INTERVOICE LETTER TO THE OPRAH WINFREY PROGRAM

Dear Oprah

We are writing in response to your programme about “The 7-Year-Old Schizophrenic”, which concerned Jani, a child who hears voices, which was broadcast on the 6th October 2009. We hope to correct the pessimistic picture offered by the mental health professionals featured in your programme, and in the accompanying article on your website. What upset us most and moved us to write to you, is that parents will have been left with the impression that they are powerless to help their children if they hear voices. We are also concerned that the programme gave the impression that children with voices must be treated with medication. We note that the medications mentioned in your programme all have very serious side effects. (For example, antipsychotics such as Haldol cause neuronal loss, block the dopamine pathways in the brain required to processes rewarding stimuli, and carry a high risk of neurological and metabolic side effects such as Parkinsonianism and diabetes. Their effects on the developing brain are largely unknown and, in our view, they should only be given to children as a treatment as absolutely last resort.)

We have been researching and working with adults and children like Jani for the last twenty years, and our work has led us to very different conclusions from those reached by the mental health professionals on your programme. One of our founding members, Dr. Sandra Escher from the Netherlands, has spent the last fifteen years talking to children who hear voices, and to their parents and carers. This work is the most detailed and thorough investigation of children who hear voices carried out to date [1, 2]. The most important findings from recent research on hearing voices are as follows:

Prevalence of voice hearing in adults and children
Recent large-scale population (epidemiological) studies have shown that about 4-10 % of the adult population hear voices at some time in their lives [3-5]. Only about a third seek assistance from mental health services. Amongst children, the proportion hearing voices may be even higher [6] and, again, only a minority are referred for treatment. Hence, it is wrong to assume that voice hearing is always a pathological condition requiring treatment.

Psychological mechanisms
Everyone has an inner voice. Psychologists call this phenomenon ‘inner speech’ and it is an important mechanism that we use to regulate our own behaviour (plan what we want to do, direct our own actions). Child psychologists have long understood that this ability begins to develop at about 2-years of age [7, 8]. Hearing voices seems to reflect some kind of differentiation in the mind’s ability to tell the difference between inner speech and the heard speech of other people [9, 10].

Link to trauma
A common theme in research with both adults and children is the relationship between hearing voices and traumatic experiences. In adults, around 75% begin to hear voices in relationship to a trauma or situations that make them feel powerless [11-13], for example the death of a loved one, divorce, losing a job, failing an exam, or longer lasting traumas such as physical, emotional or sexual abuse. The role of trauma was identified in 85% of the children we have studied, for example being bullied by peers or teachers, or being unable to perform to the required level at school, or being admitted to a hospital because of a physical illness. In short, our research has shown that hearing voices is usually a reaction to a situation or a problem that the child is struggling to cope with.

Voices have a meaning A related and equally striking finding is that the voices often refer to the problem that troubles the child, but in an elliptical manner. To take just one example from the children studied by Sandra Escher:

The voices told an 8-year-old boy to blind himself. This frightened his mother. But when we discussed whether there was something in the life of the boy he could not face, she understood the voices’ message. The boy could not cope with his parents’ problematic marriage. He did not want to see it.

We wonder whether anyone has attempted to establish why, in Jani’s case, the rat is called "Wednesday", why the girl is called "24 Hours", and why is the cat called "400"? What do these mean for her? Why does Jani want people to call her "Blue-Eyed Tree Frog" and "Jani Firefly"?

Good outcomes without treatment
Recently, Sandra Escher conducted a three-year follow up study of eighty children who heard voices, aged between 8 and 19 [1]. Half received mental health care but the other half were not given any specialist care at all. The children were interviewed four times, at yearly intervals. By the end of the research period 60% of the children reported that their voices had disappeared. Very often, this was because the triggering problems were dealt with or because the child’s situation changed - for example, following a change of schools.

Helping children who hear voices: Advise to parents
It is important to appreciate that the desire to make voices disappear, although usually the goal of the mental health care services, is not necessarily in the best interests of children. Some children do not want to lose their voices. If children can find within themselves the resources to cope with their voices, they can begin to lead happier and more balanced lives.

The most important element in this process is support from the family. Unfortunately, we have found that mental health services often fail to have a positive effect on children’s voices, because they foster fear rather than coping. However, we have found that referral to a psychotherapist who is prepared to discuss the meaning of voices is often helpful.

It is important that parents do not assume that hearing voices is a terrible disaster but instead regard it as a signal that something is troubling their child. If parents assume that voices are a symptom of an illness, and are afraid of them, the child will naturally pick up on this feeling. This can lead to a self-defeating cycle in which the child becomes fearful and obsessed by the voices.

We would like to offer this 10-point guide for parents, indicating what they can do if a child tells them that he or she hears voices:

1. Try not to over react. Although it is understandable that you will be worried, work hard not to communicate your anxiety to your child.

2. Accept the reality of the voice experience for your child; ask about the voices, how long the child has been hearing them, who or what they are, whether they have names, what they say, etc.

3. Let your child know that many other children hear voices and that usually they go away after a while.

4. Even if the voices do not disappear your child may learn to live in harmony with them.

5. It is important to break down your child's sense of isolation and difference from other children. Your child is special - unusual perhaps, but really not abnormal.

6. Find out if your child has any difficulties or problems that he or she finds very hard to cope with, and work on fixing those problems. Think back to when the voices first started. What was happening to your child at the time? Was there anything unusual or stressful occurring?

7. If you think you need outside help, find a therapist who is prepared to accept your child's experiences and work systematically with him or her to understand and cope better with the voices.

8. Be ready to listen to your child if he or she wants to talk about the voices. Use drawing, painting, acting and other creative ways to help the child to describe what is happening in his or her life.

9. Get on with your lives and try not to let the experience of hearing voices become the centre of your child's life or your own.

10. Most children who live well with their voices have supportive families who accept the experience as part of who their child is. You can do this too!

Conclusion
In conclusion we would like to stress that, in our view, labelling a seven-year-old child as schizophrenic and subjecting her to powerful psychotropic medication and periodic hospitalisation is unlikely to help resolve her problems. Indeed, the opposite is most probable: children treated in this way will simply become more powerless. Because your well respected, award winning show reaches out to so many people, we are concerned that there will be many viewers who will be left with the impression that the treatment Jani receives is the only method available. We fear that this may cause some children to be subjected to an unnecessary lifetime in psychiatric care. It is very important to recognise that hearing voices, in itself, is not a sign of psychopathology.

We hope you will give consideration to the possibility of making a future programme showing the other side of the story, one of hope, optimism and with a focus on recovery. Perhaps you could make a programme about a child with similar voice experiences to Jani, who has been helped to come to terms with her or his experiences and to discuss with the child, parents and therapists how this was acheived? If there is anyway we could help make this happen, please contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you on the issues raised in our letter.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Baker
INTERVOICE coordinator
(Letter reedited with the kind assistance of Professor Richard Bentall)

Selected bibliography
1. Escher, S., et al., Independent course of childhood auditory hallucinations: A sequential 3-year follow-up study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 2002. 181 Suppl 43: p. 10-18.
2. Escher, S., et al., Formation of delusional ideation in adolescents hearing voices: A prospective study. American Journal of Medical Genetics (Neuropsychiatric Genetics), in press.
3. Tien, A.Y., Distribution of hallucinations in the population. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 1991. 26: p. 287-292.
4. van Os, J., et al., Strauss (1969) revisited: A psychosis continuum in the normal population? Schizophrenia Research, 2000. 45: p. 11-20.
5. van Os, J., et al., Prevalence of psychotic disorder and community level of psychotic symptoms: An urban-rural comparison. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2001. 58: p. 663-668.
6. Poulton, R., et al., Children's self-reported psychotic symptoms and adult schizophreniform disorder: A 15-year longitudinal study. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2000. 57: p. 1053-1058.
7. Berk, L.E., Why children talk to themselves. Scientific American, 1994: p. 61-65.
8. Vygotsky, L.S.V., Thought and language. 1962, Cambidge, Mass: MIT Press.
9. Alleman, A. and F. Laroi, Hallucinations: The science of idiosyncratic perceptions. 2008, Washington: American Psychological Association.
10. Bentall, R.P., Madness explained: Psychosis and human nature. 2003, London: Penguin.
11. Read, J., et al., Sexual and physical abuse during childhood and adulthood as predictors of hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 2003. 76: p. 1-22.
12. Hammersley, P., et al., Childhood trauma and hallucinations in bipolar affective disorder: A preliminary investigation. British Journal of Psychiatry, 2003. 182: p. 543-547.
13. Shevlin, M., M. Dorahy, and G. Adamson, Childhood traumas and hallucinations: An analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2007. 41: p. 222-228.



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Signed by 155 people from 20 countries, listed in order of the time they were received.

