Our Commitment, and Gratitude
Jean Hamilton, International Liberation Reference
Person for “Mental Health” Workers
“I promise always to remember that I am no more than an assistant to the person I am seeking to help; that nothing I do that strains my survival can be of real, long-range assistance to another; that everything I do will be directed to enhance the power, the independent thinking, and the humanness of the person I am assisting; and that the factor of approval by authority will never sway my judgment in what I do to assist.”
This is the commitment for “mental health” workers. It says very clearly who we are and what we are trying to do in our work with other people.
I want to pay tribute to Harvey Jackins. In his early work with “Merle,” Harvey stumbled on something significant and radical that changed the lives of all of us here. [See the pamphlet How “Re-evaluation Counseling” Began.] He was assisting Merle as a client. He saw what worked in restoring Merle’s intelligence, functioning, and humanness. He witnessed that the discharge process was fundamental to Merle’s re-emergence. That was the start of our theory and practice.
As “mental health” workers we are also deeply grateful to Janet Foner, the International Liberation Reference Person for “Mental Health” Liberation, and for RC’s understanding of the damaging effects of psychiatric drugs on human minds.
Palo Alto, California, USA