Religion, Nudity, Education and P*rn?

       Photo credit: BBC article: educator resigns

Religion and nudity in the same famous 1500's sculpture leads to an educator's termination.   Shame and fear and guilt created this snafu ... a snafu that leads to punishing a leader and teacher.  I'm not sure when adults and children can talk, honestly,  openly and safely in this day and age. #TalkifUwant

"It's beautiful," said the educator, who was forced to resign after students were shown the masterpiece.

 https://news.yahoo.com/principal-forced-resign-over-michelangelos-233037932.html

The 5 most emotional moments ...

These folks were "broken-hearted" by some prejudice and they overcome.   The judges at too many times can be seen and heard saying "I hope s/he is good" maybe blinded a bit by prejudice as well.   In the end,  something like the miraculous appears.

https://youtu.be/xaltQQjcNkg

Make up, Costumes and Courtrooms

PHOTO CREDIT: Austin Lowman and Unsplash

States all across the US are spending hundreds and hundreds of hours to discuss and argue about men and women dressing up in outfits and makeup that is, by some  standard, extravagant, exaggerated or maybe even extreme.  They are elected to serve the people and these lawmakers are asking secretaries, interns, assistants and large numbers of support staff to assist in legislating make-up and costume wearing by people who do so for shows.   They do not however legislate similarly, things as alarming as the mardi gras, halloween and  theatres that bring about shows like Freddie Kruger and the Exorcist; social media is full of freely accessed gore and death of significant disgust uninhibited by our country.  Our governments do this,  all the while knowing and seemingly being okay with, the next phases of what will be going to court to tie up judges, lawyers, and multiple paid members of other "ancillary teams of people" to engage the next legal battlegrounds where juris doctorates, licensed agents of the court and expert witnesses postulate their stances over makeup and costume wearing people. This all costs millions and in time maybe even billions of dollars.  We do not have health insurance in this country.  Our food supply is made with ingredients that many countries outlaw.  Our social security system is not funded beyond a few more years.  Medicare has an accepted "donut hole" where folks have to choose what meds to skip with each new year.  Our state and national budgets are in chaos (many auditors cannot balance the books in some cases).  Childcare workers are paid below poverty wages.   Teachers are training kindergarten children about lockdown, intruder alerts, bomb threats.  Banks are taking fees of various kinds off of every dollar exchanged - and big big ones are insolvent.  Poverty is everywhere.  The leading cause of bankruptcy in the US is healthcare.  Education is legally charging college students $200 and $300 for one college hour, plus books,  plus room,  plus board and an 8% interest rate on the loans to make the "learning" possible.  Churces are empty 4 or 5 days a week and they generate huge amounts of money that can be used for good - also tax free.   Non-profits pay no taxes and they continue to build new buildings for causes such as the right to have a drag show.  The newest holiday that the feds spent weeks recently enacting, as wonderful as it is, is also likely another paid day off from "the peoples work" for a select few in the US - our Federal employees.  I'm sorry, but in a collective and systemic view of things - you absolutely have got to be kidding me.  It is not an exaggeration to say this, although many will minimize the statement to bolster the side taking perpetuation: as people are literally dying the lawmakers of our country, the many arms of our government are tying up and funneling billions of dollars to make up, costumes,  drag shows.  I'll say it again,  you have got to be kidding me. 

Teen Mental Health Crisis by Multiple Perspectives

"The teen mental health crisis is in many ways a natural response to loneliness, isolation, social media, prejudice and oppression" [paraphrased in the opening remarks of day two #PNS2023). Zack Taylor, Director Psychotherapy Networker, March 17, 2023.

PHOTO CREDIT: "Me in DC!"

