Last night a friend and colleague chastised me. He believes I have a responsibility to address the political and ethical ramifications of what therapists do. He is not someone who has no experience with such things, for he comes from South Africa and has written and taught on the ethics of apartheid. In this case, he and some other friends were exercised over an article that appeared in the March 2009 issue of Therapy Today in which Martin Kemp and Eliana Pinto wrote about their expedition to Gaza and their investigation of the treatment of Palestinians at the hands of Israelis.

The title of their article was taken from graffiti on the Palestinian side of the security wall erected by Israelis, and it read 'To resist is to exist'.

As therapists, they took a clinical perspective and discussed the psychological and emotional toll on the Palestinian people due to what they regarded to be harsh military tactics by Israel's security personnel. You can find that article yourselves online (http://www.therapytoday.net/index.php?magid=25&action=viewArticle&articleid=69).

My friend wrote to me as follows: "I do not deny the sufferings of the Palestinian people and that is not the point of my e-mail. You may be sick of 'politics' – but you don't get to argue that therefore politics is not involved here. You are the editor of 'Gestalt'! I have already written in 'Gestalt'! about my concerns (apparently with your support at that point in time, if I remember correctly) and find your vacillation and hesitancy about defending the ethics and professional demands of a psychotherapist somewhat troubling. Phil, the ball is in your court…"

Just what are the ethical and professional demands on a psychotherapist when it comes to social issues? The ethics code of the American Psychological Association, one of the references for the Bermuda Psychological Association, states among its general principles that psychologists strive to benefit those with whom they work and to do no harm. It states that psychologists guard against personal, financial, social, organisational or political factors that might lead to misuse of their influence.

Psychologists seek to promote accuracy, honesty and truthfulness. They do not condone unjust practices. Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people and understand that sometimes special practices must be used to protect especially vulnerable people, respecting difference based on such things as culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status, and they attempt to rid their work from the influence of prejudice.

Reading all that, and reflecting upon it, I began to wonder in what ways South Africa, Gaza and Bermuda are similar and different.

In what ways am I part of the problem or part of the answer? Am I following my own ethics code or just behaving myself in my current situation?

This is what I confess: I pay attention to my work in that I see individuals and couples, do executive coaching, and sometimes I work with larger groups in organisational development. I have to lift my head up and look around to see the larger picture of the cultural situation here in Bermuda when I work, because every person, every family, and every organisation carries the culture inside.

But do I really know the truth of what is going on here in this country? I cannot. I can only know what my clients bring to me, what they share with me of their experience. I do know of their suffering. I do know of their feelings of being used and abused, and I can see the injustice of it.

Just so, I cannot know what is the most just position in respect to the Israeli-Palestinian-Gaza incursion issue, but I can see, even from a distance, the suffering on all sides. Someone once said: "Notice where a person starts telling the story."

Right. So do we start with Israel invading Gaza, or do we start with rocket attacks on Israel from inside Gaza, or do we start with the security wall and harsh security measures that limit Palestinians, or do we start with suicide bombers that kill and maim Israelis?

Where do you start telling a story that has been going on ever since Joshua took the people into the Promised Land? To me it's futile to attempt to find justice in large scale, big picture considerations of the situation. In fact, I'm not even sure justice, equity, and fairness even apply. In war, one must win. I am not sure those people are ready quite yet for peace, but in saying that I am beginning to express personal opinions.

Do I have my own personal, emotional, and even religiously based preferences in the matter? Yes, I do. And they would offend many people. Do such beliefs and preferences equate to my professional responsibility? No, they don't. I understand that as a psychologist I cannot just let it fly and be totally spontaneous and disinhibited. As my gestalt friends might say, I retroflect with awareness (I pull back on purpose). Why? Because it is ethically and professionally responsible to do so.

So, to you, my chastising friend, let me say that I cannot know the truth of what those people wrote about in their article from where I sit in the world. They went to Gaza.

They have a perspective on the place, and it seems to me they were attempting to do the very thing you lecture me for not doing (as you see it). But who am I to judge between them and you? You don't like what they wrote and attribute anti-Semitic motivation to it. Is that what it was? Or were they simply attempting to use their influence as psychotherapists in the interests of justice as they saw it?

And to you, my colleagues and friends in Bermuda, does this raise any issue for you?

How do we as psychologists, therapists, and counsellors measure up here in this country? Do we stick up for the vulnerable? Do we stand for justice? Do we stand for anything? Do we dare to stand?

It's not an academic question. As someone who seeks to practice a holistic approach that integrates body, mind, and spirit, one of the most telling verses in the Bible for me is this one: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)