'Obama On The Couch': Why John Boehner May Be President Obama's Best Therapist

In a 2007 interview:

QUESTION:  A general question about the range of emotions that Americans have toward the whole issue of psychoanal­ysis -- what might be considered psychologi­cal impediment­s, mental health, and so forth. On the one hand, there’s a stereotype we have -- the WoodyAllen­-type figure who can never get enough of self-analy­sis and psychoanal­ysis, and is constantly monitoring himself. On the other hand, you have someone like Bush, who doesn't want any psychoanal­ysis, isn’t interested in self-explo­ration, not a wit, because he is "normal." He’s as solid as is the granite on his ranch in Crawford, Texas. As we know, a large segment of the American society has disdain for the concept of psychologi­cal problems and they consider that a weakness. They don’t see the need for self-explo­ration. People are what they are. They don’t look inward. They just look forward. What's your view of that range? Is it safe to say that’s the range of American views?

JUSTIN FRANK, M.D.: I think it’s very safe to say it. For me to really respond properly to your question would require another book, because it’s such a good question and so important, and so many ways to think about it. So maybe a couple of thoughts about it.

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