertently exalted DBT as the healing agent?

It's getting late and I think I'm repeating myself...

Good night and God's LOVE to you, good people!

I watched the video. Thanks for pointing this out, Shasha. Very edifying!

I'm thinking that one of the consequences of her healing was a deeper insight into the illness she had been in the grip of for so long. Even though she herself was healed miraculously, it would be very difficult to hold out such a possibility for others, though she is obviously doing so in sharing her story. It seems sort of like Buddha with his enlightenment experience, which was a graced breakthrough. One consequence of it was his articulation of the Four Noble Truths (including Eightfold Path) to help others come to a place of readiness themselves for this grace. Iow, we always have to do as much as we can to take responsibility for our own lives, including our healing. DBT seems like a good process for helping BPD (and others, I'm sure) do so. Maybe it's even enough for some to find more stability and healthy functioning in their lives without them needing a miraculous healing.

Yes, I totally agree with you Phil...

The experience likely left her with a special Grace to see deeper realities into the lives of her patients. And I'm not suggesting she hold out miracle healing promises to others merely because it happened to her. But still, something feels off...

Here's a report on Dr. Linehan's sharing of her personal struggle with BPD. Nowhere does it mention that God healed her in the chapel, and the author ends with thanking her and calling her "our hero." I learned too, that she was a nun for years before she became a psychologist.

http://www.borderlinepersonali...n_perspectives.shtml

After I shut down my computer last night, I suddenly realized why this story was bugging me so much. The deeper level is about my own conscience as I practice psychotherapy and my issues of wanting to be in God's Will, not wanting to lead people to believe that 'therapy' or 'psychology' is the healer, the solution to their problems, etc.

So thanks for listening, SP.

You're my kind of group therapy.

Good insight, Shasha! I'm touched that you would share it with us.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Shasha:

After I shut down my computer last night, I suddenly realized why this story was bugging me so much. The deeper level is about my own conscience as I practice psychotherapy and my issues of wanting to be in God's Will, not wanting to lead people to believe that 'therapy' or 'psychology' is the healer, the solution to their problems, etc.

Right on Shasha! I wonder if I should even comment due to the fact that you helped me with depression, burn-out from care-giving for my husband and last, but not least, some sinful behavior on my part...

I knew two years ago when I found S.P. that I needed a therapist who was rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ, because I had been around the block with a few therapists who hadn't a clue about our Lord...

Actually, I had one, who said to me about the bible: "Why would you want to listen to anything in that book? Wars are fought because of it" ( Didn't stick with him very long)

I am grateful to you Shasha and I pray that I am not being co-dependent or trying to prop you up here. That is not my point.

I believe that the prayers that you offered along with the compassionate counsel you gave me has been bearing fruit in my life.

And I think you made it very clear that you were an instrument of the Lord ( well, maybe not in those words) But you catch my drift...

He alone is the healer, those of us who have been abused need skilled therapists to listen & pray, give feedback & support, and a little kick now & then in the britches,(in my case)

And to help us not to make a god out of our therapist or therapy...A good therapist imo makes sure it isn't all about them or the therapy.

Here is my main point: I have a family member who truly believes that the therapy that they received was what healed them. That makes me a little sad at heart, for they tossed Jesus & the scriptures out the window, being that "religion is only a guilt trip" and "I now need only to love myself" (YIKES)

Hmm. I don't think we only need to love ourselves..."Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your strength and all your mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself."

So as for Marsha loving herself only that is a tad distressing (I only watched the video)

Sure, we get to love ourselves, that is huge, and in my case, a long & difficult process, but not without Loving God, and neighbor, right?

Gail--

Thanks for your encouragement, which I found sweet and sensitive, not trying to prop me up.

Derek -- There's nothing too dramatic I'm talking about when I say my conscience was poked by this story. I meant that I felt sensitized to never allow myself to get lazy or casual about putting therapy in the proper perspective.

In general, I'm explicit about being a Christian therapist and identifying Christ as the healer with most of my mature patients. I'm usually careful to put the tools and techniques of psychotherapy in the proper perspective for those who are uninformed. I try to neither over-value nor under-value therapy relative to the need for on-going spiritual formation.

I am aware that I'm sitting in front of a SOUL in need of God, not merely a personality in need of therapy.

Years ago when I was going through old clinical records from my training days as a secular therapist, I was moved with sadness as I recalled the faces and stories of patients who sought help from me. I felt a pang of remorse that I failed to offer them Christ's love through my work at that time (because I didn't know the Lord). It felt very good to pray for them as I burned those files.

Anyway, I don't mean to judge Dr. Linehan as doing something wrong as a therapist, but do wonder if she's had any regrets for not coming out with her miracle healing story sooner in her career.

quote:

After I shut down my computer last night, I suddenly realized why this story was bugging me so much. The deeper level is about my own conscience as I practice psychotherapy and my issues of wanting to be in God's Will, not wanting to lead people to believe that 'therapy' or 'psychology' is the healer, the solution to their problems, etc.

Shasha, I know what you're meaning to say, here, but I do think sometimes people need psychotherapy just as for other situations we need a dentist, optometrist, etc. I know there was a time in my life when I did, and I was mostly OK theologically and spiritually, but needed a counselor to help sort out relational and emotional issues. Sometimes our issues are psychological in nature, and even if the therapist doesn't speak of God, it's the work of the Spirit to help facilitate healing and wholeness. If they don't have faith, then that's another issue, and I'm wondering if you work for an agency that prevents you from mentioning that.

Hi Phil,

Looks like we just posted one minute apart...

My long-term therapist was motivated by love and compassion; at that time, it was what I needed. So I can relate to what you're saying.

So while we're on the topic of miraculous cures, check out http://www.kansas.com/2011/06/...ation-for-girls.html

I think this is a prime example of how science/medicine and prayer worked together to save this teenage girl's life.

Wonderful article!

Phil--

Thanks for sharing that story. I just love hearing about healing miracles--never tire of them! Do you know that family?

No, I don't know them, but I do know Fr. Weldon, who was mentioned in the story.

There's been another widely publicized miracle in Wichita recently, this one attributed to our prospective Saint, Fr. Emile Kapaun, who was truly a remarkable priest.
- http://www.kansas.com/kapaun/ (part 8)
- http://abcnews.go.com/2020/mir...rs/story?id=10239513
And other links.

...speaking of praying to Saints on the other thread.

I enjoyed reading about Fr. Kapaun. I hadn't heard of him before.

The Catholic Saints do seem to belong to an intimate family with our Lord.

Thank you for sharing this, Phil. You've redeemed yourself after that gory flick you posted.

Loved the story Phil, thanks for the link.

quote:

I am aware that I'm sitting in front of a SOUL in need of God, not merely a personality in need of therapy.

this is highly commendable Shasha.. the world needs more therapists like you....