bunk IT’S fair to say we have out-sourced almost every aspect of private life. Our children are mothered by day-care centres, our teens are reigned in by the relevant government offices when they turn nasty, and our seniors are contained in instirutions when they become forgetful. So why should our grief be any different? Let the community bump up against a traumatic event, and the locusts of crisis inter- vention descend to administer “critical incident debricfing” -— the quick intervention modiality deemed necessary after a tragedy. This, after all, is the price of worshipping at the pantheon of popular psy- chology. Students, cav.sera- men, news-reporters -— all were offered this treatment following the Littleton, Colorado, incident. Indeed the prick debricfing, protocol is firmly in place in communities and schools across North America, including British Columbia. Prof. Marilyn Bowman of the SFU psychology depart- ment disputes the usefulness of this intervention, and the fauley thinking underscoring it. “Professional management of adversity,” writes Prof. Bowman in her 1997 book about post-traumatic stress maihox NDP has | Dear Editor: Re: March 28 Ripping Yarns. Just a littl note to say I enjoyed this onc, and that you’re. doing a nice job on these “NDP socialist hordes In spite of my faxes to var- install stop lights at crosswalks Dear Editor: ; Re: Yellow Flashing Light Syndrome. For several - years the pedestrian crossing at the Capilano Suspension Bridge on Capilano Road was con- trolled by flashing yellow lights with large warning signs. - These illuminated signs were located well before motorists entered the actual intersection. ’ They have now changed the lights to a properly con- trolled pedestrian-activated signal that produces a red light when the crossing is occupied. « This example indicates that the flashing yellow lights at Capilano and Eldon Road, Mr. Seymour Parkway at Broadview, and possibly at other locations with the same system should be changed to -proper pedestrian-activated stop lights. This change could help to prevent any more accidents like those that have hap- pened recently at crossings with the yellow flashing lights. Maureen Brown North Vancouver ilana ercer fair comment syndrome, might even be harmtul. In the process of these managed crises, communides are made to relinguish their struggle as well as the oppor- tunity to help one another. Swamped by crisis interven- tion teams, commanity mem- bers are turned into observers on the periphery of the tragedy, while bonds between members of the community are loosened. Moreover, the message implicit in foisting short-term crisis teams on communities is one of fragility and helpless- ness. Grief and tragedy, we seem to be saving, are not part of life, but are, instead, insurmountable events, which cannot be overcome without professionals. Implicit in this communis- tic model of grief is a tyranni- cal expectation that there will be a visible grief reaction. No recognition is given to indi- vidual differences: to a lack of overt grief, or to positive cop- ing. But mostly, to give vent is to be automatically bestowed ost touch ious papers, often on political subjects usually critical of this current NDP government, believe it or not, I was raised in a home where the old CCF/NDP was the political party of choice. In fact, both my parents were personal friends of the NDP MLA who served our riding in northern Ontario quite exceptionally for some 30 years. . I know what the party originally stood for, and the rinciptes they held dear, and ack then, their hearts were in the right places, I thought. But that was then, and this is now, and the only thing constant in life, as they say, is change. In the NDP's case, particularly in our provincial scene, that change has been definitely for the worse. From my vantage point of 66 ycars, having seen all that cvolve, with a moral virtue. Ifthe professional mining of distress were effective in achieving well-being after a traumatic event — it might be a worthy exercise. But it ist. One of many caretully con- trolled studies cited by Prof. Bowman showed that from an at-risk group of children exposed to a traumatic inei- dent, those who were given therapy fared no better than at-risk children who were not given therapy. Altogethe Bowman's review of the research literature consistently demonstrates that professional psychotherapy for long-term distress, or tor emotional dis- tress caused by an event, “does not appear to have reli- able or powerful effects.” Contrary to the mental health perspective, people, it seems, are surprisingly resilicnt. Although civilian fife is fraught with traumatic events even in “highly privileged cul- tures such as ours,” there is a very low incidence of Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the generat popula tien. Most people do not devel- op symptoms following trau- ma. In fact, even in communi- ties plunged into war the life- time prevalence of PTSD is very low. In the face of such a poor link berween traumatic events, and fall into less capable hands with almost every new incar- nation, I'd have to say that this present mob hasn’t even got a clue what those old- timers had in mind for the Joe Lunchbuckets of the world. These guys, from the look of it, can’t even spell “princi- ples,” never mind practise