The following interview is part of a “future of mental health” interview series that will be running for 100+ days. This series presents different points of view about what helps a person in distress. I’ve aimed to be ecumenical and included many points of view different from my own. I hope you enjoy it. As with every service and resource in the mental health field, please do your due diligence. If you’d like to learn more about these philosophies, services, and organizations mentioned, follow the links provided
Interview with Leah Harris

EM: You believe in redefining health (and mental health) as a social justice issue. Can you share your thoughts on that?

LH: The prevailing “mental health” paradigm is largely disease and pathology-focused, which is a convenient way to enforce and reinforce the status quo, placing the blame squarely on individuals’ “faulty” brains. As noted by Gabor Mate, M.D., this paradigm is dangerous for many reasons, because it:
For the entire interview by Eric R. Maisel with Leah Harris, go to https://www.psychologytoday.co...social-justice-issue
Posted May 1, 2016