Gerald Caplan: A Tribute to the Originator of Mental Health Consultation

Abstract

Gerald Caplan (1917–2008), world-renowned child and community psychiatrist, was the originator of the modern practice of mental health consultation. In addition to consultation, Caplan developed and refined many conceptual models and methods for practice for use in community mental health, psychology, and education. This tribute article focuses on his career and contributions to the field of consultation and offers insights into his approach to mental health consultation.

Notes

Excerpts from Consultation in Community, School, and Organizational Practice: Gerald Caplan's Contributions to Professional Psychology, edited by William P. Erchul, are copyright ©1993 by the Taylor & Francis Group and are reprinted by permission of the publisher.

Although Meyers (1981) considered Caplan's indirect confrontation techniques a significant contribution, it bears noting that Meyers, Parsons, and Martin (1979) advocated the value of more direct approaches to confronting consultees within school-based mental health consultation.

Caplan abhorred the literary awkwardness introduced by nonsexist language constructions such as “him or her” or “he/she.” Despite the importance of this issue, obviously no attempt has been made to edit the direct quotes included here. Taken one step further, however, Meyers et al. (1993) offered an insightful commentary on Caplan and sexism.