ReThreading Madness

Part 1Rob talks with Bernadine about his book "Your Consent is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment and Abusive Guardianships" and about the fallible nature of diagnoses, psychiatric medications and treatment along with the inherent problems that occur in the mental health industry that leave psychiatric survivors victimized and trapped for a long time. One of the stories he shares in this book is about Vince Geisler, who was laid off over the phone and I'm not going to read the whole story verbatim, but I hope to give you a good sense of what happened to Vince. He was a field technician for a Vancouver company, and he and the human resources director never got along. After hanging up, Geisler did some welding and then wanted to go for lunch. However, when he stepped outside, he saw a van and police officers with guns drawn. Rob writes, according to the police records, the street had been cordoned off by about 10 officers including an emergency tactical team with assault rifles and a sniper. They called Geisler out. Over perplexed, Geisler was calm and cooperative, stated the police records, police told Geisler that he was being arrested under the Mental Health Law, slapped handcuffs on him and loaded him into a van Geisler was dumbfounded and asked to speak with a lawyer. He would ask several more times to do so to no avail. At the hospital, a psychiatrist asked Geisler how he was feeling and he said he was a little stressed out because he had just been laid off and then basically kidnapped, brought to the hospital and denied a lawyer. Apparently, and I'm going to quote here, the human resources director had called the police alleging that Geisler had said to her, I may as well walk off put a gun in my mouth and blow my brains out. By his recollection, Geisler believed he said, I feel like I've been shot. HIs wife agree that Giesler sometimes used dramatic language when he was upset. The police discovered that Geisler, a hunter, owned guns and when they attended his home and he didn't answer to their knocking, they assumed he had barricaded himself in. BUt that wouldn't be the only misinterpretation.Geisler was asked at the hospital by the psychiatrist if he had been feeling excessively under stress. He denied that and said he didn't understand why the police had arrested him, to which the psychiatrist noted in his file that Geisler appeared limited in his insight about police concerns, and perhaps not totally truthful about his stress level. When asked what medication he was on Geisler listed a couple but forgot to mention the antidepressant. When reminded, Geisler told the psychiatrists it was for his ADHD to which the psychiatrist wrote quote, it certainly would appear from his prescription of antidepressants that he has been on for some time that he has been depressed and which he has denied. Given his lack of honesty or forthrightness for his safety, he has been detained. Geisler was locked in seclusion, ordered to change into a hospital gown, and his wife was prevented from seeing him. His psychiatric record was stamped incapable of appreciating the nature of treatment and his need for it. And when Geisler expressed outrage at being detained and continued to ask for a lawyer, security guards came with a nurse demanding he take medication. He woke up 16 hours later, he had been given four different antipsychotics and a sedative. The next morning, a second psychiatrists saw him and noted that Geisler was neither suicidal or homicidal, and now he had no evidence of having a serious mental disorder. And he was discharged.Geisler felt he had been mentally raped and noted that cattle have more rights being transported to the slaughterhouse, then people do under BC's Mental Health Act. Think this doesn’t happen often? Rob Wipond is here to tell us how often this can occur to just about any one of us.music by Shari UlrichBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.

Rethreading Madness brings back one of the professionals who cohosted this program when it was called Both Sides Now. Glen Grigg PhD has provided clinical counselling in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver for 25 years. He teaches in the Master of Counselling program at UBC and Adler University. We sat down with him to ask the question that is almost never asked or really answered: What is Mental Health? It was an interesting conversation. Even after a good conversation with Glen about mental health and what it is, it still felt like what defines mental health is vague. We can clearly identify mental health problems. We have defined what Is called abnormal psychology to the hilt most especially over the last couple decades in the DSM, described to me by professionals as a necessary tool so that doctors could bill for seeing their clients (which means every client had to have a diagnosis for them to be paid). Consequently, the DSM basically covers everything it means to be human. It is no uncommon for me to talk with folks who have various diagnosis from paranoid schizophrenia, to bipolar II, to borderline to… you name it. Given how major diagnoses can morph into something else depending on the clinician, it makes it hard to take it seriously. And yet while not clearly identifying what is mental health we clearly are able to name every human emotion as a disease. That said Glen offered up the following definition of mental health: being able to function without becoming rigid, erratic or chaotic and that one is able to flow with social functions and is available to experience that flow. What do you think?music by Shari UlrichBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.

