Idealization of the therapist / psychiatrist / doctor / clinician

clin

I think idealization of the therapist is something everybody involved (clients, clinicians and society) participate in…and therapists…quite often enjoy the illusion and can even feed on it…yes.

Conscious awareness is vitally important and given the inherent power dynamic it remains the therapists job to help the client understand that they, the therapist, are, indeed, not imbued with special powers. this too helps the client with reality checking and a good sense of their own power vis a vis that of the therapist. … [click on title for the rest of the post]

New social media campaign features stories of individuals who reject psychiatric diagnosis

open

The Open Paradigm Project, in collaboration with MadinAmerica.com, Occupy Psychiatry, and leading organizations in the movement to reform mental health care, announces a social media campaign showcasing video testimonials by individuals negatively impacted by the traditional psychiatric model, which focuses on pathology and illness rather than wellness and recovery. … [click on title for the rest of the post]

there is no such thing as a monolithic state called depression

click for photo credit

depression is always a mixture of many things…there is no such thing as a monolithic state called depression…the fact that people imagine that is the case, is a problem. (includes list of posts to rethink depression) … [click on title for the rest of the post]

freaky sensations and surrender

koan

Freaky weird sensations bubbling forth from deep in my body tonight. Releasing old traumatic stuff from the body never ceases to be fascinating…if also on occasion annoying. I’d rather be sleeping.
At this point I don’t differentiate between that which is “withdrawal” (iatrogenic injury) and that which is “trauma” it seems to help to just pay attention to all of it as though it has something to tell me regardless of origin. Also, withdrawal is trauma in any case. As Charles Whitfield, MD has said and established, psychiatric drugs are agents of trauma.

The only discipline that makes sense anymore is surrender. That and then paying attention. I continue to heal. … [click on title for the rest of the post]

The difference between pain and suffering

gary:rich

I’ve learned what is spoken about in video this is true. Acute pain will never be easy, but it is possible to no longer suffer in many regards. Also as one moves into this much pain actually starts healing too. This is a wonderful talk for anyone who suffers from chronic pain and really any kind of pain, physical or emotional. … [click on title for the rest of the post]

Knowing Thyself Versus Changing Thyself

know

Socrates’ admonition to “know thyself” flies in the face of many modern ideas that urge us instead to “change thyself!” If we’re not happy all the time, we have a collective tendency to think something is wrong with us, that we should alter our mood with Prozac, positive thinking, buying or acquiring, working harder or seeking solace in relationship. In order to be OK with ourselves, we have to change rather than become curious about understanding all parts of ourselves.

Worse yet, there is the notion that if only we can get rid of aspects of ourselves — our anger, hate, greed, envy, sadness, vulnerability, our shameful parts — all will be well. … [click on title for the rest of the post]

Ecstatic dance as practice: there is a dance that only you know how to do

gabe

There is a dance that only you know how to do, Gabrielle says. The Wave makes it fun to experience the ecstasy of your body in motion to some of the most irresistible high-energy dance music we’ve ever heard! … [click on title for the rest of the post]

Cold-turkeying off psych drugs is not a wise choice except in a life-threatening emergency

su

I am seeing an unfortunate trend in the psychiatric survivor community: People are saying cold turkey can be a perfectly fine way to go off psychiatric drugs.

We know many people get away with cold turkey, but others injure their nervous systems severely, for months or years. You don’t know in advance what will happen. Even a taper over a month reduces the risk of injury.

What’s more, if you do get withdrawal syndrome, you’re on your own. You cannot imagine how bad it can be. There’s no real medical treatment. You can’t count on a nice doctor with a pill to save you.

We need to get together to protect each other, the way the gay community united to encourage safe sex to protect people from HIV infection.

Please help spread the word: Friends do not let friends cold turkey. … [click on title for the rest of the post]

Yoga for Trauma Survivors (and info on trauma and the body)

trauma

That trauma deeply impacts the body is something people are still just starting to understand.Those of us using yoga and other body/mind techniques to heal learn just how profound the body/mind connection is. Yoga has been a profoundly healing part of my journey for past traumas (both experiential and the iatrogenic trauma that psychiatric drugs imposed) and for rehabilitation after having been bedridden for a couple of years. The below information about yoga healing and integrating PTSD and past trauma is very important practice, news and research. … [click on title for the rest of the post]

Important souls (let us recognize trauma in the lives of those who are called mentally ill)

anna

When we start listening to people’s stories of pain rather than numbing them out and effectively silencing them with neurotoxic drugs we will start healing them. Until then people will remain broken. One of the most basic needs for a wounded human being to heal is to be seen. Recognized. Validated. Yes. … [click title for link]

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