Dr. Sandra Escher, - Board member of INTERVOICE, The Netherlands
Professor Marius Romme, psychiatrist, MD, PhD, President of INTERVOICE, The Netherlands
Dirk Corstens, Social psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Chair of INTERVOICE, The Netherlands
Paul Baker, coordinator of INTERVOICE, Spain
Jacqui Dillon, consultant trainer and voice hearer, chair of Hearing Voices Network England, board member of INTERVOICE, UK
Ron Coleman, consultant trainer and voice hearer, board member of INTERVOICE, UK
Hywel Davies, chair of Hearing Voices Network Cymru (Wales), honorary board member of INTERVOICE; UK
Amanda R. E. Aller Lowe, MS, LPC, LCPC, QMRP - Agency Partner, Communities In Schools & Area Representative, The Center for Cultural Interchange, Aurora, Illinois, INTERVOICE supporter, USA
Adrienne Giacon, Secretary and Hearing Voices Network Support group facilitator Hearing Voices Network Aotearoa, INTERVOICE member, New Zealand
Dr John Read, Associate Professor, Psychology Department, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Ann-Louise S. Silver, MD, founder and past president, International Society for the Psychological Treatments of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses (www.isps-us.org), ISPS-US, USA
Matthew Morrissey, MA, MFT, Board Member, MindFreedom International, Northern California Coordiator, ISPS-US, San Franciso, USA
Irene van de Giessen, former voice hearer and foster-daughter of Willem van Staalen and Willem van Staalen, voice integrating foster-father of Irene, The Netherlands
Olga Runciman, consultant trainer and voice hearer (BSc psychiatric nurse and graduate student in psychology), INTERVOICE member, Denmark
Professor Wilma Boevink, Chair of Stichting Weerklank (Netherlands Hearing Voices Network), Professor of Recovery, Hanze University; Trimbos-Institute (the Dutch Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), Netherlands
Marian B. Goldstein, voicehearer, (fully recovered thanks to trauma-focussed therapy, the opportunity to make sense of the voices) INTERVOICE supporter, Denmark
Professor Dr J. van Os, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, INTERVOICE supporter, Netherlands
Virginia Pulker, Mental health Occupational Therapist with young people with psychosis, recovery promoter, HVN Australia, Northern Ireland and England. INTERVOICE supporter, UK/Australia
Professor Richard Bentall, PhD, Chair Clinical Psychology, University of Bangor, INTERVOICE supporter, Wales, UK
Alessandra Santoni, professional working in a Mental Health Service of Milan, voice hearer and facilitator of a hearing voices group, INTERVOICE supporter,Italy
Geraldo Peixoto and Dulce Edie Pedro dos Santos, São Vicente - Est. São Paulo - INTERVOICE supporter, Brasil
Joanna & Andrzej Skulski, INTERVOICE supporters, Polska
Darby Penney, INTERVOICE supporter and President, The Community Consortium, Inc., Albany, NY, USA
Jacqueline Hayes, researcher at Manchester University about hearing voices in 'non-patients' and therapist, UK
Phil Virden, MA, MA, Executive Editor, Asylum Magazine, UK
Matthew Morris, Mental Health Locality Manager, East Suffolk Outreach Team, Suffolk Mental Health Partnerships NHS Trust, INTERVOICE supporter, UK
Ros Thomas, Young Peoples Worker, Gateway Community Heath, Wodonga Victoria, INTERVOICE supporter, Australia
Dr. Rufus May Dclin/ Consultant Clinical Psychologist, INTERVOICE supporter, UK
Dr. Simon Jones, INTERVOICE supporter, UK
Dr. Louis Tinnin, Psychiatrist, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
Linda Gantt, PhD, Intensive Trauma Therapy, Inc., USA
Burton Norman Seitler, Ph.D., New Jersey Institute for training in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescence Psychotherapy Studies
Ron Bassman, PhD., Founding member of International Network Towards Alternatives for Recovery (INTAR), Past president of The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy, USA
Michael O'Loughlin, Adelphi University, NY, USA
Dorothy Scotten, Ph.D., LCSW, USA
Marilyn Charles, Ph.D., The Austen Riggs Center, USA
Bex Shaw, Psychotherapist, London, UK
Ira Steinman, MD, author of “TREATING the 'UNTREATABLE' : Healing in the Realms of Madness”, USA
Mike Lawson, Ex Vice Chair National MIND UK 1988-1992, INTERVOICE supporter, UK
Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D., B.C.S.A., International Center for Humane Psychiatry, USA
Ron Unger LCSW, Therapist, USA
Daniel B Fisher (Boston, MA): Person who recovered from what is called schizophrenia, Executive Director National Empowerment Center; National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/survivor Org., member of Interrelate an international coalition of national consumer/user groups, community psychiatrist, Cambridge, Mass., USA
Mary Madrigal, USA
Paul Hammersley, University of Manchester, INTERVOICE supporter, UK
Phil Benjamin, mental health nurse and voices consultant, Australia
Eleanor Longden, Bradford Early Intervention in Psychosis Sevice, England, UK
Karen Taylor RMN, director Working to Recovery, Scotland, UK
Bill George, MA, PGCE, Member of the Anoiksis Think Tank, Netherlands
Dr Andrew Moskowitz, Senior Lecturer in Mental Health, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
John Exell, BA(Hons), Dip Arch, voice-hearer, sculptor, artist, writer, poet, UK.
Tineke Nabben, a voice hearer who has learned to cope with her voices and student, learning to help other children and parents to cope with their voices. Germany
Marcello Macario, psychiatrist, Community Mental Health Centre of Carcare, Italy, INTERVOICE supporter, Italy
Ian Parker, Professor of Psychology, co-director of the Discourse Unit, Manchester Metropolitan University, England, UK
David Harper, PhD, Reader in Clinical Psychology, School of Psychology, University of East London, England, UK
Wakio Sato, representative of the Hearing Voices Network - Japan. President of the Japanese Association of Clinical Psychology. The representative of an NPO named "Linden" for community mental health in Konko town, Okayama prefecture, Japan
Suzette van IJssel, Ph.D., spiritual counsel and voice hearer, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Jeannette Woolthuis, psycho-social therapist working with children hearing voices, The Netherlands
Dr. Louise Trygstad, Professor Emerita, University of San Francisco School of Nursing, USA
Erik Olsen, Board member ENUSP European Network of Users (x)-users and Survivors of Psychiatry and Executive Committee in European Dsability Forum (EDF)
Astrid Zoetbrood, recovered from psychosis and voices, the Netherlands
Christine Brown, RMN, Hearing Voices Network Scotland, INTERVOICE supporter, UK
Rachel Waddingham,Manager of the London Hearing Voices Project (inc. Voice Collective: Young People's Hearing Voices Project), trainer and voice-hearer, UK
Joel Waddingham, Husband and supporter of someone who hears voices, sees visions and has other unusual experiences, UK
Professor Robin Buccheri, RN, MHNP, DNSc, University of San Francisco, CA, USA
Jørn Eriksen, Board member of INTERVOICE, the Danish Hearing Voices Network and The International Mental Health Collaboration Network, Denmark
Douglas Holmes, voice hearer working in a Mental Health Service in Darlinghurst, Sydney, and facilitator of a hearing voices group, INTERVOICE supporter, Australia
Matthew Winter, Student Mental Health Nurse and INTERVOICE supporter
Anneli Westling, Relative of a voice hearer from Stockholm, Sweden
Lia Govers, recovered voice hearer, Italy
Molly Martyn, MA in Clinical Mental Health, Hearing Voices Network of Denver, USA
Tsuyoshi Matsuo, MD, INTERVOICE supporter, Japan
Janet M. Patterson RN, BSN, USA
Odette Nightsky, Sensitive Services International, Australia
Barbara Belton, M.S., M.S. trauma survivor who has recovered and former behavioral health professional, USA
Luigi Colaianni, PhD sociologist, researcher, Community Mental Health Centre, Milano, Italy
Teresa Keedwell, Voice Hearer Support Group, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Maria Haarmans, MA, Canadian Representative INTERVOICE, Canada
Ami Rohnitz, Voice hearer, Sweden
Sharon Jones, University of York, INTERVOICE Supporter, England, UK
Gail A. Hornstein, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Mount Holyoke College, USA
Siri Blesvik, INTERVOICE supporter, Norway
Lynn Seaton, mental health nurse, Scottish Hearing Voices Network and INTERVOICE supporter, UK
Rozi Pattison, Clinical Psychologist, CAMHS, Kapiti Health Centre, PARAPARAUMU, New Zealand
Suzanne Engelen, Experience Focussed Counselling Institute (efc) and member of INTERVOICE. She is an expert by experience and also works for Weerklank (Dutch Hearing Voices Network) and the TREE project, The Netherlands
Susie Crooks, Voice hearer, Mad & Proud, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Lloyd Ross, Ph.D., FACAPP., P.A., New Jersey, USA
Catherine Penney, RN, USA
Nancy Burke, PhD, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis, USA
Nels Kurt Langsten, M.D., USA
Michael S. Garfinkle, PhD, New York, USA
Andy Phee RMN, community mental health nurse,Kings Cross,London,facilitated a hearing voices group for 10 years, member of the London HearingVoices Project advisory group. England, UK
Helen Sheppard, AMHP, West Yorkshire, Engalnd, UK.
Dr Gillian Proctor, Clincial Psychologist. Bradford, UK
Jane Forrest, sister of voice hearer, Sweden
Tami Williams, Ph.D., Licensed School Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatric Survivor, USA
Lone Jeppesen, Works as a social teacher in an institution with a lot of voice hearers and the diagnosis of schizophrenia, INTERVOICE supporter, Denmark
Judith Haire, author and voice hearer, Ramsgate, Kent, England, UK
Peter Lehmann, Peter Lehmann Publishing, Berlin, Germany / Eugene, OR / Shrewsbury, UK
Sigari Luckwell, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Bunbury Clinic, INTERVOICE supporter, Western Australia
Will Hall, voice hearer with schizophrenia diagnosis, founder of Portland hearing voices, host of madnessradio.net, USA
Richard Gray, specialist mental health support worker, random hearer/ seer of voices, visions and past lives. HVN NZ treasurer. New Zealand
Jacqueline Roy, Department of English, Manchester Metropolitan University, England, UK
Dr Mike Jackson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Betsi Cadwaldr University Health Board, North Wales
Frank Blankenship, Chair of Affiliate Support Committee, MindFreedom International, MindFreedom Florida Gainesville, Florida USA
Dorothy Dundas, psychatric survivor, MA, USA
Sigrun Tømmerås, mental health acitvist/ childhood abuse survivor, Norway
Karyn Baker BSW, MSW, RSW, Executive Director, Family Outreach and Response Program, Toronto, Canada
Monika Hoffmann psychologist and co-founders of the "NeSt", the German Hearing Voices Network, Germany
Paul Beelen connected to the INTERVOICE network and voice hearer, The Netherlands
Rossa Forbes Holistic Schizophrenia, North America
Teresa Keedwell Voice Hearer Support Group, Palmerston North New Zealand
Yutaka Fujimoto Psychologist, Tokyo Metropolitan Govemment Mental Health and Welfare Cente, vice president of the Japanese Association of Clinical Psychology, member of the Hearing Voices Network Japan. Tokyo, Japan
Cheontell Barnes High support mental health worker and voices group co-facilitator Brighton UK
Yutaka Fujimoto Psychologist, Tokyo Metropolitan Govemment Mental Health and Welfare Cente, vice president of the Japanese Association of Clinical Psychology, member of the Hearing Voices Network Japan. Tokyo, Japan
Pino Pini, Psychiatrist, Mental Health Europe, INTERVOICE supporter, Italy
Ivona Amleh Psychiatrist, Bethlehem Psychiatric Hospital, Palestine
John Robinson, Integrative Therapist (and voice hearer) for the Hearing Voices Project, SE London
Yann Derobert Psychotherapist, France
Indigo Daya , Voices Vic Project Manager, Melbourne, Australia
Stephen McGowan , Early Intervention in Psychosis Lead. Yorkshire and the Humber Improvement Programme, UK
Adam James Editor and award winning journalist, psychminded.co.uk, UK
Tori Reeve, counsellor, member of HVN, Intervoice supporter, UK.
A. C. Sterk MA Ppsychologist and psychotherapist, director of the Ann Lee Centre community mental health project, and person with previous experience of psychosis. Manchester, UK.
Geoff Brennan Nurse Consultant Psychosocial Interventions for Acute Inpatient Care, Berkshire healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Co-editor Serious Mental Illness a manual for clinical practice”, UK
Lyn Mahboub voice hearer, trainer, consultant, mother, daughter, student, teacher and, also, one who has navigated the psychiatric service system, Australia
Kristin Hedden, Ph.D. VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Tacoma, Washington, USA 126
Agna Bartels MSc , psychologist and researcher in the University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
Rita Brooks, BS in Human Services Recovery Consultant, writer and producer of DVD called: The Reality of Recovery, Covington, Kentucky, USA
Angel Moore David Romprey Oregon Warmline, Oregon, USA

Chuck Hughes Corresponding Secretary Los Angeles County Clients Coalition, USA
Amy Sanderson, Bradford Early Intervention in Psychosis Team, UK
Pam Pinder parent of voice hearer, Plymouth, Devon, UK
Gerard van de Willige MSC psychologist and researcher, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
Mette Askov voice hearer with the diagnosis of schizoprenia and on the road to recovery, INTERVOICE supporter, Denmark
Claire Attwood , Voice hearer and mental health support worker, Isle of Wight. UK,
Alberto Diaz MSc Argentinian psychologist, PhD student in collective health at Universidade Estadual de Campinas, researching mental health, special interest schizophrenia, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
Barney Holmes, running a Level 1 Affiliate - MindFreedom, Lancaster, UK
Cindy Highsmith Myron psychiatric survivor, completely recovered from voice hearing and severe mental illness, mental health professional and life coach for persons with mental illness in a self-directed care program, INTERVOICE supporter, Florida, USA
Mad Hatters of Bath We are a group of people who have experienced mental extremes, including hearing voices and seeing visions. Bath, England, UK
Karin Daniels mother of a voice hearing daughter who suffered a lot, but who has now recovered. Maastricht, The Netherlands
Jim Probert, PhD Psychologist, Student Health Care Center, University of Florida, USA
Dr David Lee Clinical Psychologist, Dept of Psychological Therapies, Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton, Supporter of INTERVOICE, UK
Professor Sue Cowan, Registered Mental Health Nurse and Chartered Health Psychologist, University of Abertay Dundee, Scotland, UK
Paul Harris psychotherapist and support worker based in the UK
Marina Beteva voices hearer for 8-9 years, on medication treatment, Moscow, Russia
Monica Cassani North Carolina, USA
Rikke Bitsch Denmark
Afaf Swaity Nursing Director of Bethlehem Psychiatric Hospital, Palestine
Mary Maddocks MindFreedom Ireland, Ireland
Tania Linden North Lincolnshire Early Intervention Service, UK
Rosemaree Ashford honours psychology student, recovery worker, Richmond Fellowship of WA, Australia
Gemma Hendry Trainee Clinical Psychologist with a specialist interest in Community Psychology and Voice hearing, UK
Erica van den Akker Social worker in Forensic Psychiatry, The Netherlands
Caroline von Taysen psychologist, Netzwerk Stimmenhören, Germany and Normal Difference, Mental Health Kariobangi in Kenya, Germany
Poppy Rollinson Mental Health Nurse, Brighton, UK
Vanessa Jackson Vanessa Jackson Healing Circles, Inc. , USA
Dr. Julie Arthur Kirby Supporter of INTERVOICE and Senior Lecturer, UK
Peter Bullimore Expert by experience, Asylum Associates, UK
Paul Cheminais voice hearer, Bournemouth, UK 159

COMMENT REGARDING GUIDELINES IN STATE OF FLORIDA- "CHEMICAL RESTRAINT' AND INFORMED CONSENT

In the proposed guidelines on chemical restraint, it suggests that "Chemical Restraint" means the use of a psychotropic drug as a restraint to control behavior or restrict freedom of movement that is not a standard treatment for the person’s medical or psychiatric condition. I believe it is necessary to define more clearly what is meant by this term 'standard treatment'. This would allow for the possibility of forced drugging as well as a possible loophole for inappropriate chemical restraints and the argument to be justified that somehow this implied 'standard treatment'. Chemical restraint should not be considered in the realm of any standard treatment.
In addition, it is necessary to more clearly relate the terms of what informed consent implies, and to insure that parental rights are respected, that all information pertaining to possible adverse events are reported, allowing parental freedom of choice, and respecting the best interests of the child.


Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.humanepsychiatry.com

DEPRESSION, 'PSYCHOSIS' AND OTHER MATTERS

I met with a client in the deepest, darkest despair and feeling suicidal. He felt as if all was plummeting at once as a relationship had ended and he had lost employment at the same time. He felt detached from family members and others. He felt that there had been many situations of depression in his life. The mental health system today would spend little time looking at his experience, would take the account and assign him a diagnostic label and more than likely recommend a drug for him to take indefinitely. Instead, I looked at the ways that he felt oppressed, of what had once made him happy, how he could begin to feel empowered, and ways to develop a support network. It was not important to rehash all the traumas he had endured but rather to meet him in his present place, and offer him authenticity and a safe place to express himself and to feel that he has someone willing to listen, understand, and journey with him. It was only after a few session that his despair began to dissipate. This is the power of two humans coming together to share their common humanity. No drug can replace this. There was no 'chemical imbalance' at work here rather an imbalance in our society that created this individual's distress.

I recall a number of years ago working with a young man whose father was drug addicted and abusive. The family dynamics were often chaotic and shrouded in what Laing would term mystification. Communication was poor and this young man had endured serious traumas that led to the development of what many would label 'psychosis'. It was decided to see what would occur if he was removed from this environment for a time. The results were astounding in that the behaviors that had been so disturbing to others almost ceased to be, the experience of hearing voices which had been present at times before were not seen, and there seemed to be some solace he found. As sadly predicted, once he returned to the home environment, the challenges he had all returned. This demonstrated clearly the impact of the environment, traumas, and familial communications upon individual well being. I have seen this circumstance unfortunately play out in many of my client's lives where when provided a period of 'sanctuary' where they found a relationship with another, felt validated, and were away from the things that led to their 'madness' they began to recover and wherein they were returned to their previous environment, everything unraveled once again. I believe this is an important aspect we must look at in the mental health system, for it appears we are failing because we do not provide sanctuary for people, rather we take them and 'do' things to them, thinking it is in their best interest, we 'treat' them, but often we are only forcing their compliance with oppression and we are returning them to the private hells that caused their distress to begin with. The mental health system faults the person's brain, and ignores all the other dynamics. Unless we can get to the true root of the distress, unless we can work with the entire family system, our efforts are often in vain.



-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.humanepsychiatry.com

DRUG FREE COUNSELING/BEHAVIORAL CONSULTATION- NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA (SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE-PA)

Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
202 W. Tioga St.
Tunkhannock, PA 18657

DoctorEdmunds@DrDanEdmunds.com


www.humanepsychiatry.com

INTERBRANCH COMMISSION ON JUVENILE JUSTICE AND FUIRTHER THOUGHTS ON KIDS FOR CASH SCANDAL IN WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY,PA

I have begun to notice through what has been spoken on the Kids for Cash scandal, that it is also the school administrators who must answer for their actions. The school administrators willingly went along with the corruption and the violation of children and families' constitutional rights solely because it made things easier for them. They did not want to provide to the true needs of troubled children, instead it was much easier to go along with the corrupt schemes of Ciavarella. But aside from this tragic instance, this has been the pattern all along. This is what has led to parents being bullied to place their children on dangerous psychotropic drugs, because the school administration does not want to change or take the time to address children's true needs, both emotionally and educationally. It is much easier to ship them out of the school where the problem does not have to be dealt with at all by them, or if this is not possible, to drug them into submission to a flawed system of things.

Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.humanepsychiatry.com

Today I was reading a review of a book on education that appeared in the ISR magazine. This described how that there education often seeks to keep people within their particular social class and how that schools are divided between the working class schools which do not provide critical thinking but encourage rote tasks; the middle class schools which focus in 'right' and 'wrong' answers, the affluent schools which allow more of a level of independent action, and the elite schools focused on leadership and molding the thought of the student. As I began to examine this closely, I realized how true this is and can see it demonstrated within my own community. The public schools where the majority of the working class students attend is focused on rote tasks and when a child dare rebel against this system of things, there are various ways to seek to force them into compliance, often through labels and drugs. I believe it is necessary for young people begin to understand their own state of affairs and to mobilize, to collectively challenge the system of things in a non-violent manner and to demand change in the education system. The working class students are often told they are lazy or missing opportunities, the fact is that the education system does not seek to provide them with many opportunities. They are demoralised and they are encouraged to 'stay within their place." It is no wonder there is a rise in crime, drugs, violence, etc., this is what we have created when we have demoralised our youth, when we have not truly met their needs, and they become desparate and despairing. Eugene Debs said, "While there is a lower class I am in it; while there is a criminal element I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free”. I completely agree.


-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.humanepsychiatry.com

THE KIDS FOR CASH SCANDAL IN LUZERNE COUNTY/ CIAVARELLA-CONAHAN

I recall in 2006, that I began hearing some odd reports from families about unusual practices in the Luzerne County Court regarding Juveniles. This involved children being sent to a detention center in Pittston Township as well as to Camp Adams, a facility operated by Youth Services Agency. I was unable to verify much of this information, but knew that something did not appear right, so it came as no surprise when the judges were implicated in scandal. In 2006, an position was open for a specual education director at the Juvenile Detention Center operated by PA Child Care. I decided to apply for this position not because I had any intention of working in the facility but thought it would give me an opportunity to get within the facility and see it for what it is. As I had applied for the position, I was taken on a tour of the facility by one of the directors who went by the name of DePippa. What I saw was appaling and sad, the only fresh air these children received was in a small square basketball court within the center of the complex. I saw a large staff holding a child down and screaming at her, this was at the end of a hallway so I could not really tell what was happening and then was immediately shuffled to another room. Now we sadly find that 6500 juvenile cases have been vacated, these children were sent to a horrible place, probably forever to be scarred by this experience. What have we learned from this experience? Will it change the way we meet the needs of our troubled youth? Will it change our perspectives? I can only hope, but each day I continue to see the unfortunate ways we deal with our youth and a society filled with corruption and greed.

-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.humanepsychiatry.com
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

MY WORK WITH EXTREME STATES OF MIND (SCHIZOPHRENIA, SCHIZOAFFECTIVE, BIPOLAR)

Recently, a young woman in college came to me for a consultation. She discussed experiencing the hearing of voices, and she felt that these voices were demonic and that she was possessed. She discussed that she had feelings of being judged and was often paranoid and fearful. The first reaction to those around her was to label her as 'strange and odd' and to want to suppress her experience, to make it all go away. She said she already felt alienated and now felt a stigma as those around her treated her as something other than human. It has been my argument that the language of those who are seriously distressed is metaphorical. In addition, though their statements and actions may be appear odd to others, these persons are speaking the truth. It is only necessary to decode what is being said. She was not literally possessed, but indeed her life had not been in her control, she felt many pressures to conform to a mold and never had an identity of her own, she also became 'possessed' for a time by the use of substances. When she said she was being judged, indeed she was, however she began to exaggerate certain experiences and apply them to all aspects of her life. She had been alienated, and sadly, her interactions with others only furthered her alienation. We discussed her existential crisis, how she finds meaning and purpose, and developing a support network. She is gradually embarking on a new future, and seeking to turn the tragic into something triumphant, to discover herself and what she can become in spite of the many traumas she experienced and shared. I am honored to journey with her.
In my text, JOURNEY THROUGH MADNESS, I commented, "
What is termed ‘madness’ or ‘mental illness’ is for some the only means for expression of their being lost and confused in a world which has caused them deep hurt and pain. Such is not disease but behavior with metaphorical meaning. There has been received through life mixed messages and placement into situations where regardless of the option they choose they felt damned. They seek to break out from the reality which has only caused them distress. The development of hallucinations and delusions are all metaphors for the very real demons they have encountered in disordered society.

The inner mind, the voice within us, becomes amplified, and becomes ‘possessed’ with the demons coming forward from the trauma and distress which has been encountered. Rebellion against the system of things becomes self-destructive as the person seeks to send a message to the world of their distress, but it remains unheard. Each coping mechanism that has been employed has often led to failure and not brought them out of the unlivable situation that is their life. However, the catharsis of this pain and grief can go in two directions- it can be misery and existential death, or it can be transformative.

Through the pain and struggle, through the breaking out of the ‘typical reality’ one can journey through various modes of altered consciousness. Many deemed ‘mad’ speak of the supernatural. They have sought every attempt to reach out and create meaning. If they can be helped by a loving, supportive network to navigate through this state of confusion and the various realms of altered consciousness towards rebuilding and reconstructing a life of meaning, then they can come forward to a recovery that gives them valuable insight about human nature and who they really are and the reality of the impermanence of this life and the world around us. They will find that suffering is an inevitable, and it that suffering is the state of the world which is mired in greed and attachment. The one deemed ‘mad’ for once has accomplished a rare task- they have completely detached. But this detachment is only from the typical standards of the world. They remain haunted by the visions of their previous life.

They cannot escape it, and thus they become anxious and paranoid that something or someone will pull them back to that painful existence. At times, rage comes forward as the reaction to challenges, but who would not be outraged if their voice was suppressed and they became the scapegoat for the problems of their families or those around them? Those deemed ‘mad’, feeling always alone, depart to a world where they remain alone from people, yet may create for themselves beings who give them comfort and solace. This is really the end of their search, to simply be accepted and loved. But here too lies a problem, for when their lives have been devoid of love and they receive unconditional love, it becomes like an overwhelming fire that consumes them. They have never been loved, so how can they respond to an outpouring of love?

When all they knew was that oppression and coercion was said to be because ‘we love you’, when ‘love’ really was only about control, how can the person then understand genuine love? Once again, the confusion sets in. To reach the person who has been deemed ‘mad’, we cannot overwhelm. Our sincerity will not be enough, for there trust has been shattered time and time again. It is only through entering their world for what it is, by joining in, and learning to speak the language, can we ourselves begin to understand the experience of these individuals. It is only by this joining in that the person may have the chance for their journey known as ‘madness’ to reach a transformative ending towards recovery.---

Alan was seen by most as an obstinate young man who had completed departed from any sense of reality. His hallucinations had earned him the diagnosis of a psychotic disorder not to mention he frequently displayed aggressive behavior. Reading the charts from before, it painted a monstrosity, but gave little detail to what Alan's experience might have been. When I first encountered Alan, I did not demand that he speak to me or that he not speak to me. I made no demands. I solely informed him that I was a supportive person who wanted to know him for who he is. This opened the door to intense dialogues. Together we explored questions about life that we both may have never thought much on before. The topics would drift to purpose, impermanence, suffering, the human condition. He related to me the pain of years of abuse, how he felt dehumanized and humiliated by the various people he thought would help him. He told me of his feelings of being alone, of being nothing. This feeling of nothing for him was an end at the time, but really it was the beginning. It was the door for him to question life, to question what he had been taught, to become. He related to me about his hallucinations, and his imaginary friends became mine as well. I asked about their habits, and their words. I noticed that these beings he saw were him at various points in time. As I met each of these beings, I learned something a bit more about the experience of Alan. Gradually as his emotional needs were met and he began to see himself once again as a singular person in the present moment of time and space, these beings began to depart. I saw in Alan the resilient human spirit and I will not forget him.