Missouri and Florida: A mental health precedent heading to court and talk therapists have allot to consider

Missouri is becoming a bit of hot seat for transgender affirming care and mental health providers.  I often talk about and post about alternative views and options also with clients - particularly when right/wrong, all/nothing, good/bad binds emerge, creating severe mental stess.  This topic is certainly turning heads and creating whirlwinds of stress.  It's not really limited to lgbtq mental healthcare services. It's not really limited to providers, parents, religion, rights, laws or even biases.  Besides, there are solutions - where children (what all of this is supposedly about - and I emphasize this point - the children is what this is about) and families and care and laws could refocus a bit.  Getting better.

         Photo credit: Randy Fath and Unsplash.

In this emerging hot seat state, where major university hospital centers and "queer" identifying providers are in federal and state legal/investigation/whistleblower trajectories - from criminal to civil courtrooms and where legislative "battle lines" are increasingly being clearly marked I have to offer this to the rest of us.... there is a third option being overlooked in the provision of mental health care services across the entire United States.  Gender affirming care is only one area - but frankly in all lifelong mental illness care provision, severe and often life long permanent disorders are generated everyday in our country, by diagnosis.  Everday, masters level providers (I am in this category) not doctor level providers, in initial appointments lasting 60 minutes (maybe 75 or 90) label (by clinical and now legal documentation) people, children and adults - lgbtq and straight - with permanent mental disorders - to effect care.  That is to say almost every severe disorder (and oftentimes permanent ones) diagnosed in the mental illness category can be documented, and then billed to insurance payors by a licensed provider in minutes...very very few of these diagnoses' are made with labs, scans, genetics, and valid testing instruments.  Minutes to permanence for billing - often.

Forget the hotbed gender affirming topic for a moment and let that sink in - for both children and adults - a lifelong disorder can be made in a one hour conversation.  And outside of the specialty topic of gender, it is noteworthy to say that very few diagnostics, particularly lifelong ones are withheld from family members under the guise of privacy and confidentiality.  And, if safety (suicide, homicide, self injury, self harm, abuse) is at risk, mandated reporting of some kind and duty to warn laws and or ethics of some kind will require disclosure to caregivers (or other providers) who can generate a higher level of care.

Going back to the hotseat of Missouri and controversies over gender affirming care I would take the above variables (notice there are not only two) and summarize a treatment consideration that would be ethical, legal and reasonable: permanent or near lifelong diagnostics of children should not be done without a disclosure to the parents/caregivers - and - where abuse concerns exist mandated reports are required such that those other systems need to be activated.    Anything else may lead to the perpetuation of increased risks of harm to all involved.  This case is, if nothing else, proving the point of perpetual harm by omitting necessary party involvement where permanent illness, lifelong care and safety risks must be equally and adequately treated.

I've written about treating children for many  years and most providers know that to be critical for overall improved outcomes in treating children families must be treated. Family treatment is needed in children's services, and it is more medically necessary in serious mental illness diagnostics (and rule outs) where lifelong and life threatening variables exist (particularly with a child and his/her/their families). 

So, why and how does any of this (short term  diagnostics with lifelong and often permanent outcomes) happen?  Because of something else I've also written and spoke about: the third party payor system, health insurance and standards of care that are shaped by timed billing related to short and long term diagnostics to facilitate "medically necessary" care and payment.  There is much room for improvement right here...in insurance.  To focus on providers, patients, politics, gender, hospitals, educational systems,  mental illness, laws, religion, parents, children, and healthcare as a whole - and NOT on the payors - to me is the biggest travesty of the conflicts between them that keep us all in court sadly off the treatment focus.  Another complex consideration: insurance payors may be hurting us all ... and they too do not intentionally do so - even if we want to blame them as well.  Money cannot be omitted from costs of care, even by an idealist who wishes it, "rightly" so.

While this article does a wonderful job of identifying the moving parts in gender affirming practices and concerns, labeling affiliations and biases of the players who are making the ruckus - in gender laws and education of children and parental rights - (including identifying another hotseat place I've lived and worked - Tallahassee - oh and where DeSantis also sits) - the drama of winning over the politic aside - too many  variables are overly generalized.  A good problem identification article it is indeed - but the focus of generalizing omits context.  The children AND their families is the context.

