Reclaiming Conversation in Online Therapy: An Imaginary Dialogue With Sherry Turkle Between Lou Agosta and Arnon Rolnick

A Rumor of Empathy with Lou Agosta

Arnon Rolnick and Lou Agosta discuss the work of Sherry Turkle. Professor Turkle gets off a good “Jeremiad” about the damaging effects of beeping, chirping, distracting, interrupting, messaging device. One of the main negative effects is a kind of acquired attention deficit on the part of large segments of the population/community. Key term: acquired attention deficit. The smart phone and text messaging is a significant disruptor to one's ability to be present with oneself and with others. One of the main effects of the digital revolution in everything is that we the community has an "acquired attention deficit" due to device interruptions. A lot of distance exists on the spectrum between "better than nothing" and "better than everything else." Turkle’s “from better than nothing to better than anything” is a straw man (person) to be shot down. Like Winnicott's "good enough" mother - therapy strives to be "good enough" - trying to be perfect is another source of pathology - becoming obsessive or borderline. Now how does all that apply to performing psychotherapy online via video meeting technology? Check out this engaging conversation between Arnon and Lou about Turkle's incisive and penetrating contribution.

Check out the original Youtube version: https://youtu.be/6OId-0QDFys

Check out the blog post for a complete transcript: www.EmpathyLessons.com

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