Hi everyone,
This is an interesting read in this mornings media here in Australia. It
reminds me of when I was in a training with Svagito once. A client was
beginning to move into obvious psychosis and began acting like a child during
the session. He immediately stopped the session saying "I can't help you." She
stopped and went back to sit down. My understanding was that when psychotic
behaviour arises and the person is not yet ready to "act like an adult," leave
it alone. I guess it raises the issue of whether or not to "derole" in FC
also, and whether this is effective or not? What do others think?
Interesting food for thought.
Luv Sadhana
Rebekah's naked death leap 'not suicide'
A woman jumped to her death from a Sydney office building while in a psychotic
"child-like" state brought on during a self-help course she attended days
earlier, an inquest has been told. Forensic psychiatrist Dr Michael Diamond
told the inquest the use of childhood regression therapies in the type of
course Rebekah Lawrence had attended was "risky" and "reckless". Ms Lawrence
plunged to her death from the second storey of the Macquarie Street building
shortly before 7pm on December 20, 2005. An autopsy found the 34-year-old had
no drugs or alcohol in her system when she died, two days after completing a
Turning Point course described as a "journey to the core of the human spirit".
An inquest into her death at Glebe Coroner's Court is investigating whether the
self-help course was in any way to blame for the psychosis that prompted her to
jump.
Forensic psychiatrist Michael Diamond told the inquest on Wednesday that the
psychotic state Ms Lawrence was in when she jumped was brought about by her
participation in an "intrinsically unsafe" course. People who observed Ms
Lawrence just prior to her death gave a very clear description of a person
displaying regressed, child-like behaviour, he said. "The petulant behaviour,
the sing-song voice, the taking off her clothes, the coquettishness, the
child-like voice ... these are clear descriptions of regressive behaviour," Dr
Diamond said. "It was something that was actually participated in during the
course, so it's difficult not to see a causal link." Regression sessions were a
normal and good part of therapy, but they must happen in a safe, trusting
environment, Dr Diamond said.
"It's now common knowledge that attempts to do this in short, sharp, controlled
(sessions, or those) targeting regression as the desired effect in an
environment where there are none of the real supports or capacities to deal
with it is a dangerous thing," he said. "And that's why using these powerful
techniques in quite a risky way or even a reckless way is really not
encouraged." Dr Diamond said he had collated considerable material from family,
friends, co-workers and even a counsellor of Ms Lawrence's, and there was no
indication she suffered from any pre-existing mental condition before she
undertook the course. "My conclusion is that there were experiences that she
was exposed to which had a direct causal link to the development of psychosis,"
he said. "There was nothing in her background that would suggest a psychotic
episode but for the psychological experiences in the course she attended.
"Having been exposed to an environment where she was talking through an
evocative regression, it played a significant part in developing the
psychosis." Fairfax also reports that the inquest was told her death could not
be described as a suicide.Dr Michael Diamond reportedly added that Rebekah
Lawrence's mental state was such that "she did not have the capacity to form
sufficient intent to carry out a suicidal plan".The inquest before Deputy State
Coroner Malcolm MacPherson continues.
With Yahoo!7
