Seth Farber Ph.D, 10-30-08

Seth Farber Ph.D Dr. Seth Farber, is a psychologist (he received his doctorate in 1984), a social activist (both in the human rights and anti-war movements) and founder of the Network Against Coercive Psychiatry. He has had four books published previously, including a book critiquing Zionism, and numerous essays and articles. A critic of the mental health system, he has been a guest on many television and radio shows. His first book Madness, Heresy and the Rumor of Angels:The Revolt Against the Mental Health System(Open Court, Chicago, 1993) contained a foreword by Thomas Szasz. The publication of his book Lunching with Lunatics: Adventures of a Renegade Psychologist has been temporarily postponed due to circumstances beyond his control. (See excerpts.) Dr Farber is also an editor of the pioneering review The Journal of Mind and Behavior, and is currently working on a book on "mad liberation" and the new spirituality. Farber founded the Network Against Coercive Psychiatry in 1988.
Selected Works
Nonfiction
Madness, Heresy, and the Rumor of Angels: The Revolt Against the Mental Health System
A work in the tradition of Thomas Szasz, R.D. Laing, Michel Foucault and Erving Goffman, a challenge to the delusional belief-system known as psychiatry; and a protest against its appalling crimes.
Eternal Day: The Christian Alternative to Secularism and Modern Psychology (Regina Press, 1998)
A critique of psychoanalysis and the medical model model of psychology as a form of secularized Augustinianism. Augustinianism, with its insistence on predestination and eternal damnation, was an inversion of the original Christian teaching of human freedom to respond to infinite grace and the promise of universal salvation.
Unholy Madness: The Church's Surrender to Psychiatry (InterVarsity Press,1999)
"An important book."
--Thomas Szasz, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, State University of New York Health Science Center; author of The Myth of Mental Illness
(Click on title above to read excerpt from book.)
Radicals, Rabbis and Peacemakers:Conversations with Jewish Critics of Israel (Common Courage Press, 2005)
The contributors are among the leading American Jewish critics of Zionism and of Israel's policies towards the Palestinians: Noam Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, Marc Ellis, Adam Shapiro, Phyllis Bennis, Rabbi Weiss and 6 others.
Psychiatry Today (2001)
Excerpt (slightly altered) from essay in Review of Existential Psychology and Psychiatry (2001, 25th Anniversary Issue) "Against Psychotherapy and Biological Psychiatry"
Organization
Network Against Coercive Psychiatry
Network Against Coercive Psychiatry is an organization comprised of psychotherapists (including psychiatrists), survivors of psychiatric incarceration (commonly known as "mental patients"), scholars and other concerned citizens.
Pending memoir. Non-fiction.
Lunching with Lunatics:Adventures of a Renegade Psychologist.
After years of practicing therapy,Dr Farber-- a psychologist in the tradition of his hero, radical psychiatrist R.D. Laing-- concludes that mental illness is a myth and that "schizophrenics," although often troubled, are the vanguard of a cultural revolution. Farber falls in love with Carla, and a few years later with Lily, both "schizophrenics." (Neither were patients of his.) These two crazy women are so intelligent and charismatic that their personalities burst through the stereotype of "mental illness." Farber talks to crazy people in their own language. Psychiatrists call it "schizophrenese" but Farber calls it the language of dreams, of poetry, of magic. Farber's dogged romantic persistence makes us wonder whether he is a brilliant visionary or a crackpot himself--or both. This is an inspiring story, profound in its implications--it is an affirmation of a vision of life beyond the dichotomies of sanity and insanity as we know them.
After years of practicing therapy,Dr Farber-- a psychologist in the tradition of his hero, radical psychiatrist R.D. Laing-- concludes that mental illness is a myth and that "schizophrenics," although often troubled, are the vanguard of a cultural revolution. Farber falls in love with Carla, and a few years later with Lily, both "schizophrenics." (Neither were patients of his.) These two crazy women are so intelligent and charismatic that their personalities burst through the stereotype of "mental illness." Farber talks to crazy people in their own language. Psychiatrists call it "schizophrenese" but Farber calls it the language of dreams, of poetry, of magic. Farber's dogged romantic persistence makes us wonder whether he is a brilliant visionary or a crackpot himself--or both. This is an inspiring story, profound in its implications--it is an affirmation of a vision of life beyond the dichotomies of sanity and insanity as we know them.

Phone 212 560-7288
E-mail the author
Authors Guild


Phone 212 560-7288
E-mail the author
Authors Guild

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[matchbox555]

post a louder version, this is impossible

[gburton]

these men both have gigantic ears.

[djs259]

Does Dr. Farber still identify himself as a Christian? Anyone know why he ended up leaving the Eastern Orthodox Church?

[adrift923]

Hey, it's Jeff The Vomit Guy's doctor from Howard Stern.

[frankmc1959]

@apathyistheenemy

Your incite speaks volumes :)

[sopater9]

Fight the power! Way to go Seth! I've been a pseudo mental patient for 5 years now, and one thing I notice about a lot of the so called hospitalized sick, is that they all speak out against the hypocrisy of governments, corporations, and the psychiatry system, and other then that they seem as clear as an azure sky (save for the sorry souls newly overmedicated and not knowing just exactly when and where they are). The label schizophrenia should be changed to "mainstream thought dissident". :)

[ShlomoBarak]

i like seth very much but the anchor does not let him speak

he is the worse anchor ever

[apathyistheenemy]

Is this video here to make Erving Goffman look bad? Why is this SAD NUTTY-ASS video the FIRST thing that comes up on a video search of him??? It's like: oh WE SEE YOU'RE LOOKING INTO CORPORATE MEDIA CONTROL. This is pretty nutty stuff better not bother with it. Fuck I hate this Internet shit.

[z0rgz0rg]

it is really not that hard to correct the audio

[serbaroo1]

Dr Seth you have the guts to speak the truth and you are the example of what psychology should be about congratulation.

[dindid]

don worry about a camera :) so cue