Pamphlet - In all clinics for Survivors of Unethical Therapy; what goes in it?

Thanks. Yes, the gist of something that may be flawed to start with, but something to consider -- that's definitely something I wish there were more people in the field willing, and maybe career-wise able, to do.

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Originally Posted by here today Thanks. Yes, the gist of something that may be flawed to start with, but something to consider -- that's definitely something I wish there were more people in the field willing, and maybe career-wise able, to do.

It would be cool to see the professionals in action and come up with a near flawless design, one that can control for confounds.

This is fun!

I am not a researcher, nor am I using this website to exploit anyone. I have merely experienced abuse in therapy and have interests in advocacy and spent 5 years researching it meticulously.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

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Originally Posted by HD7970GHZ I am not a researcher, nor am I using this website to exploit anyone. I have merely experienced abuse in therapy and have interests in advocacy and spent 5 years researching it meticulously. Thanks, HD7970ghz

HD,

Thank you for explaining.

And thank you for your advocacy! One day, I want to do that, too. That is, if I ever get to that one day. I'm just appreciative of everyone who is doing that now, with their various roles in life.

(((safe hugs)))

I'm sorry that you dealt with therapy abuse. I have, too. I went to college to learn about psychology so that I can advocate later on, too, like you. My interests are similar, but I want to go into a different field and learn from a different perspective - a justice-seeking, peace-making, and criminal-reduction perspective. Risk and prevention assessments, included. Program evaluations included. Meta-analyses included. The whole shabang related to researching communities.

What field are you involved in?

What kinds of advocacy are you hoping to do?

Have you reached out to other professionals in your line of work for guidance and mentoring? Have you considered a non-profit organization or working with other organizations who are interested in the same kinds of advocacy that you are?

Your work sounds fascinating!

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Originally Posted by here today I don't understand, Sarah. Are you talking about complaints to the licensing boards?

I think I misunderstood what HD meant. I do not know what options are available for due process or reporting and investigating Therapists and other mental health professionals when they cause harm. FroM hearing about the trauma that HD and others have suffered it seems to me that whatever that process is, it’s inadequate and that their needs to be a standard that actually protects and validates victims. So I thought he was talking about information in that regard. My apologies.

@sarahsweets

I think I misunderstood what HD meant, too.

But HD brings up some awesome topics, and you bring up some awesome responses!

Wow, lots of replies! Good ideas in here!

I wonder what kind of contact resource to put on this pamphlet - I wonder if Doc John would ever consider allowing us to put a link to Psych Central forums for this particular group of survivors?

I know if there is a pamphlet, there has got to be a support forum in the least.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

I think you are right stopdog,

I am wondering how many will decline... I have a funny feeling all of them will decline except a few smaller private places.

Perhaps we can go to Government, say how many decline and ask for their assistance. Or go to the news first, then see what happens. Perhaps there'll be a large enough reaction to support a lobby for a vote.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

I think both are needed. It's just that I didn't think that was what HD was focusing on.

Sounds like you're talking about more than just creating a pamphlet at this point?

I agree with the impulse, and need, to try to do some things positive to try to help address and alleviate the problem.

Other people have had similar impulses, and tried, and there are a lot of good resources on the internet.

Though I am pretty clueless how to go about doing it, I think in order to be effective it needs more than the impulse of just one person, or multiple individual persons, although that is, in my view, an essential start.

I believe, too, that the issue needs some collective, grassroots action in order to have an impact.

One of the problems, and maybe reasons, that there is no non-profit organization speaking out about this issue currently is that so many of us who have been are affected aren't very effective socially! Or at least, I'm certainly not. Part of why I was in therapy. . .

So how can we overcome that, which seems almost a prerequisite for effective collective action? When therapy is NOT the answer. At least it hasn't been, for me, so far.

Personally, I could try, and maybe I could learn some things, but it would be a slow process, with a lot of fits and starts, mistakes and catch-ups, etc.. . .But if addressing these issues doesn't start from the action of one person, which might catch on, then it seems like it needs the commitment of several to a bunch of people.

What does anybody else think?

I agree 100% with this. The intention of such a pamphlet would also be to join survivors together in one location rather than off in smaller groups or isolated. We need a central hub. And a pamphlet in every therapy clinic is a start. If I can get support from Government, that it is a big enough issue to be looked at (which it is), then I think it would go smoother.

Perhaps we could all create a pamphlet and crowd fund it, or even fund ourselves at a local printer, and go out to locations and ask if they'd put it on their shelf of resources.

