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A GoodTherapy.org News Update

If you are the parent of a teen or have a teen in your life, then you are surely familiar with MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, and countless other social networking sites where teens congregate. These sites have become a “virtual playground” where anonymous teens engage in vicious bullying without even leaving the house. The bullying isn’t limited to the internet though. Teens are being harassed by peers via cell phone text messages also. The internet offers anonymity and allows bullies to engage in behavior that would not be socially acceptable in a public forum. Sadly, the tragic story of Megan Meier, who committed suicide after enduring cyber-bullying, is an example of seriousness of this issue. Megan’s death brought to light the need for laws to hold cyber bullies responsible for their actions. In fact, this phenomenon has challenged many states (Texas, New Jersey, Oregon, California, Rhode Island, and New York) to establish laws to deal with cyber-bullying issues. There is even a non-profit foundation dedicated to educating young people about internet safety: i-SAFE Inc. Parents need to be encouraged to talk with their teens about cyber-bullying and monitor what their teen is doing online.

An equally disturbing trend is the physical attacks of peers teens are videotaping for broadcast on the internet. Not only does a victim suffer physical pain, he/she now must undergo endless humiliation as the beating is played over and over again on popular sites such as YouTube for thousands to see. There is a boomerang effect wherein the initial incident becomes fodder for hallway gossip at school, furthering the humiliation for the victim. In an interview with People magazine for a story about a video beating of a Florida teen, Dr. James Garbarino (author of several books on teen violence) stated, “Violence tends to become depersonalized when it’s on the Internet.”

The problems arising from cyber-bullying include teen suicide, school violence, and depression. Therapists who work with teens need to be educated about cyber-bullying and prepared to help teens work through these problems. Additionally, some focus is needed on identifying and treating the cyber bullies themselves.

By Lori Payne, LPC-S Click here to contact Lori and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

©Copyright 2008 by GoodTherapy.org All Rights Reserved. Questions or concerns about the following article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment to this blog entry. Click here to contact Lori and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

By Patti Desert, LCSW

Click here to contact Patti and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

When the news broke about New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s alleged involvement with a prostitute the nation was inundated with newspaper reports expressing shock and confusion. Politicians, corporate executives, and various other pundits were outraged by Spitzer’s behavior? And healthcare providers began scratching their heads at the apparent level of ignorance about addictive behavior that these responses demonstrated.

In fact, Spitzer’s behavior is a classic reflection of a particular kind of addiction known as sex addiction.
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by Tonya Ladipo, LCSW

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There are many different ideas about why we don’t seek therapy. Some believe that it is only for wealthy, White people, others believe that you don’t go outside the family with your problems. Some of these thoughts keep us struggling more than we need to. Here are some of the more prevalent ones.

“But I’m not touched”
Many of us think you have to be “touched” or “crazy” to go to therapy.” While it’s true that some people with mental health issues seek therapy, it’s really a service for anyone. Therapy is a paid service that connects you with a trained professional who provides you with the support you need to live a healthier and happier life.

When I first met “Andre” he was apprehensive about seeking therapy. For many months, he questioned whether or not he should be in therapy. Overall, he felt that his life was manageable and that he did not have enough problems to go to therapy, after all he had a job and people who cared about him. He certainly was not “crazy”. After several discussions about the purpose of therapy and its benefits to him as a rationale person, Andre accepted his desire for therapy. In fact, in a recent session Andre said that the healthiest people he knows are all in therapy. He realizes that therapy is a place that can benefit everyone, not just a small segment of the population. Andre further explained that the people he knows who have the most problems aren’t in therapy. Of course, as a therapist, this makes perfect sense to me. Recognizing that your life is not how you want it to be or that you need additional support takes a lot of courage and self-reflection. These are not the thoughts of a “crazy” person. Rather, this is the thought process of someone who has a sense of who they are and wants more from their life and themselves. (more…)

A GoodTherapy.org Featured Column written by Greg Madison, Ph.D.

Click here to contact Greg and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile.

What kind of response does ‘the community’ offer to its members who are experiencing distress? Increasingly since the 1950s, many British and North American mental health services have been devolved to the community level. This de-institutionalization is promoted as an indication that we live in progressive and caring societies. The ‘community care movement’ is based upon the idea that institutions segregate people from the rest of society and that this is unacceptable. But I wonder if the development of community care policy really is an expression of these laudable intentions. As I will suggest later, the tragic shooting deaths in Dunblane Scotland in 1996 offer a bleak backdrop for confronting the lack of care in our communities and our attitudes towards our fellow citizens who are psychologically distressed. (more…)

Written by Bruce Bibee, MTP, LPC

Social services, as bureaucracies, have no incentive to “fix” the problems they deal with. What if we all refused to be victims? What if we could organize our lives so we could not be victimized? Regardless of how much a pipedream this is, for now imagine a world in which victimization just didn’t happen to you or to your family, friends, neighbors, and community. Assault, rape, burglary, and the like had become obsolete. Instead, our social service system (schools, churches, police, juvenile probation, treatment centers, after-school programs, and so on) trained each of us to live together in peace and harmony.

This vision may be unrealistic, but the information is available to achieve this world. It would require an individual commitement of refusing to be victims of any crime, along with the support of society and its institutions to give folks the training to actually pull it off. In achieving this goal, collateral issues do need addressing. Perhaps the most insidious problem is this: if we did live in a society without vicitmization, how many people will have lost their jobs? (more…)