Opinion | By April 11, 2008 | By Robert Yourell, MAcloseRobert Yourell, MA Name: Robert Yourell
Site: http://www.Yourell.com
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About: Mr. Yourell is a member of the American Counseling Association with extensive experience in the mental health and social services fields dating back to 1975. His training includes Ericksonian communication and hypnosis with John Grinder, EMDR, level 2 (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) with Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., Body Integrative Psychotherapy with Jack Rosenberg, Ph.D., TFT, level 2 (Thought Field Therapy) with Gary Craig, EFT level 2, (Emotional Freedom Technique), and solution-focused psychotherapy. | 14 Comments

Unhinging from Theory: Autism and Opinions

Sometimes, disconnecting our theories from our healing practices and clinical understanding can be a good thing to do. When Bruno Bettelheim convinced many psychotherapists and psychological theoreticians that autism was caused by bad parenting in the form of “refrigerator mothers,” he was stuck on a theory. He was proven wrong, but it took some time for these clinicians to let go of their theory and see that the cause of autism was not known.

For that duration, we can thank Bettelheim for causing an extraordinary amount of suffering because of his unscientific, though well-meaning, thinking. Countless mothers were blamed for their children’s autism. What a thing to live with! Read more →