any. What we have here aren’t NDPers in any real sense of the term. What we have here are nothing more or less than a gang of rank opportunists, out to feather their own nests and those of their friends, ac . public expense. And it seems they've done an exceptional job of it, wouldn’t you say? As a result, even though Tve been one of those “Joe Lunchbuckets” alt my life, and for most of that time, while working, a card-carrying union member, most recently and the development of svmp toms in the geveral popula tion, one would expect the profession to lose some of its occupational currency. Enter the concepts of “demal” and “repression,” It is with these classical permutations of Freudian trickery that the profession deals with the discrepancy between its theories about human vulnerability ro trauma and the reality of human grit. If vou are not “venting” and tulminating you will be dubbed as being in denial. If you are actually coping you could be “repressing.” Evidence that contradicts the clinician's theory is enlist- ed as evidence of the correct- ness of the theory. It’s a win- win situation in which every behaviour the post-trauma individual shows — adaptive or not — is said to be a conse- quence of the trauma and proof of it. It is also tanta- mount to dangerous and faulty logic. Indeed, the clinical arm of the mental health profession has progressively indulged in errors of reason, leading to a brazen disregard for rigorous inquiry and a routine collaps- ing of fact and belief. Accordingly, “backward reasoning” contaminates most studies of post-event trauma. Here is what happens: A patient presents for treatment reporting various symptoms. with ‘lunchbuckets’ in Local 258, IBEW, I would- n’c vote for this NDP gang. And I've heard trom other former workmates, and some present. union members, telling me that they basically feel the same way. That’s because even some of us usually described as “socialist hordes” have our principles, and some integrity, and we'd be ashamed to be associated with what this cur- rent government have been up to. So please don’t tar aif of us with that same brush, because you'd be making a mistake. The NDP doesn’t speak for all of us, by any means. And I have a feeling they’re about to be reminded of that, at the next clection, which can’t come soon cnough for me. Ray Sutton North Vancouver KIDS--ORGANIZER—TIDY (and a happy mom too!) Kids will find it easy to keep their rooms tidy with our closet organizer. We can even customize to include spaces for their weirdest requests! Ask for a free estimate 1385 Crown St. North Vancouver WOODLINES CUSTOM BUILT FURNITURE FOR HOME OR OFFICE Mon-Fri Saturday Sam-Spm 10am-4pm_ syn mann snes 49} pRERAAG DUDA LEIS GSTASAR SY Friday, May 21, 1999 ~ North Shore News — 7 ng the value of grief counsell She tells of an event or a per- son, Which she thinks is responsible tor her symptoms. The clinician then inters that the event or the person imph- cated by the patient is the source of the symptoms. Wrong. Controlled investigation indicates that well-functioning individuals tend to report as many pathological experiences as do people who don’t fune- tion well, Using the same faulty logic you would have to conelode thar their trauma caused their successes. Even among the small number of people who do develop self-defeating symp- toms after an event, the evi- dence does not implicate the event as the main culprit. Once again Prot. Bowman's review of the litera- ture shows that “individual qualitics are more powerful by far in explaining post-traumat- ic distress than the event itself.” Surprise, surprise: could your character be the most powerful variable in shaping your reaction to life’s adversities? On a visceral level we know this to be true. Yer we would sooner buy into the pacifying therapeutic perspee- tive by looking to external causes to explain out ills. Moreover, talking about pro- bity and character is not acceptable. If you admit that the way people deal with rough spots in life is a matter of character, then vou are also conceding that some people might have more or less of it than others. “This we cannot do, Life's ills are supposed to be equal opportunity offenders in our cgalitarian society, striking at rindom. Ultimately, the coloniza- tien of community life by pro- essionals has come at the +, for one, of professional ethics. All manner of crisis, grief and grievance have been appropriated for gain, culmi- nating in the spectre of the courtroom “expert” for hire. For the consumer of this helpless model of humanity, blame can easily shade into lit- igation. Blame, however, never frees people — it only serves to immobilize them further. _gnome@attcanada.net Your Store of Frienudly Ideas San Peduo. Imports 4381 Gallant Ave. Deep Cove © 924-2016 ae ae oe ny crrrenty apPoved el Oll, Lube & Filter f 21 pt. Safeiy check, 15 minutes - FAST! Includes up to 5 lites of 1Ow30 Quakerstate i [ 4362 Marine Drive 980-9n5 J onSat 8:00am-6.00prn, Sun. 9:00am-5:00pmn Expires June 20 J West Vancouver, 926-2221 Keith A. Cameron Barrister & Solicitor 30 years experience MORTGAGE INVESTORS Let me help you with your problems. => Business Sales & Purchases => Wills and Estates => Foreclosures ©> Real Estate Matters Free initial consulzation in a relaxed Deep Cove atmosphere Appointments available evenings