Hellllo February, the special month that is annually celebrated as “Psychology Month”. The idea behind having a full month dedicated to psychology is to provide awareness and education related to psychology and its role within our lives at a personal and societal level. So, let’s dive in to some history and psychology, as it is considered today!
Let’s start with the word “psychology”. If we look at the word itself, it literally means “the study of the human mind, soul, spirit”. That is exactly what we are doing when we consider personality, and mental and emotional health and well-being.
A Brief (very brief) History of The Discipline
Psychology wasn’t initially accepted as a science, until around the late 19th century, when a gentleman named Willhelm Wundt founded a lab that was dedicated to researching solely psychology. Prior to Wundt’s laboratory, psychology was still very much alive and well. However, it was more deeply connected to philosophy.
Over the years, the conscious human experience began to come into focus, which started with Wundt and was considered deeply by several other important players in the emerging discipline. Then, Freud, yes, the Sigmund Freud, showed up to the party and psychoanalysis was born. Freud was interested in conscious experiences but his curiosity was more so focused on the unconscious mind and personality, as well as how issues that stemmed from the unconscious created “psychological disorders”. Whilst Freud is no doubt a contested character in psychology, he did play a fundamental role in how we approach psychology today.
Since Freud, many other psychological enthusiasts have added to research and created new modalities in which current approaches are rooted. For example, perhaps you’ve heard of “Behaviorism”, created by Skinner, or “Humanistic Theories”, which includes several pioneers, including Carl Rogers and Fritz Perls. Then Mr. Beck and Mr. Ellis show up with theories based in cognitive analyses…let’s be honest, this list could go on a while.
Current Perspectives and Opinions
In the past few decades, the way that psychology has been viewed in the West has changed dramatically and there are many reasons for the change in perspective. For some, the idea of more concrete research has made the study of the brain less hypothetical. For example, technological advances such as fMRI machines, allow researchers to see areas affected by chemical reactions in the brain when individuals are experiencing different feelings, thoughts, or stimuli. Also, recognizing that physical and mental illness are not independent of one another has created a bit of a societal shift regarding how the importance of mental health, or shall I say mental illness, is viewed.
The stigma regarding accessing mental health services is shifting and more service options for mental health support are available. Our society is now beginning to encourage seeking support for mental or emotional discomfort or issues that were previously less understood, or completely unrecognized. Also, there is no denying that societies are shifting with the use of social media and overall increase in technology in our homes. This affects our communities and the way that we choose to interact, and research has indicated the sometimes, these changes are detrimental to our emotional and mental well-being.
It’s not uncommon for mental health professionals to see clients who are looking to come in to counselling to maintain a positive mindset and learn about their patterns, as well as acquire tools for when situations get more difficult. Also, seeking mental health support is less of a secret these days, which is a wonderful change to past patterns.
The idea of talking about psychology and where it has lead is important on a personal and societal level, and we have seen how the conversations have been able to shift stigma and increase available services on a greater societal level. There is still a ways to go, however, keeping our mental health in focus is crucial in working toward a healthier society and a healthier you!
For You, This February:
Is there anything that you would like to try this February in honor of yourself and psychology month? It might be accessing a service like counselling, or perhaps enforcing another self-care activity that you can enjoy to unwind and take care!
If you are looking for additional help and support, Sana Counselling offers trauma counselling in Vancouver. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch!