The Shenyang Evening News reports over 1,000 patients have so far been”reborn” by simulating death with the help of psychologists. Tang Yulong, a consultant at this unique psychotherapy clinic in Shenyang, says people who suffer from psychological problems can be helped by simulating death. People go in a 5-square-meter ”death experience room”, write down their last words, lie down into a coffin in the floor and are covered with a white cloth. To make this “dying” experience even more realistic, the “deceased” can even hear a dirge being played in the room. After five minutes of “serene time”, the sound of a baby crying breaks the silence, and a consultant opens the coffin with a cheery tune playing in the background. This rebirth apparently helps people get a new outlook on life.

“In the past 35 years, I thought what I pursued were what I needed, such as money and a high position. However, after this special therapy, I find out that what I need is not a house, but a home,” said Huang, a 35-year-old manager, said after going through the unique therapy. He tried to commit suicide four times, in the past, but was stopped by family or colleagues. Now, after going through this treatment, he has asked for demotion and has become involved with various charities, to help those less fortunate. ”This therapy makes use of suggestion theory in psychology,” consultant Tang said. ”However, it’s only part of the psychotherapy and is not suitable for everyone. We will choose proper ones to receive this death-experience therapy,” he added.

#1 the previous therapist was an idiot who didn’t know what they were doing.

#2 the current therapist does know what they are doing and therefore will fix the problem.

This frustrates me because I feel like I am constantly picking on a scab with endless people so that it just can’t heal. I want to be able to talk about my past without crying. I want to be able to move on with my life without my past haunting my every moment. I want I want I want. In the Chanukah season, I hope for a miracle.

My past will not leave me alone. I recall a sharp memory from my teenage years. It was the night following Rosh Hashanah, and we had just finished with yuntev. My Aunt had been staying by our house per usual. Also per usual, the string of criticism and screaming didn’t end. This particular Aunt had subsequently criticized how I didn’t wear make-up or tight clothing.She believed that those are necessary in order to have self-esteem and be asked out. Since I did not espouse her beliefs she was frustrated with me.

You see, I had told my mother I would be wiling help whatever was needed on Yuntev as long as I was able to read a book for school on the 2nd day of yuntev afternoon. Therefore, when my sister needed someone to walk her to a friend’s house I declined to go instead of my mother in order to read my book. Let’s call her Aunt C, had this conversation with me.

After many repetitions of this, I finally caved in and agreed to walk my sister and Aunt C to the friend’s house. The entire walk was plagued by “conversation” (really Aunt C’s monologue) about how I was a terrible person who didn’t appreciate anything. I replied that just because I didn’t take her (unsolicited) advice didn’t mean I didn’t respect her opinions. Aunt C angrily replied that I was a spoiled brat and she wouldn’t speak to me as a result.

I silently celebrated thinking I was free from criticism and yelling for the rest of the holiday. How I wish I was…

After the holiday ended, I began to work on the multitude of assignments I had to do. As a junior in high school I needed to work on my SAT prep, write a paper on the book I didn’t finish reading and finalize my schedule for work. Aunt C, her anger festering over the holiday burst into the room and began yelling at me more. My parents were out of the house on some errand so there was no adult to stop her fury. She furiously picked up the cell phone I earned by cleaning my entire house for peasach by myself and smashed it on the ground. She proceeded to yell about how I don’t appreciate all that was done for me.

Then, she hit me.

That hurt. It didn’t hurt as much as what happened next though. My parents came home a few minutes later. I was hurt, but at least expecting a mother’s fury. Something along the lines of “how dare you lay a hand on my daughter” or at the very least some motherly sympathy. Instead, as soon as she pulled up, Aunt C ran outside to tell my mother about the horrible person I was. My mother stormed in, walked up to me and yelled

“What did you do?!”

The betrayal I felt at that moment summed up the rest of my interactions with my mother. My own mother was not willing to stand up for her daughter. I did see my mother’s fury after I was hit, but unfortunately it was directed at me.  I am crying as I write this because not only was it a painful time but it was in that instant that I realized how little my mother cared about me. She didn’t care if I was happy or even in pain. She just wanted to know what new problem I caused.

Even if that problem was my face getting in the way of my Aunt’s hand.

If you have some shred of hope dear reader that my Mother and Aunt had an epiphany and asked for forgiveness (especially since it was the day after Rosh Hashanah) I apologize. When my Aunt visited the following month, she proceeded to call me a monster in front of the two friends I had sleeping over. Needless to say, I didn’t have many friends after that. No one wants to be friends with a monster after all. I forgave both of them for that night, for my sake and not for theirs.

Uncovering this memory I carefully suppressed is something that happens every time I seek therapy. I hope that uncovering it this time leads to a greater step of progress in my vaginismus.  Perhaps like the maccabeas, I will be able to  take the pain of something being taken away and turn it into a victory.

I ask you readers to please comment . I really appreciate comments.

I didn’t need yet another reason to be a counselor because I already have so many that I might burst from happiness. However, it is exciting that I have found something that I am passionate about. After Dr. Wetter’s talk, I made sure to go up to her and tell her how much I enjoyed her talk. Plus, I also wanted to introduce myself and see what classes she’d be teaching next semester. She’s teaching theories of personality as well as a class on trauma disorders. I told her that she could count on me to take both. Before I spoke with her, another student was asking her if there were any undergraduate research opportunities that were related to therapy. Even though there were not any undergraduate research opportunities specifically related to therapy, Dr. Wetter did say that next semester she will be continuing her research on trauma disorders and she’d be welcoming students. Not only did I attend a Psychology talk today that I absolutely loved, which furthered my drive to be a counselor, but I also may have gotten a potential undergraduate research opportunity out of it. Not too shabby. Not too shabby at all!

….It started like so many other instances of child exploitation: Amy’s uncle showed her pornography and then began raping her on a regular basis.

Amy recalls telling him the penetration hurt, but it kept happening. And like most child victims, she trusted him when he told her it was a normal thing adults do with children, that he loved her and that it was their special secret, according to her victim impact statement. The uncle was eventually arrested and incarcerated. Amy grew into her teenage years and, with the help of therapy, seemed to be growing into a relatively happy, healthy, normal teenager, according to court documents. Then the other shoe dropped: Amy learned that her uncle had photographed the abuse and put the images online, creating a permanent record of her agonizing abuse.

It’s not exactly clear when Amy’s pictures began circulating online, but court records indicate the digital images date back to as early as 1998.

Amy, now in her early 20s, began sliding backward in her recovery. Court filings indicate that she suffers from depression, is withdrawn and anxious, and has a history of alcohol abuse. She’s been unable to succeed in college or work and is reluctant to socialize. While some experiences still trigger bad memories, she’s more concerned about being recognized in public by people who downloaded “her” images….

Under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, the government must notify Amy and other child pornography victims anytime anyone is arrested by federal authorities for possessing their images. Her attorney, James Marsh of New York City, says his office has received at least 1,500 required notices of federal prosecutions for possession of those images. “The day after we were retained in 2008, we had someone open up all these notices she received in the calendar years 2006 and 2007,” Marsh says. “It took two days just to open the envelopes.”….

Almost any time Marsh receives a notice of prosecution on Amy’s behalf, he files a formal request for more than $3 million to cover all of Amy’s psychological treatment, lost income and attorney fees. Marsh believes Amy is the first child pornography victim to use federal crime victim restitution laws in this way, and one of a very few nationwide. He knows of two other victims pursuing this strategy, including “Vicky,” another young woman whose victimization as a child is recorded in widely traded images. A third victim’s lawyer pursuing a similar strategy did not return calls for this article….

Masha’s Law, part of the 2006 Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, which permits young adults to sue those who download images of their childhood sexual abuse…..
http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/pricing_amy_should_those_who_download_child_pornography_pay_the_victims/

American Bar Association Journal—Pricing Amy: Should Those Who Download Child Pornography Pay the Victims? By James R. Marsh on August 27, 2012

This feature article about the Marsh Law Firm’s efforts to secure restituiton for victims of child pornography appears in this month’s American Bar Association Journal which is read by over one million attorneys and corporate counsel worldwide. Here are several excerpts from Pricing Amy: Should Those Who Download Child Pornography Pay the Victims?

It’s not exactly clear when Amy’s pictures began circulating online, but court records indicate the digital images date back to as early as 1998.

Amy and her lawyer are, however, fighting back. Her battle is part of a series of cases—now wending their way through the federal courts—trying to help the victims of child pornography by seeking financial restitution, not from the perpetrator but from the untold number of people who subsequently download their pornographic images.

Amy could be considered the leader in this legal trend. Her pictures are among the most widely traded in the underground world of online child pornography.

Using the restitution provisions of the Violence Against Women Act, Marsh has begun utilizing the courts to request financial restitution from those convicted of possessing images of Amy’s child sexual abuse.
http://www.childlaw.us/2012/08/aba-journal-pricing-amy-should.html

Imagine You Were Raped. Got Pregnant. Then Your Rapist Sought Custody.
It happens—and in many states there are no laws to keep rapists from terrorizing their victims all over again. Read on, Todd Akin.
—By Dana Liebelson and Sydney Brownstone  Fri Aug. 24, 2012

The debate over Rep. Todd Akin’s widely condemned comments on “legitimate rape” has largely centered on abortion and Republican efforts to outlaw the procedure, even in cases of rape. But the controversy has also uncovered a little-discussed issue: When some rape victims do choose to give birth to a child conceived through sexual assault, they find that the legal door is left wide open for their victimization to continue. It sounds unfathomable, but in many states the law makes it possible for rapists to assert their parental rights and use custody proceedings as a weapon against their victims….

Part of the problem is that many rapes go unprosecuted. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, only 9 out of every 100 rapes are prosecuted and just 5 lead to a felony conviction. But of the 19 states that have laws addressing the custody of rape-conceived children, 13 require proof of conviction in order to waive the rapist’s parental rights. Two more states have provisions on the issue that only apply if the victim is a minor or, in one of those cases, a stepchild or adopted child of the rapist. Another three states don’t have laws that deal with custody of a rapist’s child specifically, but do restrict the parental rights of a father or mother who sexually abused the other parent.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/08/rapist-seeks-child-custody-shauna-prewitt

From outward appearance his profile seems normal but deep beneath the surface churn murky waters. An online search turns up reports from people who say that there was something weird about him while others describe him as normal. The diseased mind seems to be a funny entity then, acting normal in some cases, strange in others and therefore consistently unpredictable. Tormented by the event, I tried to find online what psychology experts had to say. It seems like they have yet to do a proper diagnosis in this particular case, but I came across an article by a psychiatrist: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-between-the-headlines/201207/the-colorado-shooter-psychotic-victim-or-evil-killer and an old blog post by him where he has given an example of another shooter: http://drdalearcher.com/imjustsayin/its-the-mental-illness-stupid

Going through what was shared on the internet, I found that experts are trying to stress the importance of eliminating the root cause of such incidents, that is, recognizing and treating mental illness instead of people ignoring it and only suggesting solutions like gun control, safety procedures, crisis training etc. I agree with the wise men. However, not having studied that medical field ever, it is tough to understand how the human brain can behave illogically and it is scary to imagine not being able to control our mind – something that mentally healthy people take for granted. Wouldn’t it be helpful to learn to recognize mental illness symptoms in a fellow human being and to take action of treatment on behalf of that person? But I also understand how this is easier said than done. It is very difficult to have the confidence to point out to or convince someone that there is a problem and help with a solution long before the psychotic person has taken the final drastic step. Until then, will everyone, including the affected individual keep on suffering and dying?

Such incidents where mentally unstable persons inflict pain on others brings back a memory. It happened a few years ago here in California when I was a graduate student. A late evening class was over and I was waiting for the bus opposite the university. It was dark and a cool wind had sprung up so I moved closer to the bus stop structure to take some shelter against the breeze under its roof. There were a few people waiting nearby. I was talking on the phone and did not completely notice a burly man with what looked like shopping bags moving about, muttering and gesturing to himself.

By instinct we tend to stand away from suspicious-looking people but I failed to do so. He came towards me in a rapid stride and with a quick movement of his thick mustard-colored boots, landed a strong kick on my right shin just below the knee. As I looked up in shock, this is what he said tapping his head, “Excuse me, I have a pain in my head.” Then to my relief, he walked away. A guy standing next to me sort of escorted me away and my boyfriend (husband now) who I was talking to on the phone let out a stream of angry cuss words when I hurriedly narrated what had happened. But all of us knew that we couldn’t do anything about him. First of all, the homeless man was huge but most importantly madmen, as a rule, are not expected to be rational. Who is to say that it is not possible that in the dark recesses of his fractured mind, he had no knowledge of what he had done or that what to us was a violent act towards a fellow innocent being was a totally justified alternate reality to him?

Many times, mindless cruelty stems from being just that – being ‘mind-less’.

I began to feel depressed, that I was not making any progress of any sort. My therapist had suggested verbal Therapy before, but the already prohibitive costs of physical therapy (as well as time limitations) had prevented me from doing so. Therefore, my physical therapist recommended I “break” from physical therapy to focus on verbal therapy for a month.

My work with the dilators would continue on my own as I worked through therapy. My (verbal) therapist recognized I had much more difficulty with the finger than the dilator and recommended I start inserting my own finger into my vagina. The first time I did it (with one finger) it was hard, but not extremely difficult. I was so happy to be making progress! From there, things got more and more difficult. I could not progress beyond one finger at a time (even with sufficient lube) unless the two fingers were squished together into one finger of a glove. I got so frustrated with the fact that it felt like It just would not go farther, that I decided to take a look down under (see tomorrows post).

I return to Physical Therapy tomorrow. I am quite frankly terrified. Will my leaving physical therapy for a month mean I am back to square one? Will it be easier? Is the discovery I made freakish and strange? I want to wait until tomorrow to continue my exploration “down under” because I want to find out more on the topic. I hope I have made progress after 5 months of treatment. I know this is a condition that is a journey, but I’d like to see a few steps in the right direction.

Finally, is anyone out there reading this? I have found so much support on fellow people’s blogs and please comment if you are reading this one and if it is helping you in any way.

Now, a source close to Anthony tells PEOPLE exclusively that the Florida woman has been seeing a grief counselor – and will soon start seeing a female psychiatrist.

“She needs serious help,” says the source. “We’ll see what this counseling will do.”

Anthony has traveled extensively since her acquittal, but she is now back in Florida while she serves a one-year probation on a check fraud case.

Baez, who did not immediately return calls for comment, previously said that Anthony needed treatment for the trauma of losing her child and her subsequent incarceration.

” width=”180″ height=”180″ class=”size-full wp-image-578″ /> Teenage boy with eyeglasses Exactostock/ Superstock 1555R-179034

Certified Nurse Practitioner and psychiatric specialist Sarah Alley says, “Med management is part of an overall picture. Often, when kids are admitted into residential treatment or for acute hospitalization, there is a long history of events, signs and symptoms, experiences and behaviors that have led to these types of in-patient treatment. There may be environmental reasons, trauma, and/or significant psychiatric symptoms.” 

According to psychiatrist, Dr. Kasiraja Sathappan, Medical Director,  “It’s important to do a thorough psychiatric evaluation and determine how it all fits together; how the patient has progressed to this point of treatment.  Medications are an important piece in the whole treatment and frequently, medications are a most beneficial way to stabilize a child and allow them to get to a place where they can engage in treatment, be able to process therapeutic intervention, begin to learn and implement coping skills, and to have hope.”

To use a helpful analogy, Alley explains,  “For example, a very depressed patient sees the world through the fog of depression and this experience can be like looking out at life through a muddy window without a way to clear the view. Providing them relief with medication can allow them to see more clearly, remove the mud from the “window” so to speak.  It gives them the ability to benefit fully from treatment and see more clearly where they are going and why.”  Alley recently joined Pomegranate from Nationwide Children’s Hospital. 

The NIMH web-site explains, ‘Some people get great results from medications and only need them for a short time. For example, a person with depression may feel much better after taking a medication for a few months, and may never need it again. People with disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or people who have long-term or severe depression or anxiety may need to take medication for a much longer time.’

‘For example, anti-psychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and schizophrenia-related disorders have been available since the mid-1950’s. In the 1990’s, new anti-psychotic medications were developed, called second generation, or ‘atypical’ antipsychotics,’ according to NIMH. ‘There are several classes of medication for different conditions: anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, mood stabilizing and anti-convulsant, anti-anxiety, ADHD medications, combination antipsychotic and antidepressant, and other combinations.’ You can read more about these types of medications at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/mental-health-medications/complete-index.sht…

Some parents question whether medication is necessary, after all, ‘it’s all in the head.’ Alley explains that, ‘What’s in the head is a brain. Think of it like a liver, heart, or kidney. Prescribing medication for that organ is no different. The brain is a complex organ with various things that can be out-of-balance or not work as they should at times, including an imbalance of neurotransmitters or over/under activity in certain areas.

That doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with the person, that they are “weak” or insufficient in some personal way. We don’t say the diabetic doesn’t need insulin when their endocrine system malfunctions because the problem is in the glands, or they are somehow deficient as a person because they cannot control their blood sugars by “willpower”. With good treatment early, including appropriate medication, one can prevent problems in the future, prevent relapse, severity and length of future episodes and preserve brain functioning.’ 

The NIMH site says, ‘Some people may have a relapse-their symptoms come back or get worse. Usually, relapses happen when people stop taking their medication, or when they only take it sometimes. Some people stop taking the medication because they feel better or they may feel they don’t need it anymore. But no one should stop taking an anti-psychotic medication without talking to his or her doctor. When a doctor says it is okay to stop taking a medication, it should be gradually tapered off, never stopped suddenly.’

NIMH also reports that for children and adolescents, ‘Most medications used to treat young people with mental illness are safe and effective. . . In addition to medications, other treatments for young people with mental disorders should be considered. Psychotherapy, family therapy, educational courses, and behavior management techniques can help everyone involved cope with the disorder.”

Dr. Sathappan, Medical Director adds, ‘This is why Pomegranate Health Systems uses a multi-disciplinary approach including complete diagnostic and psychiatric evaluation, with the full complement of therapeutic psychological and medical interventions required for a thorough treatment plan. We talk with patients and family members to explain and explore what we’re doing and why, to help each individual achieve the highest possible quality of life in their homes and communities.”

Zyprexa [Olanzapine] is an drug that is used for treating various psychological diseases like schizophrenia and associated symptoms, the maniac phase of bipolar disease and various other mental roblems. Zyprexa [Olanzapine] works by opposing the actions of two main chemical messengers of human brains dopamine and serotonin. Zyprexa [Olanzapine] is available in the form of capsules which get dissolved by human saliva and hence can be taken with our without water.
During the initial phase of treatment the patients using Zyprexa [Olanzapine] can suffer from low blood pressure, dizziness, increased heart rate, fainting and other problems. The problems can become worse if you are dehydrated or after taking blood pressure medication. Therefore doctors may initially start with small doses of Zyprexa [Olanzapine] and gradually put you on higher doses after studying your reaction to the treatment.
Zyprexa [Olanzapine] is not recommended for children below 13 years of age. Zyprexa [Olanzapine] can treat various symptoms of schizophrenia including hearing or voices and seeing objects that are not existing, feeling suspicious, withdrawn or believing in things that are not true. It can also be used for suppressing symptoms of type I bipolar disease including severe mood swings, irritation, depression, racing thoughts, impulsive behavior, fast talking and decreased sleep. Patients may observe change in their behavior within couple of weeks of use but if the problem worsens or persists doctors need to be consulted.
Zyprexa [Olanzapine] usage can make you feel sleepy and can also impact your ability to reach a decision or react quickly. Hence avoid any activity requiring high alertness after you use Zyprexa [Olanzapine]. Alcohol consumption should also be avoided by patients on Zyprexa [Olanzapine].
http://www.iwantmeds.com/medicine-generic/Zyprexa/109.html

There are numbers of ways self-torture can be assessed, when it comes to this matter you can initially seen it in every relationship particularly with intimate relation like of spouse, boyfriend, or family. Whenever your partner like the opposite of what you’ve enjoy, for the sake of love and relation you’re going to give way for  him at that very moment in order to avoid conflicts and confrontation.

Another way is whenever you’re bound to attend different functions, social gatherings, office meetings, convention or dating and many more. You are open to any possibilities that you may encounter self-torture in socially manner. Mostly dealing with what despise you; like in eating the food you don’t like, listening to the music you hate, giving smile to your opponent, shaking hands with your rivals, sitting beside your competitor and mingling with your antagonist. This factor contributes in self-torture emotionally. The reason why we suffer all this consequences is because we are afraid to disappoint others and shut our mouth not to express what we truly feels and like. Lack of candid frankness but we can’t blame one person by keeping his mouth shut, probably he got more things to consider and to protect. Therefore he tries to be careful not to open his mouth and speak.

In love and relation, self-torture is commonly present specially when you’re in the point of loving someone who doesn’t give back love, which we call unrequited love. Also loving someone who doesn’t belong to you completely, like someone is owning that person and that person is not yours to keep.

Other torture themselves when they got humiliated, embarrassed, rejected they inflict physical harm to their selves. Other self-torture themselves erotically during sexual intercourse which they achieved pain and pleasure.

Some evident self-torture is performing strenuous exercise, doing arduous task without rest. Staying up all day without sleep, depriving themselves form eating specially their favorite dish.

A person who’s suffering with self-torture should be subjected to any psychological treatment immediately. Early signs should not taking for granted for it may lead to more serious problem and it may totally damage one’s person own-self later on.

test. The tests listed in the table constitute a comprehensive test battery generally appropriate for use with a geriatric population. Use of a comprehensive battery is preferable for confident determination of presence and type of dementia or other cognitive disorder in elderly persons; in some circumstances, however, administering a several-hour battery is not possible. Tests marked with an asterisk are the core tests that are most sensitive for detection of a dementia.

Mood episodes of extreme excitement to extreme depression and unusual irritability going far beyond the normal and rational boundaries are extremely common.  A person with this condition might also experience very fast, racing thoughts and highly unstable swings of emotions. Delusions and hallucinations might occur as well.

A patient suffering from bipolar disorder might display the following symptoms:

• Severe mood changes with long periods of overly happy moods;
• Intense irritability over something or someone beyond the normal and rational range;
• Irrational impulses like shopping sprees, impulsive sex, and impulsive business investments;
• Lack of sleep for weeks because of racing thoughts;
• Significant twisting of reality;
• Suicidal tendencies that are frequent because of uncontrollable depression;
• Unusually high levels of energy while feeling sad, lonely and hopeless.

This disorder negatively affects relationships, families, friendships, schoolwork and jobs, not to mention the person’s ability to lead a normal life. As the signs and symptoms of this sickness become more prevalent, public awareness is increasing too. It is not necessarily easy to recognize or understand the behaviours or symptoms of bipolar disorder, and it is only a medical professional who can determine if a person suffers from it.

How is the illness diagnosed?
Diagnosis is performed through a series of laboratory, physical and psychological tests. A psychiatrist is usually the best person to determine if a person indeed has this disorder and what treatment plan is necessary. Family members, friends and spouse are often interviewed after running the series of tests to create the whole historical profile of the patient.

Further, this disorder must be differentiated from unipolar depression, in which there is no manic mood swing and instead just depression. Usually two weeks is given as an observational period to observe these symptoms and reactions to treatment.

How then is the condition treated?

Combining psychotherapy and medicinal intake treatments is usually the best solution to treat this disorder since no cure has been discovered yet. Both medication and psychotherapy are part of a long-term treatment plan since this is a lifelong condition.

Not all patients react the same way with a given medicine plan, so what the doctor does is change it often to determine what combination will work best. The doctor uses a daily life chart to monitor the effects the treatment may have on the patient. As the behaviour changes, the doctor may add or reduce some medications to lessen the bipolar disorder symptoms.

Davies J; Oldfield K

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust, Swansea University, Chiral

Abstract:

Individuals being treated in medium secure hospitals have typically engaged in some form of offending in other service settings or while in the community. Although psychological treatment for addressing such behaviour in medium secure hospitals is beginning to be developed, at present there is a lack of evidence of ‘what works’. This paper reports a review of the type and level of offending behaviour engaged in by those in a single medium secure service, including the conviction histories for such behaviours and the psychological approaches to risk reduction and offending behaviour taken in medium secure hospitals in England and Wales. The need to develop an evidence base for psychological treatment in medium secure services including at the individual level is clearly indicated.

Lancashire Care staff can request the full-text of this paper, email: susan.jennings@lancashirecare.nhs.uk

Then, to my dismay, I came across this post at FMH, in which ECS criticizes Hafen’s speech, in particular his use of references. But the FMH post itself is misleading and needs to be critiqued.

First, ECS critiques that Hafen cites a paraphrase from a Wall Street Journal article about the recent APA resolution on reparative therapy, rather than the resolution itself. Here is the quote in question, followed by ECS’s reply:

Just last month the American Psychological Association adopted a resolution stating that there is insufficient evidence to prove conclusively whether sexual orientation can be changed.  But in what the Wall Street Journal called “a striking departure” from that Association’s earlier hesitation about encouraging such therapy, the same resolution also stated that “it is ethical—and can be beneficial—for counselors to help some clients reject gay or lesbian attractions,” especially clients with a strong religious identity.

It’s a bit strange that Hafen quotes a paraphrase of the resolution written by WSJ reporter instead of quoting the A.P.A. resolution itself.  I read the APA’s report, and I tried to find this quote.  It didn’t appear in the official APA Resolutions or anywhere in the APA report.   Then I noticed that the WSJ article doesn’t say the quoted language is an APA resolution.  The WSJ article doesn’t say anything about a resolution – yet Hafen claims that the paraphrased language written by a WSJ reporter  (that is not a resolution) is a resolution sanctioned by the A.P.A.  More importantly, the WSJ paraphrase of a non-Resolution does not accurately characterize any A.P.A. Resolutions.

My counters:

1. People often quote paraphrases for rhetorical reasons. The in-text citation and footnote are both correct, at any rate, making it clear that this quote comes from the WSJ article.

2. The WSJ article DOES talk about a resolution! In fact, the very quote ECS provides from the article does:

But in a striking departure, the American Psychological Association said Wednesday that it is ethical — and can be beneficial — for counselors to help some clients reject gay or lesbian attractions.

What is “said” here is the resolution! The fact that Hafen knows this, but apparently ECS does not, shows who has done more research on the matter. In fact, ECS’s comments betray how little she knows about what happened at the APA meeting last month. At any rate, it is false to say that “The WSJ article doesn’t say anything about a resolution.” Ooh, kind of weakens ECS’s argument, doesn’t it? Yes.

3. The WSJ paraphrase DOES accurately characterize the APA resolution. It quotes the chair (note, this is the person in charge) of the resolution explaining the need for this kind of middle-ground with religious groups.

“We’re not trying to encourage people to become ‘ex-gay,’” said Judith Glassgold, who chaired the APA’s task force on the issue. “But we have to acknowledge that, for some people, religious identity is such an important part of their lives, it may transcend everything else.” . . . “They’re faced with a terrible dilemma,” Dr. Glassgold said. The profession has to offer alternatives, she says, “so they don’t pursue these ineffective therapies” promising change.

I don’t have time to defend this claim like I would like to, but I do think that Hafen’s quote is consistent with the spirit of the resolution–and the quote above speaks to that. Interesting that ECS says nothing about any of this.

Second, ECS asserts that Hafen calls homosexuality a disorder. But he does no such thing. He simply criticizes the motivations in declassifying it in the 1970s. Not quite the same thing as calling it a disorder (e.g., maybe it never should have been called a disorder, but nonetheless its being removed as one was more a matter of political motivations than anything–not an irrelevant point even if it one wouldn’t call it a disorder). It is simply inaccurate to say that he called it a disorder because he did no such thing. In the interest of accurate reporting, ECS would be wise to avoid the very things she is criticizing.

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Representative Jessica Farrar (D-TX) has introduced a new bill to the Texas Legislature which could limit jail time for mothers who commit infanticide while suffering from postpartum psychosis. While adoption of this historic bill would not replace or affect the appropriate use of the insanity defense for such crimes – a defense which can eliminate jail time while mandating sustained psychological treatment – it would limit jail time consideration during the penalty phase to two years for mothers deemed to have been under the influence of a pregnancy or lactation related psychosis within 12 months of giving birth at the time of the offense.

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Abstract: The inadequacy of inpatient facilities for women with severe psychiatric and co-morbid difficulties has been repeatedly documented. The establishment of effective therapeutic programmes for women in medium psychiatric facilities is also in their infancy, and little research has been undertaken. This article describes the development of a best practice psychological treatment programme for women with a dual diagnosis. Emphasis is placed on the need to develop further intensive gender-specific services using an established model for effective therapeutic service development. In addition to a detailed description of the group therapy programme, staff training initiatives, methods for ensuring treatment integrity and a methodology for service evaluation is given.

For the full-text of this article please email: susan.jennings@lancashirecare.nhs.uk

Abstract:

This is a companion paper to our earlier review of psychological treatments for people with personality disorder that examined the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Here, we report on the evidence of pharmacological treatments from RCTs for people with personality disorder. As in the previous report, this paper incorporates information from an earlier review that examined the evidence to 2002, and extends it to December 2006. As in the previous paper, this review restricts itself to the findings from RCTs, and excludes evidence from other study designs; however, details of these other studies will be posted in the National Personality Disorder Institute Website (http://www.pdinstitute.org.uk).

For the full-text of this article please email: susan.jennings@lancashirecare.nhs.uk