something to share

[svinfylking]

Note to mods: if this is out of line, please give me the word and I'll pull it, but I thought this would be an appropriate place to post it. I'm on the Heathen Thing list and I've seen the thread regarding disabled Heathens. As someone living with a disability myself, and who writes extensively, I finally sat down and wrote this over the weekend

Comments

[owlsforodin]

On the list of reasons that I'm studying for a degree in Mental Health, is that I saw a big need for someone in the community (not just the Heathen community, but the greater Pagan community in general) who properly understood psychological matters from a Pagan perspective. Fortunately, my current counselor doesn't make much of my offbeat religion, and that has lead to a lot of progress.

[svinfylking]

I'm glad your counselor is very positive in that regard. Many are not and that is unfortunate because things are pathologized that are an asset to healing rather than a hindrance. One of the therapists I saw was actually supposedly "Pagan-friendly" and had misinformation about Asatru right off the bat, and repeatedly tried to tell me I practice a neo-nazi religion, never mind that not only had I made no racist statements in front of her, but anyone who's seen my friends and extended family knows this to be a false and laughable statement. I felt this was needed for people who are currently seeking services and want to have it clear from the get-go that for positive mental health to be put in place, spiritual choice needs to be respected :)

Thank you :)

[exeyel]

No offense intended as I'm sure this letter conveys for you to whomever what you wish it to convey, however there are a few suggestions that I would make regarding it

[exeyel]

Correction : Similar may work well for others here, who knows.

[exeyel]

Also the fact that there is a large scholastic involvement in heathenry (however one feels about various figures they all seem to get along well together even the ones who have followers who can't seem to understand that) should be something of note and to lend credibility to the pursuit. Doctorates aren't just handed out, nor are such extensive works produced without dedication and years of learning.

[svinfylking]

I'm aware of that as I'm looking into pursuit of a degree in Germanic studies.

[winterlion]

I could have used something like this back when I came into conflict with mental health folks.

I managed to make it by through demonstrating that what I was working with coincided with conventional self-esteem building and other positive exercises. It wasn't easy.

That was many waters ago and I'm now - both physically and mentally as well as geographically - in a better place.

[f_to_the_p]

This is great, if anything it is a great basis for anyone. If there is something you want to change people, since no one really thinks about things exactly the same way, you can always edit it. I myself will be putting it into play after a few slight tweeks.

I say thank you! and a great step towards awareness and understanding!

[cartoonmayhem]

Showing the therapists that you know what you are talking about through research and education would certainly make a credible therapist think twice before dismissing you outright as a nutbar. My feeling about psychiatry is that it is about 200 years behind the times of internal medicine. That's because we spent 90 years in the Freud mode, much of the theories now discredited and messing with some really dangerous fads such as Transactional Analysis, and prescribing valium for 50 years too long. It took until the late 1990s to find out that it's brain chemistry. Not a moral failing. Why do I know that? In 1999 I was diagnosed with PTSD for reasons I just won't go into right now. But it's related to seritonin levels