Taking Care

<p><em>Taking Care</em> established the author as an important social and political analyst whose background happened to be in clinical psychology. In this work the author develops the analysis of mental illness and psychology in general in the contexts of society power and interest. People's experience is embodied in the world in which they exist. Notwithstanding the claims of some psychology cannot in the same way that magic cannot change the nature of that experience fundamentally. At best psychotherapy might provide a degree of understanding about that limitation. The historical relationship between psychology and magic is examined. The socio-political and economic structures of the society in which we live have the greatest influence on mental health as on many other matters. Therefore the individuation of focus in psychology on personal relationships happiness and sexuality can significantly miss the point. We need to develop political and social structures that 'take care' of people to enable them to have meaningful 'public' lives. </p>