You see each child and family scenario can be considered via a clinical and peer review lens (something that is not well/often funded by third party payors either).  And in the whole "don't say gay" drama - I've said it this way ... "but the children" ... we are talking about need to be talked to and included (patients are supposed to be asked what they want in treatment and in treatment outcomes - this is in fact often an insurance mandate, if not an ethical and professional one).

You see, children need treatment - big time in the US.  And if the children do - so do their parents. To exercise confidentiality as a mechanism to engage a child in keeping secrets from their parents may be a misstep in the provision of care.  And to say that "privacy" between child/patient/provider/professional (excluding parents/family) is being done to ensure the child is not abused, suggests collusion out of fear with suspected abusers whereby mandated reporting is being avoided. That is, in my estimation a significant clinical error in the diagnosis and treatment trajectory that occurs when both the patient and the family are not included.  This is phenomenally true in the case of children.  Lgbtq and otherwise.

Why do treatment trajectory errors of this magnitude (lifelong, often life threatening mental health treatment processes) also happen?  It goes back to providers who work in 45 minute sessions, limited by federal, state and private payors where care is limited by time and diagnosis related to "need" and reducing costs in "effecting care".... aka insurance.

I do not believe these topics are solved in the blue or red, right or wrong, all or nothing, evil or good paradigms. Nor do I believe class action lawsuits where members are compensated in ten's of dollars while tens of millions/billions only go to to or stay with a few.  The scenarios highlighted in this one example of a mental healthcare system in some disarray - and child welfare too (I've written about this topic as well) -  are not limited to any group of children and parents and schools and gender and mental healthcare workers and laws and insurance ... but these many variables are what mental health providers must navigate everyday.  Often in 45 minute windows with multiple suicidal and risk of harm scenarios and with as many as 6 to 10 patients in an 8 hour day mental health providers must conclude many impactful stories of people - well - quickly. Add lifelong disorders, if accurately diagnosed with or without gender affirming issues - these same kinds of case scenarios (highlighted directly and indirectly in the gender affirming care article referenced) also occurs with drug use, bipolar, schizophrenia,  autism, ptsd, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, domestic violence, bullying ..... on and on I could go....in 45 minute sessions a provider has allot to consider.

"But the children."

Clinicial assessments of children must include families and family systems.  Risk of harm does not strengthen confidentiality it mandates reporting for safety sake. Secrecy for safety is secrecy that will increase a child's bind and increase risk of negative acting out and self injurious behaviors.  Moms,  dads, guardians, systems to prevent child abuse and mental health providers cannot operate in secrecy - and in health.  Lgbtq or otherwise - secrecy in severity, lifelong disorders and safety risks require involving others in the family (and larger) systems.

Lifelong,  lifethreatening, permanent disorders and treatment needs are not going to be resolved in generalized legal and political hotbeds (Florida, Missouri, The United States).  They are going to be resolved one case at a time. Somehow.

Informed consent, neurobiological training, education, cultural inclusion, cultural reframing and comprehensive care is possible.  These variables are already in place in our mammouth systems of "care."  Accessing them is largely provider dependent, patient navigated, and funded in some way - whether there is sufficient time to do so or not.

Now children, families, providers, institutions, politicians are going to fight it out for some next big change?

If you're reading this, and you've made it this far - I think you must care ...  so if you have time,  give a long read to the entire article linked below and then also give a long read to my website Talkifuwant.com. Search child welfare, children and mental illness, types of providers, lgbtq, nutrition, couples, anxiety, stress, school counseling, adult welfare,  -  all of this "stuff" is covered  there ... problems and solutions.

If you're a parent or guardian or a social services caregiver, a child too (these folks have voices and opinions too by the way) or if you're in law enforcement and politics  - you are a part of the system. All of us are.  Know that what you do with the person sitting across from you matters.  And keep trying.

You/we/they can help - as exhausting and frustrating and maybe even as impossible as it is - one person at a time.

