MAKING
SENSE OF THE HELPING PROCESS ITSELF:
originary formulation of social institutions
and the ‘empty self’
by Andrew Phelps
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REFERENCES
Abstract
The institutional basis of the helping process for madness
is located in a social conditioning metaphor: a psychology of
institutional change is derived that leans upon Vico’s (1744)
parable of the originary formulation of social institutions. Four
constructions serve as metaphors for the problematic of reworking
the existing helping paradigm. The ‘alien team’ introduces
manipulation of the content of the originary discourse. The
‘fools play’ shifts the perspective for social discourse closer
to the disconnect of madness. The ‘developmental deconstruction’
models the way the ambient discourse may be rearranged in
practice. The ‘brainwash genre’ reflects the operating level of
helping discourse in our time. Inventing a practicum of ‘madness
work’ in collaboration with the existing social movement of
mental health clients is recommended.