I was contacted on one occasion to conduct an assessment and consult with a family in regards to their son who was in his early twenties who had been involuntarily committed by his father to a state mental hospital. As I entered the facility, wondered how any in this place could not feel worthless, depressed, and mad. I entered to meet John. He appeared somewhat lethargic because of the cocktail of psychiatric drugs he was being given, but he greeted me warmly and with a smile. John began to immediately speak and told me how he was an African American infant who when he was around two years old was turned white. (John was quite pale in complexion). He then proceeded to tell me about the mind control he felt he was experiencing, that his freedom was taken away, he could no longer think for himself. I asked him who he felt was controlling his mind. His answer did not surprise me- it was his father. I later asked the mother if John's father was a racist and if John had been abused. The answer was yes to both; the father had been linked to racist organizations. The abuse began around the age of 2. It was clear that John had a powerful message, though surrounded in metaphor. To the person only wanting to categorize behavior and ignore experience, would they have known what John was seeking to communicate?

Aaron was a delightful 10 year old boy with a great sense of humor and alot of creativity and imagination. However, Aaron looked at himself as a 'bad kid'. His step-mother was filled with negativity towards him and his parents were embroiled in constant conflict. Aaron had been sexually abused when he was 3 years old. The memories of his trauma continued to haunt him. Aaron developed a challenge of encopresis that was occurring on a daily basis and it only furthered the negative relationship with his step-mother. After getting to know Aaron, I began to realize that he felt stifled and was often told to be quiet and was never allowed to really express himself. He told me that he felt he could not be himself and he was afraid to share any of his feelings, he did not feel safe and secure. I saw his encopresis as a reflection of the negative emotions he so deeply wished to share and it was no surprise for me to learn that this seemed to only occur in his home environment. I felt it was necessary for him to build a trusting relationship with someone, and sought to build him up and encourage his resiliency. Though our periods meeting together were short, I hoped that it would be a period of respite, a period where he could truly be himself and express himself without any fear of judgment. I believe Aaron will face many more challenges, but I remain hopeful that pointing him to an understanding of the roots of his distress and challenges, and giving him a spirit of overcoming, and with his own innate strengths, that he will be able to survive the violence so sadly inflicted upon him.

THERAPEUTIC SERVICES- NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA

*AUTISM/ DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES SERVICES FOR NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA (SCRANTON/WILKES BARRE)- NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA REGIONAL AUTISM ACCEPTANCE PROJECT
Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

http://autismacceptance.blogspot.com
http://www.DrDanEdmunds.com
http://www.humanepsychiatry.info
http://www.humanepsychiatry.com
http://www.Scrantoncounseling.com

-Existential Therapy
-Assistance with Extreme States of Mind (Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, Bipolar)
-Drug Free Approaches to ADHD and Disruptive Behavior
-Family Mediation
-Forensic and Psycho-Social Assessments
-Relationship Based Approaches to Autism/Developmental Differences
-Assistance for Troubled and Distressed Children and Teens

QUOTATIONS BY DR. DAN L. EDMUNDS

"If we truly worked towards social justice, if we addressed the issues of racism, class inequality, poverty, and oppression in all its forms, then most assuredly, true mental health would arise."

"I have never purported that there is a means that can resolve the distress of every person, but I do know that every person deserves to be treated with respect, compassion, and dignity. I also know that where this is lacking, we are not helping, but oppressing."

"I am aware that it is often difficult to change the difficult dynamics that impact many individuals, but I know that if I can create with them a place, even if but for a moment, where they feel safe, tranquil, and at peace with themselves, that in spite of the chaos and conflict circling them, much has been accomplished."

"Our goal as mental health professionals should be selfless and once again to define our work as restoring relationships and resolving conflicts. We must return dignity and respect for individual's experience and depart from biological determinism which defines all thoughts and feelings as chemical accidents. Children in distress need a voice. I seek to do my best to insure this voice. Psychiatric drugs never teach new skills. People do. It is time we invest once again, our time, our energy, and our hearts into the lives of our children. We must stop medicalizing experience and treating people in mechanical ways. For people to overcome distress, we must be genuine and journey with them."

"Because something can be scientifically validated does not mean it is ethical or good. One could validate many coercive practices. We must enter the realm where we realize that mental health is highly dependent upon our response to issues of social justice. Science must be linked with a strong sense of ethics and respect for the dignity and liberty of persons. Ethics must always proceed technology."

"We have the choice to look at the problems within the world and to bemoan our plight and to become complacent. We have the choice to become filled with rage and remain in our personal hells, to close ourselves off and allow our difficult experiences to become breakdown for us. Or we can decide to have a breakthrough. We can be courageous, we can actively transform ourselves, our worldview, and by this we can tranform that which is around us and our difficult experiences can be to our benefit and to the benefit of others."

"Psychiatrists have often completely misunderstood what the term recovery really means. It does not mean being a lifelong consumer of toxic psychiatric drugs. The psychiatric establishment's idea of recovery is based on suppression which lesds to oppression."

"Young people need a voice. Relationship is a powerful force for healing. Many of our young people are outraged by the injustices perpetrated upon them. Their despair becomes rage, and sadly, they move from victims to victimizing others. We must approach our young people with acceptance, and begin to realize what we can each change within ourselves, within our society, so that we can truly value and respect our young people again."

"What is termed ‘madness’ or ‘mental illness’ is for some the only means for expression of their being lost and confused in a world which has caused them deep hurt and pain. Such is not disease but behavior with metaphorical meaning. There has been received through life mixed messages and placement into situations where regardless of the option they choose they felt damned. They seek to break out from the reality which has only caused them distress."

"Life is our creation. We create it by our choices. In this ability to have choose, this is where we are gifted with freedom. But this freedom can be liberating or it can bring us to hell. Life is like a play or performance. At times, people's frame freezes and they become trapped in that singular moment. All that they define about life, about who they are returns to that singular point. We imprison ourselves by our thoughts, by our own choice."

"We live in a society where there must always be winners and losers, it impacts every aspect of how we conduct ourselves, in courts, in politics, in business. If only we can regain a sense of our common humanity, and be able to develop concern for others, even the most troubled."

"To find what is 'acceptable' is to find our humanity, to find our inner being, to find those links of experience which remain in spite of the social forces that cause us to sway this way and that, and for some tear at their core being and identity. When we are free, we can experience the other, when we are free, we can be ourselves. If we are free, we can reshape these social forces, and they will not be storms, but unifying forces helping us to recapture our sense of what it means to be human and to truly love again. How do we be free? Must be become 'mad' to be free? But are the 'mad' really free or have they been driven to this barren place? We can only be free once we have come to a state of unlearning, of unknowing, a rebirth where we are not bound by blame and shame and the darkness of past traumas or of ideas we have learned and carried forward because it is all we knew."

PRISONS, NOT PLACES OF TREATMENT, REST, AND SECURITY

When a person is placed in a mental 'hospital' or a young person is placed in a residential 'treatment' facility it is said to be that they are there to receive treatment. However, in these facilities a person earns privileges based on how they choose to behave, and particularly if they behave in conformity to the standards established by the staff of the institution. Now imagine if we are in a hospital and have a physical illness and the physician tells us, "oh, you are getting better, you did not cough as much today, so you may have this or that privilege." We would find this very odd. So, we should call these institutions for what theyn are- prisons, not places of treatment, not places of rest and security.


In my prior article HEARING OUR SERIOUSLY DISTRESSED ADOLESCENTS, I commented:
"Based on the viewpoints of biopsychiatry, adolescents who are medicated and placed in mental hospitals are labeled as improved when they conform to hospital demands or receive discharge. However, what is not examined is, how do the patients themselves actually feel? An estimated 180,000 to 300,000 young people a year are placed in private psychiatric facilities. These children and adolescents often feel powerless in these placements. But as mentioned above, it is the need for feelings of empowerment and hope that will lead to a genuine recovery from distress. Psychologist D.L. Rosenhan lead a study where "pseudopatients" had themselves admitted to psychiatric hospitals to experience them first hand and report on this experience. Rosenhan reported in an article appearing in the January 19, 1973 issue of Science, "Powerlessness was evident everywhere" He is shorn of credibility by virtue of his psychiatric label.

His freedom of movement is restricted. He cannot initiate contact with staff, but may only respond to overtures as they make. Personal privacy is minimal?? With children and adolescents it is easier to rationalize away their rights and control becomes more arbitrary and complete (Breggin, 1991). Psychiatrist Peter Breggin states that in such an environment it is hard for a child to resist feeling spiritually crushed, abandoned, and worthless under such conditions. With a less formed sense of self than an adult has, a child is less able to resist the shame attached to being diagnosed and labeled a "mental patient". Children may also find it much harder to conform to institutional life."

-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

QUOTES AND REFLECTIONS FROM DR. DAN L. EDMUNDS

If we truly worked towards social justice, if we addressed the issues of racism, class inequality, poverty, and oppression in all its forms, then most assuredly, true mental health would arise."

"I have never purported that there is a means that can resolve the distress of every person, but I do know that every person deserves to be treated with respect, compassion, and dignity. I also know that where this is lacking, we are not helping, but oppressing."

"I am aware that it is often difficult to change the difficult dynamics that impact many individuals, but I know that if I can create with them a place, even if but for a moment, where they feel safe, tranquil, and at peace with themselves, that in spite of the chaos and conflict circling them, much has been accomplished."

"Our goal as mental health professionals should be selfless and once again to define our work as restoring relationships and resolving conflicts. We must return dignity and respect for individual's experience and depart from biological determinism which defines all thoughts and feelings as chemical accidents. Children in distress need a voice. I seek to do my best to insure this voice. Psychiatric drugs never teach new skills. People do. It is time we invest once again, our time, our energy, and our hearts into the lives of our children. We must stop medicalizing experience and treating people in mechanical ways. For people to overcome distress, we must be genuine and journey with them."

"Because something can be scientifically validated does not mean it is ethical or good. One could validate many coercive practices. We must enter the realm where we realize that mental health is highly dependent upon our response to issues of social justice. Science must be linked with a strong sense of ethics and respect for the dignity and liberty of persons. Ethics must always proceed technology."

"We have the choice to look at the problems within the world and to bemoan our plight and to become complacent. We have the choice to become filled with rage and remain in our personal hells, to close ourselves off and allow our difficult experiences to become breakdown for us. Or we can decide to have a breakthrough. We can be courageous, we can actively transform ourselves, our worldview, and by this we can tranform that which is around us and our difficult experiences can be to our benefit and to the benefit of others."

"Psychiatrists have often completely misunderstood what the term recovery really means. It does not mean being a lifelong consumer of toxic psychiatric drugs. The psychiatric establishment's idea of recovery is based on suppression which lesds to oppression."

"Young people need a voice. Relationship is a powerful force for healing. Many of our young people are outraged by the injustices perpetrated upon them. Their despair becomes rage, and sadly, they move from victims to victimizing others. We must approach our young people with acceptance, and begin to realize what we can each change within ourselves, within our society, so that we can truly value and respect our young people again."

"What is termed ‘madness’ or ‘mental illness’ is for some the only means for expression of their being lost and confused in a world which has caused them deep hurt and pain. Such is not disease but behavior with metaphorical meaning. There has been received through life mixed messages and placement into situations where regardless of the option they choose they felt damned. They seek to break out from the reality which has only caused them distress."

"Life is our creation. We create it by our choices. In this ability to have choose, this is where we are gifted with freedom. But this freedom can be liberating or it can bring us to hell. Life is like a play or performance. At times, people's frame freezes and they become trapped in that singular moment. All that they define about life, about who they are returns to that singular point. We imprison ourselves by our thoughts, by our own choice."

"We live in a society where there must always be winners and losers, it impacts every aspect of how we conduct ourselves, in courts, in politics, in business. If only we can regain a sense of our common humanity, and be able to develop concern for others, even the most troubled."

