"Creative maladjustment" as presented by Martin Luther King, Jr. in his address to the APA in 1967 spoke to the concept of living in an unjust society. He says that compliance with social injustice is problematic, but that through creative maladjustment based on the values of freedom and dignity one can abide a wholesome and justifiable position. He says that behavioral science must be changed so that behavioral "treatment" will embrace the values of freedom and dignity. (See http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan99/king.html)

As mental health client/survivors we are familiar with creative maladjustment. It is how we cope with corrupt and abusive portions of the mental health system. Some of us have experienced torture while "behaviorally managed" in that way. Following our best values, we creatively maladjust by speaking out publicly (and privately) about the injustices, by staying away from this system, and/or by becoming experts at theory, methodologies and techniques of practitioners in order to glean what is useful.

"Learned helplessness" is a behavioral methodology often used as a tool for control. We learn from Jane Mayer in The Dark Side that it is a core component of today’s practices of (interrogation) torture. The results of learned helplessness consequent on involvement with the behavioral health treatment paradigm can be seen in the "clients/survivor" population. We see how they live in hideous and dangerous environments, how they seek help from a system "in shambles" (as described by the report of the New Freedom Commission), and how they eke out an existence with inadequate resources.

Getting the APA to stop the involvement of psychologists in (interrogation) torture will provide a Band-Aid for the problem: It brings the problem of "learned helplessness" to the surface. What Stephen Soldz et al call "the strategic helplessness of the APA" is deeper than an accommodation of detainee torture, rendition, and the like. The problem is that the system of behavioral management by way of clinical psychology needs to be reorganized – King had it right..

King’s original address was upstaged by his assassination and the subsequent riots. Now 40 years later psychology needs to shake off that shock apply his inspiration thoughtfully and with seriousness of purpose – dialogics needs to be promoted and "relational responsibility" taken (John Shotter, Sheila McNamee, Ken Gergen). A new "nudge" approach needs to be nurtured, and the dynamism that Foucault calls the ‘clinical gaze’ needs to be deconstructed, as it has been already in Italy. We should promote "creative maladjustment" to living the values of freedom and dignity and we should take seriously the mandate to help people carefully and effectively when values are respected and being is nurtured..

We want to work with the social justice psychologists and develop an approach to replace the old-line behavioral science habit of leaning on learned helplessness. We need to work together on the values of creative maladjustment and freedom and dignity as it applies to the dilemma of the client/survivor.

The "client/survivor" activists have continually encountered what seems to be tokenism in our efforts to work as peers with clinical professionals and even with many of the social justice psychologists. The APA needs to get the harm out of the clinical practice, and our networking with social justice psychology needs to overcome tokenism.

The role of PsySR in this project should be to promote a "culture of peace with social justice" for our society, to create an initiative to move psychology in the direction of overcoming learned helplessness and embracing creative maladjustment. The prescription of Martin Luther King, Jr. in his 1967 speech to the APA should be honored – the values of freedom and dignity should be promoted – all in the pursuit of social justice. We look for putting together a PsySR initiative that works with psychologists in coalition with the client/survivor activists, in a frame of mutual respect and dignity.

King’s advocacy is for a better psychology. This kind of positive approach is needed to bring the APA back into an ethical and wholesome space..