What is START? It is a model of short-term psycho-dynamic psychotherapy that was developed at the McGill Mental Health Service in the years 1995 to 2006 for the treatment of emotional distress in students. It us specifically oriented towards an adolescent or young adult population, though it is effective in any age group. It was […]
Evan Tran and the Sad State of University Services
The news of Evan Tran’s tragic death should give us all a pause to think. Here is another talented, well liked young man who decided to take his own life. There will undoubtedly be numerous articles written about the hardship of “mental illness” and the difficulty faced by university student services in providing help to […]
Umpqua shooting: When will the Violence Stop
It is too early to understand the details or motivation in the tragic shooting at Umpqua Community College. What we can be sure of is that there will be the usual rhetoric about mental illness and gun control. What there will not be is any solution to the growing problem of violence on campus. It […]
McGill Mental Health Service Intent on Labelling and Medicating Students
A student waits two month for an appointment at the McGill Mental Health Service. When eventually seen, he is given a diagnosis of “bipolar 2” after just six minutes and then handed a prescription for an antipsychotic. When seen outside of McGill fro a proper assessment, it is clear that both the diagnosis and […]
The Law of Averages
In most professions in life, average implies not too bad. One isn’t getting the best, but hopefully one isn’t getting badly treated. The average car mechanic will be perfectly good at doing an oil change or general repairs. The average family doctor will be able to handle most common ailments, like high blood pressure, sore […]
Donald Trump, Stephen Harper and Mental Health
There is much that can be said about Donald Trump’s and Stephen Harper’s views on mental health. Both seem intent on labelling people and seeing “mental illness” as the root of many of society’s problems. In their approaches one can understand the real cause of emotional distress in our societies. Both men, and to some […]
Why Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is a Fraud
A recent study (Johnsen, Tom J.; Friborg, Oddgei 2015) titled The Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Anti-Depressive Treatment is Falling: A Meta-Analysis indicating that over the years studies on CBT for depression are showing progressively poorer results should come as no surprise to anyone who actively works with real people. The findings should […]