"To find what is 'acceptable' is to find our humanity, to find our inner being, to find those links of experience which remain in spite of the social forces that cause us to sway this way and that, and for some tear at their core being and identity. When we are free, we can experience the other, when we are free, we can be ourselves. If we are free, we can reshape these social forces, and they will not be storms, but unifying forces helping us to recapture our sense of what it means to be human and to truly love again. How do we be free? Must be become 'mad' to be free? But are the 'mad' really free or have they been driven to this barren place? We can only be free once we have come to a state of unlearning, of unknowing, a rebirth where we are not bound by blame and shame and the darkness of past traumas or of ideas we have learned and carried forward because it is all we knew."

POETIC REFLECTION BY DR. D.L. EDMUNDS,ED.D.- "IF I OPENED THE DOOR TO PARADISE..."

If I opened the door to Paradise, would you choose to remain in Hell? If I gave you my heart, would you notice? Can you respond to that you never knew or had? Surrounded by the demons, yet truly alone. You recognize not your friends. Engulfed in delusions, seeking pleasure in that which but leads to more suffering. How I sought to change the wretched mind. A deafening silence, but then an echo, a constant echo. Are you too far away to hear it? Your hurt is now the hurt of others. You inflict your pain on many. Covered in stinking filfth, they say you are foul. Yet I saw what was within. I saw what was possible. You glorify the one who hurt you. You have indeed become him. A sick cycle. The wheel must be broken. Who are you? What do you see? A mirage. A false image, not you, but that which the demons say you must be to join their legion. You think they laugh and revel with you, they laugh at you, they scorn you. And now in the darkness, they flee, leaving you truly alone. If I open the door to Paradise to you now, will you choose to remain in Hell

LISTEN

All I ask is to be heard.
Yet when I look at you, you turn away.
You do not have time for me. Your world created my pain, and when I seek to share a glimmer of my experience, you look at me with revulsion.
Staring at the watch, pretending to listen, but really distant. And some of you seek to mock me further. Is it not the wish of us all simply to be heard? And because there is no one to listen, no one to understand, I retreat into myself, and I find my own to listen.


-Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.,B.C.S.A.
International Center for Humane Psychiatry
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT BELONG IN AFGHANISTAN

In my book, ROOTS OF DISTRESS, I commented-
"We are controlled in this country by a ruling elite, whether we wish to recognize it or not. The elite have their paths paved for them. The middle class struggle to survive and are burdened and the elite seek to make them slaves to the system. For example, a middle class young person will be burdened with student loan debt possibly until the day they retire, the elite do not face this. The elite have created this system to keep people 'in their place'. For the poor, the elite have sought to entice them with financial incentives if they will go along with the sad debacle of having their children labeled as 'crazy' or to be shipped off to fight the wars that the elite have created and benefit from."

Afghanistan is a prime example of a war fought for no apparent reason other than for interests that are not that of the American citzenry. We have no place in this conflict. It is actually the US governments imperialistic desires and agitation of other societies (particularly Islamic society) that creates further risk of terrorism. When we see that people are oppressed and have no voice, it is then that they at times sadly resort to drastic and often tragic measures to make their point to those who they feel have oppressed them. As Chomsky has clearly statedm, our best role to end terrorism is to stop participating in it.

-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

EUROPEAN LECTURES

Dr. Edmunds is seeking to coordinate a possible lecture tour in Europe for 2010. If you would be interested in sponsoring a lecture and supporting this effort, please contact DoctorEdmunds@DrDanEdmunds.com
Dr. Edmunds intends to present on some of his psycho-social intervention with individuals undergoing extreme states of mind (schizophrenia, psychoses, bipolar, his work with autistic and developmentally different persons, and to present his recent text, THE ROOTS OF DISTRESS which discusses the social, familial, and political factors that leads to emotional breakdown.

STORIES FROM THE THERAPEUTIC WORK OF DR. DAN L. EDMUNDS,ED.D.

Aaron was a delightful 10 year old boy with a great sense of humor and alot of creativity and imagination. However, Aaron looked at himself as a 'bad kid'. His step-mother was filled with negativity towards him and his parents were embroiled in constant conflict. Aaron had been sexually abused when he was 3 years old. The memories of his trauma continued to haunt him. Aaron developed a challenge of encopresis that was occurring on a daily basis and it only furthered the negative relationship with his step-mother. After getting to know Aaron, I began to realize that he felt stifled and was often told to be quiet and was never allowed to really express himself. He told me that he felt he could not be himself and he was afraid to share any of his feelings, he did not feel safe and secure. I saw his encopresis as a reflection of the negative emotions he so deeply wished to share and it was no surprise for me to learn that this seemed to only occur in his home environment. I felt it was necessary for him to build a trusting relationship with someone, and sought to build him up and encourage his resiliency. Though our periods meeting together were short, I hoped that it would be a period of respite, a period where he could truly be himself and express himself without any fear of judgment. I believe Aaron will face many more challenges, but I remain hopeful that pointing him to an understanding of the roots of his distress and challenges, and giving him a spirit of overcoming, and with his own innate strengths, that he will be able to survive the violence so sadly inflicted upon him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Initially, James was brought to me as he was having violent outbursts with peers. James had Downs Syndrome but was high functioning in many areas. I came to learn that James had been prescribed Paxil. I was convinced that because he had no prior history of violence that Paxil was contributing to the violence he experienced and I arranged for him to be seen by his physician to discuss this. The drug was discontinued and amazingly the violence discontinued. James was very religious and had a dream of being a minister. I thought of a creative way to help James feel that he could accomplish his dream. I organized for his ordination to a minor order in his church and James decided to put a small 'chapel' in his room where he could reflect. I taught James some meditation and relaxation exercises that he consistently used whenever he began feeling frustrated. I began spending some time with James in various community activities and helping to foster further skills. He is an amazing individual with much kindness and compassion and it appears that with the ability to feel that he was 'part of something' and making a contribution that most of what was looked at as problematic behavior resolved.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

WHAT WOULD RONNIE LAING HAVE SAID ABOUT THE OVERDIAGNOSIS OF ADHD?

The question was posed to me as to what Ronnie Laing would have thought of the current ADHD diagnosis and the vast number of children being placed on powerful and often harmful psychostimulant drugs. I recall an interview that was conducted with Ronnie where he mentions a psychologist studying whether or not children should dream in color. Ronnie stated that because there was no data that somehow a child dreaming in color could be considered a problem. Ronnie found this absurd. So, as I have often stated, ethics must proceed technology. Because a child is not focused in a classroom setting does not imply pathology, and does not mean there is something 'in' the child that poses a problem. I believe Ronnie would agree with this sentiment.

-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

FINDING MEANING

by Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com
to arrange a consultation, please e-mail DoctorEdmunds@DrDanEdmunds.com




It is necessary to live in the present moment, to not seek excess in complete deprivation or in the desire for material possessions or unrealistic visions. Life is to be lived compassionately. Life is to enjoy and behold each moment as precious. We should look upon all occurrences as part of the nature of things. All things change, nothing is permanent. The cause of emotional distress and turmoil lies in this desire to make things permanent that are impermanent and changing. If we understand that all is changing, and we see our experiences for what they are, we can attain peace and tranquility. We can transcend struggles and sufferings for we will understand the nature of existence. We should seek to master our minds to understanding that each moment in which we exist can be lived joyfully. Troubles that befall us and sufferings arise because we live in a world that has not understood how to live compassionately; a world that seeks to fulfill only the desires of the self and does not realize that all things exist in a unified web of being. We should seek to walk a path towards compassion,to live rightfully and joyfully. We should not hold hatreds or be bound to rigid laws. We will not gain from externals and ritual, but from what exists in the heart. We should seek transformation and insight and mastery of ourselves. We must come to know that we are of the human family, the sufferings of one are the sufferings of all. Truth does not exist in excess and glamorous trappings, it exists not in an institution nor in a singular person or authority. Truth is something that is created in our hearts when we seek to put aside our attachments, when we seek to understand reality. Within humanity exists the innate nature and ability to do that which is benevolent. This spark of benevolence remains with every being, though it may be covered by the filfth of greed, aggression, animosity, and other impure thought. We are like a mirror that will reflect this benevolent image fully only after we have been able to clean away these things that cause the reflection to be dimmed. Truth does not exist in the arrogance that only a singular path or a singular entity or authority is the guardian of Truth. Truth manifests in many ways, and there have been throughout the ages and cultures, many who have manifested Truth as it would be understood to the people of that age and culture. The truth was given as the mirror reflecting a radiant image, but it has always been that through the addition of dogmas, through the quest for power, through greed and avarice, that the Truth manifested has not remained in the hearts of some. The unifying message of all those who have brought these messages of truth, lies in compassion and removing selfish aims. The disunity arises out of what has been added to the message not from the message itself. When we become dogmatic and we hold to irrational ideas, we are bound to create barriers to love.

AUTISM SERVICES AND EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY IN NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA- SCRANTON/WILKES BARRE

Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, USA
e-mail: DoctorEdmunds@DrDanEdmunds.com





"Dr. Edmunds has developed a strong rapport with (my child). He even waits at the corner of our street in anticipation of his visits. More importantly, over the course of the summer we saw a definite improvement in (his) socialization and behavior at home...I have been extremely impressed with Dr. Edmunds' extensive knowledge...I also appreciate the comfort we receive in learning of positive results he has achieved with other children. Although I have read extensively myself and spoken with his developmental pediatrician, Dr. Edmunds has been able to translate his theoretical understanding into practical steps that have helped (my child) and us."
-S.J.

Dr. D.L. Edmunds has developed compassionate, innovative approaches for autistic developmentally different children that focus on their strengths, are dignified, and build on the forging of emotional connections. His unique program is the ONLY relationship based program available in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

THE NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AUTISM ACCEPTANCE PROJECT seeks to educate the public, educators, parents, and others on accepting autistic persons, finding means to be inclusive of persons with developmental differences, and to be able to provide relationship based supports that respect the autonomy, dignity, and self determination of the individual.

AUTONOMY
UNDERSTANDING
TOLERANCE
INCLUSION
SELF-DETERMINATION
MEANING

Dr. D.L. Edmunds believes that many programs that have been designed for autistic persons do not respect their dignity and seek to force and coerce them to be 'typical'. Dr. Edmunds believes that the strengths of autistic persons must be recognized and an attitude of acceptance must prevail where autistic persons are seen as individuals with the same desire as any other person for self determination and autonomy. Dr. Edmunds comparison is to that of a person living in a foreign country. A person may be able to reside in a foreign country not knowing the language, but it would be easier for the person if they knew something about the language and culture. Therefore, programs provided to autistic persons should not be focused on making them into something they are not, but helping them to navigate through the mainstream and develop an understanding of how the majority operates. Dr. Edmunds is honored to not only collaborate with autistic persons but to call them friends. Dr. D.L. Edmunds has had the privilege of working with over 80 autistic and developmentally different children and their families. He has developed one of few relationship and strengths based programs that help these children to navigate through the mainstream while respecting their autonomy, self determination and dignity. Dr. Edmunds work has to been to help these children with functional independence while respecting them as persons worthy of respect.

Dr. Edmunds is noted child and family psychotherapist with 10 years of experience in the field. He has written numerous articles and been a presenter on local and nationally syndicated radio programs. He is the founder of the International Center for Humane Psychiatry. He serves as a Professor of Human Services and Religion for the European American University.

EXISTENTIAL PSYCHOTHERAPY/COUNSELING

I was recently asked to briefly define more clearly what existential therapy entails.
Existential therapy suggests that as human beings we are alone in the world and that we create our own meanings. In addition, we must assume responsibility for the choices we make and their outcomes. Existential therapy helps individuals to create meaning, develop responsible decision making, and reduce anxiety and depression in regards to feelings of alienation. Existential therapy looks for the benevolent capacity within human beings but is also realistic in that we are often not genuine and make faulty decisions.

