Emotional turmoil will slow, and even stop, recovery of higher functions.

The bridge between the intellect and the “moment” is not well understood (forgive the vernacular–I hope you understand of which I speak.)

Emotional stability and advanced coping are SKILLS which must be taught–emotionally unwell people cannot teach what they do not understand or use for themselves. Realistically, most people take abnormal psych. courses because they want to know what is wrong with themselves. A 20-something right out of school is a best a retard. Clinitians need to overcome their own adversities before they can teach others the skills to progress in theirs. (BTW, life outside school counts–so does marriage and kids.)

It is most appropriate to study things which had some record of success and determine why there was some success rather than dismissing it outright or infiltrating it and destroying it from within to “prove” it doesn’t work.
Whilst you condemn “religious” functions: AA (prior to the pollution brought to it by half-baked Psychiatric “professionals”) had the best record of success for what is predominately mental disease, combined with brain injury, on the planet–Alcoholism.

I’m not some religious nut. I DO believe that there are certain aspects of religious teachings which have empirical basis-just as many legends contain kernels of actual events. There are many things which exist as part of “Western” religion which could have a basis of empirical information; stuff that “works”.

For the most part, proper medication is not a cause for change; in the best case, it provides the missing resources to enable the client to make the changes himself with the guidance of a competent clinician.

ADHD, and many cases of Brain Injury, (depending upon location) respond in a way that is eerily similar. Medication is an adjunct to the skills-training (otherwise known as Cognitive Therapy); it is used carefully, as higher dosages will inhibit change rather than enabling it.