Another idea is to start another forum - but I kinda like Psych Central. What if we got some support from PsychCentral in the form of putting their contact info on a pamphlet.

Lots we can do in the beginning.

I think we just have to start small and make mistakes and learn as we grow.

Or we can come up with great ideas, approach an established organization and ask for their help.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

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Originally Posted by here today Sounds like you're talking about more than just creating a pamphlet at this point? I agree with the impulse, and need, to try to do some things positive to try to help address and alleviate the problem. Other people have had similar impulses, and tried, and there are a lot of good resources on the internet. Though I am pretty clueless how to go about doing it, I think in order to be effective it needs more than the impulse of just one person, or multiple individual persons, although that is, in my view, an essential start. I believe, too, that the issue needs some collective, grassroots action in order to have an impact. One of the problems, and maybe reasons, that there is no non-profit organization speaking out about this issue currently is that so many of us who have been are affected aren't very effective socially! Or at least, I'm certainly not. Part of why I was in therapy. . . So how can we overcome that, which seems almost a prerequisite for effective collective action? When therapy is NOT the answer. At least it hasn't been, for me, so far. Personally, I could try, and maybe I could learn some things, but it would be a slow process, with a lot of fits and starts, mistakes and catch-ups, etc.. . .But if addressing these issues doesn't start from the action of one person, which might catch on, then it seems like it needs the commitment of several to a bunch of people. What does anybody else think?

There may be a NPO in Boston, MA looking into therapy abuse. BTW. There is also that website related to TELL.

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Originally Posted by HD7970GHZ I think you are right stopdog, I am wondering how many will decline... I have a funny feeling all of them will decline except a few smaller private places. Perhaps we can go to Government, say how many decline and ask for their assistance. Or go to the news first, then see what happens. Perhaps there'll be a large enough reaction to support a lobby for a vote. Thanks, HD7970ghz

FOIA requests work wonders. Maybe also archival research.

Right now I have no idea. But thanks for posting this. I too am a survivor of unethical therapy.

Fuzzybear

A helpful link...

TELL: Therapy Exploitation Link Line

TELL is amazing. But imagine if we could improve their effectiveness by creating a central hub that becomes "the central hub." Not many people know about TELL and that is partly to protect it, but I know that they might consider putting themselves down as a resource on a physical pamphlet.

More exposure is better! Just gotta play a small role in making it so.

100% of therapists that I have spoken to had no idea about TELL. That is telling.

I think there should also be a distress line that caters to this particular crowd.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

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Originally Posted by HD7970GHZ TELL is amazing. But imagine if we could improve their effectiveness by creating a central hub that becomes "the central hub." Not many people know about TELL and that is partly to protect it, but I know that they might consider putting themselves down as a resource on a physical pamphlet. More exposure is better! Just gotta play a small role in making it so. 100% of therapists that I have spoken to had no idea about TELL. That is telling. I think there should also be a distress line that caters to this particular crowd. Thanks, HD7970ghz

A hotline for therapy abuse - I like your idea.

I'm sure it exists somewhere, but I think it needs far more acknowledgement and support. Distress lines have tough budgets as it is. Recently spoke to someone working at a women's shelter who apparently said their entire staff was JUST trained in trauma-informed care. It is soooooo important and yet they JUST learned this!

Another thing that could happen is groups of survivors could travel to their local universities and present to the future generation of healthcare professionals, and others, about the damage that healthcare abuse can do. It is a technique that is being adopted more and more; the older generations are so stuck in their old ways, which is partly why systems are so resistant to change. Those in power have secrets to hide. So long as changing things risks exposing secrets - those in power will refuse to adopt change quickly. Which is why we need to educate and inform newer generations entering the industry about the inherent power imbalances bestowed on them as helping professionals.

The system is so broken it is not even funny.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

Therapy is hazardous. People should be skittish.

If someone bails after reading something about risks, that implies they were already in danger and then had their eyes opened. Unless the assumption is that clients can be easily misled by subversive pamphlets.

So much of therapy seems to depend on avoiding the truth, like in a dysfunctional family.

I am a lawyer - it is possible come up with something. If only to warn that there is no standardization. The skittish client is not a legal worry at all. People don't return to therapists all the time for all sorts of reasons. And clients should be skittish. Therapy is not harmless. If they want to reap the benefits of insurance payments - they should have to do what all other medical providers do.