-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania
DoctorEdmunds@DrDanEdmunds.com
http://www.DrDanEdmunds.com

Northeast Pennsylvania Regional Autism Acceptance Project

Providing drug free, relational approaches for children and adults with autism in Northeastern Pennsylvania and encouraging self determination and dignity for autistic and developmentally different persons:

Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
Northeast Pennsylvania Regional Autism Acceptance Project (Scranton/Wilkes Barre)
Tunkhannock, PA
DoctorEdmunds@DrDanEdmunds.com
http://geocities.com/voice4autism

SSRI DRUGS LINKED TO VIOLENCE AND SUICIDALITY- STORY OF KURT DANYSH

It has been known that SSRI drugs can lead to violence and suicidality and there are presently black box warnings issued by the Food and Drug Administration indicating this. I am presently consulting with Kurt Danysh and offering assistance in his appeal process. Mr. Danysh became initially suicidal and later violent after ingesting Prozac and an abrupt withdrawal from the drug. He is currently serving a 22.5 to 60 year sentence in State Prison in Pennsylvania as he had shot and killed his father. He had no prior history of violent actions. Further information on Mr. Danysh's story can be found at http://kurtdanysh.com
It will require much time and resources in this process to assist Mr. Danysh, please feel free to contact me if you would like to lend support.


Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com
DoctorEdmunds@DrDanEdmunds.com

CONCERNS OVER SUBJECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS LEADING TO OVER-PRESCRIPTION OF PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS AND MAJOR PROFITS FOR BIG PHARMA

It has become increasingly alarming to me to see legislation pending in Congress related to various mental health screenings. Most who are unaware would see this as a positive attempt to help those undergoing emotional distress. However, we see that young children, post-partum mothers, schoolchildren, and the elderly are all included. We also see who is encouraging such legislation, such groups as NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) and Big Pharma. NAMI receives a great deal of funding from the pharmaceutical industry. The drive for these screenings is not a humanitarian effort but an effort to find new sources of profit from every group imaginable through the use of subjective screening. These screens have a high false positive rate and often lead to the prescribing of powerful psychiatric drugs.
I have personally served as a consultant and had a number of clients who have come to me because they became violent or suicidal from psychiatric drugs. In addition, one client began having severe depression and halluncination which led to a psychiatrist labeling him with schizophrenia however this abated once proper withdrawal of the drug in collaboration with a physician occurred.

Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com


To arrange a consultation with Dr. Edmunds, to arrange a lecture, or for media interview requests, write to:
DoctorEdmunds@DrDanEdmunds.com

LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGES SENTENCES REJECTED

I was very pleased to hear today that Federal Judge Edwin Kosik rejected the 87 month sentences for crooked former Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. These individuals have no remorse for their actions and have devastated the lives of many children. I came across a past letter to the editor from an Anthony Testa who lists himself as the Dean of Students of the Wilkes Barre Technical School praising Ciavarella. After knowing what Ciavarella is about and then reading this, most would want to vomit. Hopefully, justice will prevail and these two former judges will actually receive their due for their violation of the public trust and their destruction of lives.

-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

DO THE SAINTS SMILE MORE ON SOME THAN OTHERS?

As I was reading the newspaper the other day, I came across two articles, one detailing a Roman Catholic novena to St. Ann where individuals came with children in tow to put flowers in front of statues, pray the Rosary, and engage in other rituals. In this article, a few people discussed how they were helped with various ailments by the intercession of the Saint. In the other article, was a tragic story of two children who had been killed in an arson fire. As I looked at both of these, I began to notice how often religious expression is focused on the self. God must have been smiling on the lady whose gout was cured, while he must have been deaf or blind when it came to the two children who died in the fire. Is Saint Ann selective over who she will help? Are some ailments more distressing to her than others? Does she like certain people more than others? And of course, particularly in discussions with fundamentalists, it is always their group who are destined for blessings in Heaven, while it is always the other guy (particularly those they dislike) who are destined for torment in Hell.

-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

CORNEL WEST

I recall back in March of 2005 that I was traveling to Tampa, Florida for a lecture. On the leg of the flight from Philadelphia to Tampa, I happen to notice that Cornel West was on the same flight, also scheduled to deliver a talk in the Tampa Bay area. I had the opportunity to chat with Dr. West briefly at the baggage claim. I have been particularly inspired by Cornel West's desire to detail the oppression of the African American community as well as to promote unity. In addition, I am aware that Cornel West is involved in the democratic socialist movement and fervently speaks out on injustice, promotes equality and diversity, and seeks an end to class and racial divisions. I share a common background with Cornel West in that we both have been involved in the academic study of religion but also share a common zeal for social activism. I hope that his message continues to be heard.

Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

RADICAL THERAPY

I have been particularly supportive of the concepts of "Radical Therapy" which was initially instituted by Claude Steiner. The premise of Radical Therapy is that persons are essentially good, however social conditions lead us to alienation. As a result, we begin to develop irrational and often self defeating behaviors. Radical Therapy seeks to explore the role of oppression in our lives. The role of the radical therapist is to journey with others in uncovering our oppression, seeking to make change in the world, and providing support and restoration of the concept of community.
When I wrote EXPERIENCE:THE SOUL OF THERAPY, I argued that those who are considered to be 'mentally ill' are actually individuals where meaning has been lost, and that the true meaning of psychotherapy means the 'healing of the soul'. Now putting aside religious terminology, we can look at the soul as that essence of what it means to be human. It is our role to journey with each other, to understand the human condition, and to do our part to alleviate suffering.
The ideas of radical therapy in addition to being in line with my spiritual view of the positive capabilities of humanity also ties in with my political ideology. In ROOTS OF DISTRESS, I identified the methods of communication within families and the social processes that lead people to emotional distress. That is, I more clearly laid out the role of oppression in our lives today. I consider myself a Libertarian Socialist, and here is why- First, many so called forms of socialism which failed were actually based on totalitarianism, therefore, they did not respect human rights and dignity. So, when I say libertarian, I am stating the need for freedom of thought and expression and the support of basic human rights. Socialism has been misunderstood and some have tried to make it appear as a negative word. Socialism implies that goods are held in common and are democratically controlled. Therefore, if we follow this in its true spirit, we could address class divisions, racism, poverty, and all the various injustices because we would be working towards a society where everyone is respected and has equal opportunity and their basic needs are met. It is disgraceful that we live in a nation with enormous wealth yet we still must address the problems of hungry children and homelessness.

-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
www.DrDanEdmunds.com

LESSONS FROM LUZERNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA BY MUMIA ABU JAMAL

More Lessons from Luzerne County, PA

By Mumia Abu-Jamal

Recently, a piece was produced on the scandal in Pennsylvania’s Luzerne County, where two judges pleaded guilty for playing their parts in a kickback scheme that netted them over two-and-a-half-million bucks.

The beneficiaries of their hustle were private juvenile prison builders, owners and investors (oh—and themselves, of course.)

The losers were hundreds of Luzerne County’s children, kids who were treated like cattle, as they were shuffled through so-called “courts”—without counsel—where so-called “judges” sent them away from their parents, their siblings, and their fellow students (for acts as benign as passing notes, or sending fresh emails) to private prisons for profit!

While the judges pleaded guilty to relatively minor charges, some other officials at the court, from county clerk to deputy court administrator have followed the judges in plea agreements.

What is utterly remarkable is how easily and effortlessly these judges did their thing, in stark violation of the state’s Juvenile Act, with virtual impunity, for almost a decade!

One must wonder; where were the lawyers looking out for the interests of these kids? Or were they so cowed, so shocked, so shaken by a “long train of abuses” that they were silenced by the ugliness of corruption, and the aura of fear?

Pennsylvania law allegedly provides protections for children, including the right to counsel (even if they couldn’t afford it,) and a legal presumption that all kids should remain with their families. As a general rule, a child shouldn’t have been detained unless she posed a danger to others, their property, or herself. There are exceptions to this rule, and they were whether the child was charged with committing major felonies, like robbery, rape or murder.

There was apparently another exception—whether or not Presiding Judge Mark Ciavarella or Senior Judge Michael Conahan wanted to make some quick bucks.

They were subject to a higher law—get money!

What the Luzerne County scandal has shown us is that what happens in many courts is both a business and a mystery. For millions of Americans, the law is a puzzle written in Latin, one unable to decode.

It also shows us that sometimes the criminal is sitting on the bench, wearing a black robe.

—PrisonRadio.org, March 2, 2009

THE ODDITIES OF RELIGION

THE ODDITIES OF RELIGION is presented below, the book can be ordered from
http://stores.lulu.com/voice4kids


Professor Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D. is a psychotherapist, lecturer, and author and founder of the International Center for Humane Psychiatry. Previously ordained in the Eastern Orthodox Church, he now promotes an existential humanist viewpoint. His text below details his personal experiences with religion and provides a critical perspective. Dr. Edmunds received his Bachelor of Arts in Religion from the University of Florida. He completed a Master of Arts in Theology from the University and Scranton and holds a Doctorate of Education in Community Counseling from Argosy University of Sarasota.






CHURCH WITH MAMMAW

When I was 4 years old, I had my first encounter with the realm of religion. I was dressed in white shorts with matching white dress shirt and tie. I accompanied by great grandmother to the services at First Baptist Church in Apollo Beach, Florida.
I went to a summer camp at the YMCA in Town N' Country in Tampa for a few weeks. This YMCA later burned down and the land was bought by Buddhists who turned it into a Temple. When I was 18, I visited this Temple with my mother and brother. We were treated with much warmth and compassion by a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who offered us food and conversation.







THEY JUST WANT OUR MONEY….

When I was six years old, living in St. Petersburg, Florida, my mother insisted that I attend a Lutheran summer camp with my cousin, Jonathan. Even though I was only six years old, I recall telling my mother “they just want money” as every week they would send envelopes home asking for donations. The envelopes had Jesus’ face on the front, and on the back boxes to check for how much money you were intending to donate to the church. Each day we had to go to the church to sing religious songs, one that still stands out in my mind had the line, “and the devil can just sit on a tack, sit on a tack, sit on a tack.” As I look back on this, I see how we early on indoctrinate children to believe in this mythology and unfortunately it takes root and often shapes their entire worldview for life. I believe that children should be encouraged in developing values which are intrinsic to us as human beings, but should not be forced or coerced to adopt a certain set of beliefs. I noticed among many friends who
were forced to attend their Bar Mitzvah, or first Holy Communion and Confirmation, or whatever ceremony only did this to fulfill an obligation and rarely were seen in the church ever again thereafter.















NO RELIGION DOES NOT MAKE A HELLION

From age six to thirteen, I was not raised with any particular religious tradition. But this did not cause me to become an unruly hellion of a child. My teachers noted me to be a well mannered, bright young man who was able to resolve conflicts and interact well with peers. Religion was not important during this period, but my mother certainly encouraged the development of values.

SCREAMING HALLELUJAH IS NOT A RELIEF FOR ME

When I turned 13, this would be a turning point, and my curiosity in religion would be peaked by an encounter with a kind gentleman who worked across the hall from my mother. This gentleman had Lou Gehrig’s Disease. I remember him struggling up the stairs with braces on his legs and he appeared to suffer much, yet there was a joy about him and he always had kind words to say to others. He did not complain about his struggles as many would do
but seemed able to accept his condition. I wondered about him, and as I grew to know him, he invited me to attend his home church as well as a Messianic Hebrew congregation he often frequented.
The church he attended was a Full Gospel church. As I entered, there was a band set up on the side of the pulpit. At the beginning of the service, people began yelling , shouting, and clapping as they sang “Hallelujah, Bless His Holy Name, Hallelujah, He will always be the same.” The minister was loud and boisterous, it was actually a bit of a frightening experience. Even more frightening was my encounter at the Messianic Hebrew congregation. This group appeared to be a blend of Pentecostalism with Jewish trappings. At a study group, I sat next to an elderly woman who began writhing in her chair looking as if she was having a seizure and babbling incomprehensible words. I would be told that this was a “manifestation of the Spirit.” I would be told that they were the ‘true Jews’ because they had accepted the Messiah whereas the others had rejected him and that we each had a calling to bring Israel to Christ. Their criticisms of the Jewish community only made more curious to know if what they were saying was accurate. Who were these people that they kept criticizing and who had rejected the Messiah? Why would they reject the Messiah? Was their something wrong with them? What did they believe? There must be a reason why they did not believe the same way. So I began attending a Reform synagogue and also visited a Conservative synagogue in Fort Collins, Colorado.