More talking.  More bias training.  More education.  More time with people.  More time with systems.  More inherently healthy focussed advocates ... you/we/they/I can do and get better.

~By Kurt LaRose, with more at TalkifUwant and PsychoBabbleJabble

ARTICLE REFERENCE:
https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/choice-of-lawyers-for-whistleblower-at-st-louis-transgender-clinic-taints-her-motive-critics-say/article_7b36198a-af0d-57cf-a06c-f45952b3b307.html

CRISPR Re-programs DNA Mutations: In 10 years this has worked reportedly 100% of the time - Wow!

CRISPR, in ten years, is transforming how the body works and corrects itself. Sickle cell, lymphoma and other formerly impossible to stop conditions are learning anew - thanks to science like CRISPR.

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The system is not found in the drawers of the refrigerator,  it is nothing less than a scientific wonder!  For more than 10 years this bio-technological system has been gaining ground in the reprogramming of DNA to interfere with mutations.  The mutations, heritable as many are, exist in the body leading to thousands of illnesses, cancers and diseases. With CRISPR (the article explains the acronym) lifelong diseases, terminal illness, and cancers appear to prevent premature deaths.  

PHOTO CREDIT: American Cancer Institute, Unsplash

I'm aware that the word "re-programming" conjures up a bit of a scare, but it's jargon, more than reality, as I see it. In my non-scientific summary it is probably more accurate to say that CRISPR finds the bad stuff, pulls it out, and then supplants it with the corrective action needed - and a better working immune system fixes the problem.  This is just cool....

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"CRISPR has the ability to find a specific spot in a strand of DNA and make a cut, add or swap a genetic "letter" or even a word." ~USA Today, Jan. 30, 2023

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Link Reference: https://news.yahoo.com/decade-crispr-gene-editing-revolution-100015757.html

Guns and horrific things correlate to stress and poverty...

       PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Erfurt, Unsplash

"Nearly all attackers experienced one or more significant stressors within five years of the attack.

Roughly 93% of attackers dealt with personal issues ranging from health problems to divorce, domestic abuse, car accidents, school expulsions, disciplinary actions at work and cyber bullying, among a slew of other challenges.

For 139 attackers — 77% — the stressor(s) occurred within one year of the mass-casualty incident. Seventy-two percent of attackers specifically experienced a financial stressor sometime prior to their attack." - Yahoo news, 1/25/23

~ Here's my take ...

I often speak to clients about the impact of stress.  Not necessarily how to manage it better ... most already know that this is needed. As mental health continues to be stoked as in need of more funding - there is a societal thing to consider too.  Our culture applauds productivity and then attempts to call productivity happiness.  And when productivity is low the "non-productive" are blamed for their "need to do better."  To look at guns,  to look at mental illness and overlook the impact of stress and poverty is a bias of assumption.  Poverty and stress correlate to mental illness and violence.  Psychotic breaks (nervous breakdowns), double binds and the demands of a culture must all be addressed systemically. This article takes a comprehensive look at correlations to gun violence... where stress and money appear to be a major influence to horrific and dangerous things. 

Bullying at a school nicknamed "Suicide High" ...

      PHOTO CREDIT: Morgan Basham, Unsplash

Bullying of this kind is, sadly, not unique to any school, town or city in the US.  From the micro to the macro aspects of what is called "bullying" the pecking order dynamic must be addressed.   Our schools cannot untrain a system that makes this phenomenon occur and schools cannot also then retrain it - by themselves. Adults bully each other online daily by the masses - verbal assaults by grown ups are the communication model that is seen daily by children  with hours and hours of screen time.  A 1:1 teacher student ratio is what would be required to stop bullying.  Education and psycho-education of parents is what is needed too.  Why?  In this article, the one school named, has a nickname that could be making our grown up hearts ache.  Bullying costs lives.  In my work,  in my book, and in my life - bullying is a theme for adults, couples, families, children - at home,  at school, at work and online. ~Kurt LaRose