Ann Bemrose and Bernadine talk about how Toxic Positivity impacts on our mental health for those who live with physical and mental health challenges. Toxic Positivity is a means of denial by overlaying of positive ideas onto a reality that has some inherently negative aspects. It’s excessive and overgeneralized happiness results in invalidating authentic emotions in oneself and others that are deemed not ok. This then alienates many who feel they must hide emotions and reactions to real circumstances. Ann and Bernadine enjoy a frank conversation their experience of others who display toxic positivity.Bernadine then talks with Rebel Fayola Rose and Olumoroti George about their upcoming Disability Justice Dreaming Sessions. DJ Dreaming sessions provide participants with an opportunity to imagine an optimistic and visionary world while questioning narrow definitions for those who may experience ableism. Come here about this novel approach to looking at the future.(music used "It's Alright by Shari Ulrich)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.

On ReThreading Madness today, Bernadine and Jessica Garner have a frank conversation about sex and its impact on mental health. While sex is not necessarily a topic that one should make note of as triggering - In the spirit of ensuring everyone is ok with today’s topic – we would like to say that some of what we talk about may be problematic for some folks. Sex is a primary human need along with food, shelter, and water. However, somewhere along the line, here in our society, sex was dropped off the list. Perhaps, since we don’t die from lack of sex – as we might food or water or shelter - it was perceived as not a need but more so a desire. Death comes in many forms and the emotional impact of not having sex or having healthy sex can dramatically impact on your emotional wellbeing. A little death may not always come in the form of an orgasm.(music used "It's Alright by Shari Ulrich)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.

Narcissism is a psychological term categorized in the DSM as a psychiatric disorder: The DSM clinically outlines it as a mental condition where people have an inflated sense of their importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, has troubled relationships, lacks empathy for others and while displaying extreme confidence they have a fragile self-esteem that overreacts to even the slightest criticism. Only a licensed diagnostician can legitimately apply a label of narcissism. Out here in the world of laypeople, it is a word that has been bantered about to refer to someone who is self-centered and demanding that all focus be on themselves to the exclusion of the needs of others which leaves people emotionally demolished in their wake. Why is it important for us to understand if we are dealing with a – even – undiagnosed narcissist? Because a) like the sociopath, the narcissist with their specific sense that they can do no wrong is more than not unlikely to attend therapy and, therefore, be diagnosed. And b), the impact of living with or being in a relationship with a narcissist leaves one bewildered, confused, and in emotional agony. To find our way out of that quagmire, we need a framework to be able to pull the pieces apart and then put our lives back together. In this podcast, Rebecca talks about her first-hand experience of a narcissist. Rebecca is a Vancouver native, who lives just steps from the seawall and Stanley Park. She splits her time between working as a college instructor, running her own business, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, and tracking down the best baked goods the city has to offer. We are going to be chatting about her first-hand experience of a narcissist.(music used "It's Alright by Shari Ulrich)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.