TIPSY RABBIS, HEBREW LESSONS, AND L’CHAIM

For about a year, I never missed a Shabbat service. I attended many of the Bar Mitzvahs of friends. And I recall the time being accidentally thrown into the wall by the Rabbi who was a bit tipsy and who let go of me too fast while dancing during Simchat Torah. During the summer, I enrolled in a Beginner’s Hebrew class and I had the opportunity to meet a scribe who was completing a new Torah scroll. I began reading the Hebrew Bible and various Biblical commentary, particularly Rashi, and hear I found a completely different account of what the Messiah would be like and an understanding of why they did not accept the Christian viewpoint. Many of my questions were answered, but I had to admit that I did not find Judaism particularly appealing and it appeared obvious that because I was not born into this faith that I was not made to feel overly welcome. I would encounter Judaism again about 10 years later when in Scranton and living near a community of Orthodox Chasidic Jews.

THE KOSHER PATROL AND GOD WANTS THAT LIGHT OFF!

I remember stopping into a Jewish deli in Scranton with a friend for lunch. He ordered a bowl of chicken soup and a cup of coffee. He put creamer in his coffee, and as soon as he did, the waitress (as if she was the kosher police watching him on surveillance) dashed over and took the cup away explaining he could not drink that if he was having chicken soup. I then began to ask, does God smile upon people more who do not mix meat and dairy? Another time, on the evening of Shabbat, I noticed that Orthodox Jews would cross the road when they came by my house. I wondered- did I do something wrong and was not aware of it? Is there a problem with my house? I was bold enough to ask why they performed that action and the response was that I had an automatic porch light and if it came on that would violate the rules of the Sabbath. So, God does not like automatic porch lights. Keep it off and you will be blessed.










ALLAH ABHORS FARTS

At age 15, I was studying about the Middle East in Middle School, I was 15. As a project, I decided to interview some individuals at the local Islamic Center. It was here I encountered Ali, a kind gentleman from Saudi Arabia. He later invited me to his home for dinner and introduced me to others in the Muslim community of Fort Collins. I spent another two years studying Islam, learning the Qur'an and Hadith. To this day, I still remember how to recite Surah Al Fatiha, Surah Al-Ikhlas, and Surah Al-Kauthar as well as how to chant the Adhaan. I began working for a man, Ahcene, from Algeria, and every Friday attended the congregational prayers with him.
Islam was a simplistic religion based on the oneness of God, however I must admit I was distressed and remain distressed about the militant nature of the religion. As I mentioned some of the strange rules with Judaism, I found some of the same with Islam. There were certain guidelines about being ‘pure’ before prayer. I was given a handbook on what nullifies ‘wudu’ (the cleansing before prayer), one of them was breaking wind. So, if you fart before prayer, you need to wash again, if you fart during prayer, you have to do your prayer over. Allah does not like farts. More distressing was the fact that I saw women treated as second class. At the mosque, they were sent to the basement and were apart from the men. At dinners, they ate separately and only interacted with the men to serve their food. They had little voice. During Juma’a prayer on Friday one time, it was taught about the pleasures awaiting those who enter Paradise, but most of these pleasures were reserved for men, and the description of Paradise seemed much like a drunken orgy. It appeared to me that Muhammad was taking fragments of the religions at the time to consolidate power and bring unity to the Arab world, thus he was a radical political leader, a warlord and dictator.





MORMON BROWNIES ARE TASTY

During my high school years, I was friends with a Mormon girl who when I moved back to Florida from Colorado I decided to keep in touch with. I stayed with my grandfather for a week and gave her his address. Though, my family later located elsewhere, the Mormon missionaries ended up with this address and for almost 6 months each week would look for me and bring brownies. My grandfather would take the Brownies and never told them we were not living there, I guess after awhile they must have figured it out. When traveling through Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, I noticed a small shrine on the side of the road. Curious, I stopped to find that it marked the supposed site where John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith. Wow! Here I had been working in Tunkhannock, PA on the banks of a holy river, and I never knew it! How mistaken I was to think that the Susquehanna was just a smelly, polluted river! I began to think, maybe it might be like the Ganges, if I drink the water, I might be cured or healed, or go to Heaven. I remember my Mormon friend explaining to me this concept of people becoming spiritual beings to inhabit planets. Her mother had been wedded to her father in a Temple wedding, so by virtue of this, they were married eternally. However, the woman he presently remarried after the mother’s death was only wedded in the church itself, so their marriage would end at death. She also explained to me how she had baptized some of my relatives by proxy. This is why they keep genealogical records so they can baptize dead folks and give them the opportunity to become Latter Day Saints once they are dead. I think Elvis is a Mormon now.










THE PRIEST AT THE BAKERY AND OTHER STORIES

When I was in graduate school at the University of Scranton I recall there being an extensive discussion surrounding the idea of transubstantiation, that is the changing of bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Christ by the priest using the words of institution, “Take, eat this is my Body” and “Drink this all of you, this the My Blood, the Blood of the New Covenant.” One of the Jesuit priests gave a discourse on how that in Roman Catholic theology that it was the priest stating these words that were most important and which led to the transubstantiation. I then asked what would occur if a priest were to walk past and bakery and mutter these words, if all the breads in the bakery would then become the Body of Christ. I can think of many who would probably much rather enjoy stopping off at their local bakery for a Body of Christ than having to endure sitting through a Mass.
When I was actually involved for a time in the Roman Catholic Church (I had been baptized and confirmed at age 18 in St. Brendan’s Roman Catholic parish in Ormond Beach, Florida), I recall two stories involving my parish priest. Once, about 5 minutes before Mass, I was asked to bring the priest’s elderly mother over to the Church. I did not realize that she had locked the keys of the rectory inside. The priest began cursing at me and telling me I should have been watching his mother more carefully. Immediately after this tirade, he went up the altar steps to celebrate Mass. I have to admit I was a bit disgusted with him, but a few weeks later I guess retribution came as he was walking up the altar steps the bottom of his alb caught on fire. I along with others had to get cups of water to put the fire out. The priest was not injured and he carried on.
I had a discussion, once again in a theology class, over the Roman Catholic concept of divorce. I had personally known individuals who had been married, had children, and then later had their marriage annulled. In each of these situations they had paid vast amounts to the Church and the annulment process was heard by a tribunal of elderly Roman Catholic fuddy duddy clergy. I questioned what they would know about this marriage and divorce process to begin with and why it rested upon their authority to make a decision. Aside from that, I asked the question that if these people had their marriage annulled, and there were children involved, then this made the children illegitimate, as the annulment implied that no marriage ever actually existed. No one ever responded to this.
I also found the devotion to the “Sacred Heart” plainly unusual. I remember asking if we are going to pray to the Heart, why not the Sacred Spleen, or the Holy Gall Bladder? Beyond this, was the wax body parts I saw in some Italian churches and medals of body parts in the Greek church that were made and hung from an icon or placed in front of a statue to honor a particular ‘healing’.

I worked for a time as a chaplain in a nursing home. I found a lot of value in spending time with the elderly and it saddened me to see how for many of these folks their families were often absent. Even more disturbing was the fact that many of these people were lifelong members of churches, were considered in ‘good standing’ and even while in the nursing home would often send donations to the churches. I came to learn from the activities director that they had spend almost 6 months with no success trying to get a Roman Catholic priest to come and minister to these persons. I offered my services and was well received. I basically became an inter-faith minister. It did not matter to me the belief system of those I was dealing with, I was not looking for some future or even present reward. I looked mainly at that it was the right thing to do to be with these people, lend them an ear, and be comforting to them. I hope that someone will do the same for me when I am elderly. However- this situation caused me some trouble, let me explain:
At the time I was serving as a chaplain I was still attached to an Eastern Orthodox Christian jurisdiction. I was told that I was to only minister to those of the Orthodox faith, and that I was to ask each person of their background before I ministered to them. I found this unfortunate and absurd, and in my rebellious and stubborn spirit, I refused to acquiesce. This was one of the last straws that led me out of the Orthodox Church entirely. There were many other issues, let me begin with that-

DO NOT MAKE THE PRIEST ANGRY AT PASCHA!

I first became interested in the Eastern Orthodox Church when I was an undergraduate student at the University of Florida. Having been in the Roman Catholic Church, I was taught that Orthodoxy was our sister Church. I visited a Greek Orthodox parish for the Divine Liturgy at Easter. It was a beautiful service with wonderful chanting, sweet smelling incense, brilliant Iconography. I was very impressed by the aesthetics as well as the historical nature of Orthodoxy. However, this very first visit to the Orthodox Church would be very telling and sum up a lot of my later objections. During the middle of the service, the priest interrupted the service and began yelling, “Sit down! Sit down! When you are standing it makes me nervous, and when I get nervous, I get annngggggry! And you do not want the priest angry at Pascha!” I could not believe my ears. I somewhat ignored the outburst and continued to take in the rest of the service.
A few years after this experience, I was ordained as a deacon in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. I recall encountering a Bishop who was a very haughty man who enjoyed having the people kiss his hand and certainly thought he was ‘all that’ because of his rank and title. It was my first Paschal service serving as a deacon and I had invited my family. The Metropolitan Archbishop was present, a jovial old fellow. I explained to him that my relatives were not Orthodox and would just be observing. He seemed fine with that, however the other bishop began pushing them into unfamiliar rituals and scoffed at them when they did not oblige. For instance, the Gospel book was presented for the congregation to venerate by kissing it. The bishop, having been told my family would only be observers, had the Gospel book shoved into their face. The bishop just stood there waiting for them to kiss it. My uncle politely nodded his head but would not kiss it. He later remarked to me, “I guess we are just not book kissers.” The following year, I was ordained to the priesthood. It would be soon after that I would spend some time in monastic life. While the time for contemplation and reflection was of value, I later began to question the real value of what I was involved in. How is spending my life in isolation from others really making any impact in the lives of others? In concluded it was not, and that was largely how I later entered the counseling field.

SAINT OR OLD SENILE MAN WHO CHASES PEOPLE WITH CANES?

At one monastery, I had a number of interesting experiences (if you have not noticed, a lot of my experiences have been ‘interesting’). First, I walked into a room where there were chairs to sit, and also in this room was a small bed, more of a cot, with a picture on it. I was very curious as to what this was all about, so I asked the Abbot-Bishop of the Monastery. He explained to me that a Russian bishop had lived and died there and that had been his bed. He later went on with stories about how this Bishop could bi-locate and he had performed other miracles and that he was definitely a saint. At that moment, a nun (who I had great admiration for her boldness and willingness to tell it how it is) whispered to my friend, Deacon Zacharias, “nah, he was just an old senile man who used to chase me with his cane.” Deacon Zacharias later jokingly told me that if I did not behave in the monastery that this Russian Bishop’s hand would creep across that bed and grab me!

THE PUTTING OUT OF THE LIGHTS CEREMONY

In this same monastery, I would experience what I came to turn the ‘putting out of the lights’ ceremony. It was Orthodox Christmas Eve. We had just finished the services for the evening and I left the monastery to stay in a hotel as I would be visiting my grandparents who were in town. Deacon Zacharias stayed behind at the monastery for the night. As I was leaving the church after services, I noticed a woman with a scowl walking in. I thought, I wonder who she is, never seen her before, and man, she looks rather unhappy. Well, the next morning, I would discover that this woman had to be escorted out of the Church by police as she went into the Church to smash things and kept repeating, “I am the devil, I must put out the lights.” Deacon Zacharias has always been a great friend of mine and he is autistic. His response to this situation I found hilarious, but it worked. He informed me that he told her “you do not have any devil, and if you do, maybe I can smack it out of you.” He said it was then that she actually stopped her bad behavior in the church and stopped trying to smash things. It was thereafter the police came and took her away. I later found out that the Abbot had met this woman before and had performed some sort of exorcism ritual over her. Obviously it did not work, but Deacon Zacharias’ plan to ‘get the devil out of her’ certainly did!

