Freud and Farmers

On one hand I’m a pragmatic person, on the other I am a fan of some, but not all, of Sigmund Freud’s theories of personality. If in counselling I were to adhere rigidly to Freud’s model of personality, as depicted by an iceberg, I would have to inform my agriculture clients that their problems arise from tensions between the different parts of their personality, which are unconscious. This could be a difficult concept for many clients today. I foresee great difficulty in trying to persuade a farmer, who battles nature as he works outside year-round, that the suicidal thoughts and depression that are plaguing him have less to do with the impending bankruptcy of his farm and actually arise from subconscious conflicts in his personality. That said, combining “down to earth” pragmatism with psychological theories of personality is fun. Does your career allow you to focus on practical, pragmatic things or is it more imaginative and/or mentally challenging? Maybe it’s a combination? Comment below.