In 2019, Bernadine Fox with cohost, Glen Grigg, sat down with Bethany Lindsay, a CBC reporter, to discuss the Cayton Report & the ways which Regulatory Colleges in BC are letting mental health consumers down. The question asked & left unanswered: “Who is protecting the mental health consumer?” One might think that the state of registering therapists and counsellors in BC to protect clients from unethical ones would have happened here already. It has not. In Oct 2022, BC did introduce the Health Professions and Occupations Act based on the Cayton Report. And while it appears to be comprehensive it continues to leave out the thousands of professionals who work in our mental health field and call themselves therapists or counsellors. Here in BC Canada, anyone, trained or not, can still hang up a shingle call themselves a counsellor and start working with clients. The BC Government has assured us that now that Bill 36 - the Health Professions and Occupations Act - is complete they will turn their attention to regulating the 1000s of others who operate as therapists in this field. However, this is not the first time this has been promised. In the meantime, BC clients continue to be hurt by untrained and unethical therapists with no recourse and no means of holding them accountable here in BC.Currently, associations and societies in BC provide professional memberships for counsellors. All have something like a Code of Conduct to which their membership must make a commitment. The Colleges that regulate our Drs, psychiatrists, and psychologists are both now covered under Bill 36. While the Act, in my opinion, has vague descriptions around the issue of exploitation, the Colleges have their own Standards of Practice – they have a zero tolerance for any type of sexual contact or behaviour with clients. Why? Because the dramatic imbalance of power in therapy resembles that which is found in a parent and child relationship. With the vulnerable client is in the “child” position - making full and informed consent is impossible. However, some of these other associations allow therapists to enter into a sexual relationship with their client IF 2 years has passed AND other criteria around the depth and scope of the therapy is not present in the relationship. If they are eventually included under Bill 36, will they be allowed to maintain this different standard of practice? Or will they be required to provide further assurances for client safety?In my opinion, and I must say I am not sure if my co-host agrees with this or not, there is no means by which any association or society can filter out the unethical therapist on their roster and unfortunately, those unethical therapists have easily manipulated around those variables in the code to make it appear as if they are doing no wrong. In addition, the bylaws of the association give control around any enquiry into a therapist’s inappropriate behaviour to the unethical therapist themselves! After a complaint is lodged, simply resigning their membership closes any investigation into their inappropriate and at times criminal behaviour - leaving the client with no recourse and allowing the unethical counsellor to remain unaccountable. Of note, resigning a membership does not disallow the unethical counsellor from continuing their therapy practice. As mentioned, any person with or without training can hang up a shingle, call themselves a therapist in BC and begin seeing clients. All in all, it is a system that fraught with pitfalls for clients.(music used "It's Alright by Shari Ulrich)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.

Trigger Warning: Discuss Domestic ViolenceHere on ReThreading Madness we talk about all manner of things that impact on our mental health. Today we are going to talk with Ninu Kang Executive Director of Ending Violence Association – also known as EVA. It is a follow up show to one we did at the onset of COVID looking at commonly known variants that increased the amount and intensity of violence against women. In this program, we look back with Ms Kang to find out if COVID did indeed increase the numbers and intensity of violence against intimate partners? Please know that while we do not go into the details of violence against women, this program may be triggering to some folks. Please do what you need to to take care of yourself in this hour. At the end of the program we will provide some information on where you can get assistance if these stories are resonating with you. If you are experiencng violence in an intimate partnership, you can reach out to 211 in BC Canada. If you are listening to this program from another part of the world, find a women’s organization in your community, to help you connect with support. You can also email us here at rethreadingmadness@coopradio.org and we will work our network to find you assistance.(music used "It's Alright by Shari Ulrich)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.

Author Analie Shepherd discusses the issue of financial exploitation in therapy abuse. She explains how therapists may exploit clients financially, such as increasing session numbers or entering into business arrangements with clients. The podcast also includes ads from Churchill Mortgage and Baker's pharmacy services, along with discussions on the impact of finances on the therapeutic relationship and the services provided by Baker Pharmacies and Chumba Casino Games.

David Roche, 2022 Order of Canada Recipient, dives into a conversation about living with a facial difference. His bio reads, “David's face distinguishes him from all other presenters and speakers. What really makes David unique, however, is his remarkable spirit, warmth, wit and authenticity. David has transformed the challenges and gifts of living with a facial difference into a compelling message that uplifts and delights audiences around the world. The story of his heroic journey from shame to strength has inspired standing ovations from the White House and Kennedy Center to Olympics Arts Festivals, from New Zealand to Moscow, London to Sydney, and across Canada and the USA.” As always, a candid conversation about Disfigurement and Facial Difference and how one man overcame what could have been debilitating stigma and discrimination.(music used "It's Alright by Shari Ulrich)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.

ReThreading Madness chats with long-time friend of the show, Jake, along with Victoria Spooner and Don Wright about strategies for surviving the upcoming holiday season. December holds a difficult holiday. For those who live with mental health challenges or those who were traumatized within their family of origin – this holiday season is a hard one. Jake, Victoria, Don and Bernadine chat about this and offer some suggestions about how to make it through(music used "It's Alright by Shari Ulrich)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rethreading-madness--5675300/support.