KISS A HAND TO USE THE PHONE

I went to visit a Greek Monastery in New York City. After the Liturgy, I was invited to lunch. The Archbishop was seated on a platform above everyone else. I was told that when I approached the bishop I was to bow my head, fold my hands, and say “Evlogeite, Master!” (Bless, Master), and after receiving a blessing and kissing his hand I could take my seat. I wanted to use the telephone while there, but told I would have to go through the same ritual (I decided the call was not that important). We were seated by rank. So, the supposedly more important you were the closer you got to sit to the Archbishop. I was not that important, so we sat towards the end of the table. The nuns did not eat with us, they only brought the food and wine. And boy was there much wine consumed by a group of monks! Basically, I was appalled by this hierarchical nonsense and saw no purpose in it other than men behaving arrogantly and using presumed authority to control and manipulate others. I would later learn that these bishops were involved in a scam involving a supposedly weeping icon. These two ‘monks’ were millionaires! I later learned of other scams of similar nature, one at a Russian monastery in Texas where they later admitted that their claims of having a weeping Icon was plain fraud.
I did have a very positive experience meeting the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, but this too would latter be shattered. I went to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Columbus, Ohio and the Patriarch was visiting. Many of the women had tattoos of crosses on their foreheads and they would cover their mouths after receiving communion. The service was similar to a Greek Orthodox liturgy but there was drumming included. I was invited to lunch and spoke with the Patriarch who appeared kind and down to earth. However, I would later learn that there was a schism in the Ethiopian Church and that this Patriarch had been accused of capitulating to an oppressive regime in Ethiopia. This sort of thing also happened in the Russian Orthodox Church, where compromise of principles occurred frequently.
The worst of the worst was to discover that a Greek Bishop I had spoken with many times, and who people held in esteem, was guilty of molesting a child. This sort of thing is one of the worst travesties I can think of, because in the church, young people are unfortunately taught that their clergy are representatives of God. If they are taught to put faith in these people and see them in this pivotal role and then this trust is shattered, just imagine what this must do to a person. It was after this incident that I began to really have my doubts about remaining in the Orthodox Church, and it was the things that happened as a chaplain that I mentioned prior that I decided to finally depart.






THE FAT MONK TEACHES THE ‘MIDDLE WAY’ AND THE BUDDHIST NUN SAYS GIVE ME YOUR MONEY

I later decided to study Buddhism to some extent, and began attending Buddhist meditation courses and visiting a Temple. I had previously encountered Buddhism when I was 18. The YMCA I had attended as a child had burned down and the Vietnamese Buddhists bought the property to turn it into a Temple. I visited there on a number of occasions. I visited once with my aunt and cousin, and another time with my mother and brother. The visit with my aunt and cousin was the most unusual. We entered a building that looked like a warehouse from outside yet was very beautiful inside. There was a large golden statue of Buddha and above It was a halo-like light that pulsated and almost put me into a trance. The room was filled with incense as each member of the Temple would place three sticks of incense in a pot before the image of Buddha. The service was long. We sat on the floor, and then would bow over and the leading nun would hit this wooden object in shaped of a fish with a mallet. I do remember that the meditations repeated ‘namo” frequently. One of the nuns knew no English. She came to my aunt and said, “You, Buddha” and then pointed to her eyes, ears, nose, and then put her finger in her mouth, each time saying, “Buddha”. My aunt was plainly confused. We later found and English speaking nun to explain. She said the nun was trying to tell my aunt that she had the Buddha nature and all the senses are part of the Buddha nature. My next visit would be with my mother and brother and it was the festival honoring Buddha’s birth. I met a kind Vietnamese Buddhist monk who has studied in a Christian seminary. We had wonderful conversations and I found him a truly humble person.
However, as this monk was humble and kind, I saw other sides of Buddhism. At a Temple in New York, I decided to visit just for the day. They were having a three day conference that I was not aware of. I told one of the nuns that I was only staying for the afternoon and she said that would be fine and that I could make a donation of whatever I chose to cover my meal and the meditation class for that day. I went to an office to register and give my donation and met another nun, who argued with me that I needed to pay the entire fee for the conference. This of course occurred ironically after a lecture that was given on non-attachment and selflessness. Go figure.
A few months after this, I attended a meditation class and the topic was on the Middle Way. Again I was confused, as the monk giving the talk was morbidly obese, barely fitting into his robes. He reminded me of the Ho-Tei (the fat laughing Buddha) and I could not really take him seriously when he spoke on the Middle Way as it certainly did seem to me that he was applying that concept.
In recent news, the treatment of the Buddhist majority of the Muslim minority in Myanmar is appalling. These people are barely staying alive and are outcast. This is what religion often does. It creates unnecessary barriers, and these barriers lead to suffering.



WHAT DO THE CARDS REALLY SAY?

When I was about 16, I was traveling with my grandmother through the Orlando area and we came across a small town known as Cassadaga. This is the site of a spiritualist community where they practice mediumship. My grandmother told me it was be interesting if I met with one of their spiritual teachers and she would pay for the time spent with them. I agreed because I was curious myself as to what would transpire. The buildings were old and there was moss covering many of them, it certainly had a creepy feel. I met with a woman named “Delilah”. Delilah proceeded to have me take regular playing cards and divide them into various sections. Somehow from this she was able to relate to me information about my past, present, and future. She told me I was a very old soul, that I would move to the Northeast, and that I was a monk in previous lives. Now, for some they automatically would say, well, you did move to the Northeast, and wow, you became a Comparative Religion scholar, so you must have been a monk in some ‘former life’. What I have concluded now, particularly in light of my psychological training, is this woman perceived my intellect (the old soul part), and she knew of my interest in various beliefs so she just capitalized on that. As far as moving to the Northeast, yes, that did occur, but that was far removed from her prediction, and based solely on coincidence. I am quite sure that if I make up details about a person, that it is likely one of those details might fit.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA AND RAMA LAMA DING DONG

When at the University of Florida, I frequently encountered the Hare Krishna’s. I had to duck from their Frisbees that they would be throwing in the square at the University. The Krishna’s served a great lunch and it was cheap. It was mainly various curries and vegetable goo. I did not realize it at the time but later found out that this food was offered in a ritual in the Temple before being served to students and others. I went to their Temple as I was exploring the Krishna’s for a course I was taking. When I entered, I was taken back by a wax statue of their deceased leader, Swami Prabhupad. It was very realistic looking. The service began with people playing a harmonium and chanting in Sanskrit, and then a curtain being opened and incense being waved before a statue of Krishna that eerily had large, dark eyes. The chanting continued. After the food was offered, it would be served to the congregants. I remember one man there who identified as an atheist. One of the Krishna’s asked, “why do you keep coming to the Temple if you do not believe?” He responded, “Because you keep inviting me, and the food is pretty good.” The Krishnas could be seen every Friday on the street corner dressed in pink or orange robes, jumping, chanting, and handing out flowers and cookies. As I got to know a few and after visiting their Temple a few times, I caught on to a number of things. Though they espoused no drug use, this was common. Most of the members were college drop-outs. So, their tactic was to hang around the campus, look for students who were struggling and convince them that their problems will be solved by chanting the names of Krishna!
‘REIGNING’ ON MY EVANGELICAL FRIENDS PARADE…

A friend encouraged me to attend with her an evangelical community church. This kind of church is typically connected to what some would term “Jesus Freaks”. I had experienced this sort of thing before. When in college, I had been invited to this sort of thing. I saw a lot of hypocrisy. One of the leaders of the college group was giving teachings against pre-marital sex and various “Christian values” only a few months later to become pregnant and be unmarried. The church made her resign. I was sure too that one of the leaders who I actually thought was one of the few with sincerity was gay though he never acknowledged this and the church was adamantly opposed to gays. I later had this person as a professor, and discovered that I was correct in my assessment.
So, as more a matter of appeasement, I went with my friend to her church. I told her that I already knew what would occur. She then told me, ‘well, if you know everything, tell me what is going to happen.” I said, “Well, they will have a loud, obnoxious band that will start out singing ‘The Lord reigns, The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!’ and then after that the minister who will be loud and boisterous will say something about us needing to be saved by Jesus, and the more music, and then we go home.” She said, “No, that’s not what they do!” We arrived at the church, and you guessed it, the first song was the “Lord Reigns”. I cracked a smile at which my friend whispered, “Shut up!” Then, right on schedule, came a spiel about accepting Jesus in our hearts. More songs, and then we went home.
STOMPING AND SHRIEKING

Similar to this was my experience in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. One of my friends was the pastor of a congregation and he asked me to stop in for a visit. At the beginning of the service were four large African American women all dressed in white who began singing and spinning until they reached the front of the church where they began stomping out a beat and then sang, “You gotta get your life in order, cuz Jesus is coming!” During the sermon (I cannot imagine how the pastor could concentrate) two ladies passed out on the floor and began shrieking. Then another lady started jumping in the pew yelling, “Glory! Glory!” The emotionalism ran wild. I later learned from a few honest congregants that it was the same ladies who passed out and screamed, each week. I guess it was to be expected.

HI HO TIBERIO, SHE IS OUR GRACIOUS ONE…

When I was in Junior High School, my teacher, Mrs. Tiberio, was instructing us about Greek mythology. She entered the room wearing a Greek goddess outfit. Our assignment was to create a myth ourselves. So, I convinced a number of my peers to write the myths about Mrs. Tiberio. We developed some rather creative, but outlandish stories of the feats of Mrs. Tiberio. We also (maybe irreverently) developed a Trinity. Her first name was Marilyn, and she wore her hair up in a bun at all times. So, we came up with Marilyn, Agnes, and the Holy Hair Bun. I have to admit I cannot remember where Agnes fit in. And of course, we wrote hymns, such as “Hi Ho Tiberio”, and “Marilyn, we pray along.” We probably got a bit carried away with things, but it was great fun, and as I look back now on much of the absurdity of religion, I think I might have enjoyed remaining a “Tiberioist” than encountering much of the things I have.

THE LIES PARENTS TELL…

One of my clients who was six years old at the time had just discovered the fraud of Santa Claus. The question he asked next came rather unexpected, he told his parents- “If you lied to me about this Santa Claus stuff, how do I know you are not lying to me about God?” A very valid question, particularly for a child. I am very pleased that my mother allowed me the opportunity to explore various beliefs but she also encouraged certain values. I believe it is wrong for beliefs to be imposed upon any person, particularly children. What we should be teaching our children is not convoluted mythologies, but how to interact with other human beings, how to be compassionate, how to be caring. And in this our desire to be ‘good’ should because it is the right thing to do, not because we fear Hell or we await some glorious place in the sky or elsewhere.













MY CONCLUSIONS

Through my experiences, I came to some conclusions- first, that my initial desire to explore and embrace religiosity was based on a desire to be benevolent to others; however religion does not always teach benevolence, religious people are not always benevolent, and that one does not need religion to be benevolent. I also began to see how that religion is used by some as a means of oppression. I witnessed many who went through various rituals because it was 'what they were supposed to do' but it lacked any real sense of meaning for them and in many instances these rituals lacked any real sense of rationality. This was the other conclusion I came to, that religion often lacks any rationality; it plainly at times makes no sense. I find it interesting how new religions can be criticized as "cults" by the 'mainstream' religions, yet these 'mainstream' religions belief systems can often be seen as rather 'far out' though because there is a vast number adhering to it, it has become accepted. If we talk about body thetans, we are looked at strangely. If we talked about talking bushes and virgin births, we are not. To me, if we are to discuss "God", then it would be all the physical laws and our own innate potential as humans to be benevolent to one another. I have found that people often are looking to escape from life, to reject their own nature, and to try to alter nature. Rather than live joyfully, they live in drudgery expecting some idealized future existence. And often fear and rewards are employed to 'keep people in check'. Religion may have served as purpose in a time where people were distressed and sought meaning and stories and myths provided them comfort. But now, when we have the ability to explore our world far beyond previous eras, and we have more vast tools to be rational and make sense of our world, then religion becomes less of something that individuals should need to turn to. However, it remains because many in power impose it, families impose it on their children, and some retain it because for social reasons, to benefit themselves, or because they cannot find meaning in rational ways. Often rather than seeking to help and support one another, or looking to transform ourselves and our society, we await something from above to come and do everything for us, so we never take any real action, or we rattle of our laundry list of requests (or sometimes demands), hoping that they will be heard, and when nothing changes, we think, well maybe it was not the Divine will.
Hopefully, we can come to a realization of just what it means to