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Article

Licensing of Psychotherapists in the United States: Evidence of Societal Regression?

Pages 139-146
Published online: 28 Dec 2017
 
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The idea of societal regression in Bowen family systems theory is illustrated with examples from the author's experience as a licensed psychologist, a student of the history of psychology in the United States, and the executive director of a Bowen family systems theory training center. An introduction to the fundamentals of Bowen family systems theory and its core concept of differentiation of self is presented followed by a consideration of characteristics of the concept of emotional process in society in Bowen theory, of which societal regression is a part. The author examines the question of whether licensing psychotherapists in the United States is evidence of societal regression and asks several questions: What was the threat that prompted the licensing of psychotherapists? Was this a real or imagined threat? What is the evidence? Two hypotheses are examined: (1) that the biggest threat was from incompetent, unqualified, unskilled, and unprincipled people pretending to be psychotherapists from whom the public needed protection and (2) that psychotherapists need economic protection. Drawbacks to licensing are considered followed by a consideration of the question, “If not licensing, then what?” A return to the core concept of differentiation of self in Bowen theory as one answer to this question concludes the article.

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Author information

James B. Smith

James B. Smith is interested in the clinical application of Bowen family systems theory and the place of Bowen theory in the history of Western thought. He is a founding member of the Western Pennsylvania Family Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and its current executive director. He pursued doctoral studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and received training in Bowen theory at the Family Therapy Institute at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh. A licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania and West Virginia (USA), he is clinical consultant to Family Connections, Inc., in West Virginia and maintains a private practice. He can be reached at Western Pennsylvania Family Center, 733 North Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206, U.S.A.; e-mail: .