Radicalization: Rebel With (or without) a Cause, Any Cause.

by Stephen B.Chadwick, MA Counselling Psychology.

www.cowichancounselling.ca

Patty Hearst

So, Dear Friends,

It has been a while since I last posted, being very occupied with many other concerns. However I have been asked by a follower to elaborate a bit on the phenomenon of radicalization. Especially since we have of late been witnessing it so much in the media in the last number of months, what with the ISIS beheadings and of course, here in Canada, what has happened recently with Patrice Vincent and Nathan Cirillo.

The way I view the radicalization of young people seems to be not just one single answer, like: "they're brain-washed" but rather a combination of factors. Anybody remember Patty Hearst?

Or for that matter the Baader-Meinhof Group or "Rote Armee Fraktion"?

Or the "Moonies" as members of the Unification Church were once called?

Radicalization is perhaps then just the same type of phenomenon exhibited in other forms and in other times and eras.

Looking from the Outside In

by Stephen B.Chadwick, MA Counselling Psychology.
www.cowichancounselling.ca

Often when you`re stuck in the middle of a problem, especially an emotional problem, conflict or crisis it can be extremely difficult, if not next to impossible, to get any kind of perspective on your own personal situation and what you youself might be grappling with.

Self-questioning, self-doubt can come up and the "gift" or "benefit" of having some empathy for yourself or self-forgiveness or just  "cutting yourself some slack" becomes crucial to healthy, psychological functioning.

In fact, this post could well have been called: D.I.Y. "How to cut yourself some slack"!

Check Out My YouTube Channel!

Hi Friends,

Just in time for Halloween, I've posted a new video on Halloween and the psychological meaning(s) behind the wearing of masks and costumes in different cultures.

Videos on Mental Health Topics

by Stephen B.Chadwick, MA Counselling Psychology.
www.cowichancounselling.ca

Hello, Dear Friends,

In the next day or two, I shall hopefully be coming out with a series of videos on mental health and mental health-related topics. My intention is to bring out about one video a month, depending upon how busy I am.

For this first video, I shall be talking about Hallowe'een. Don't worry -- It's not a scary topic!
I shall give/post the link in a day or two and it should be available either on youtube or through a link either on this blog or on my website.

Take Care,

Steve.

I welcome comments, questions for clarification and dialogue respectful to this post and any others.

If you are interested in this or other posts, why not click on the Google + button or submit your email, either way, and follow this blog?

War Memorial Shooting in Ottawa: Dealing with the after-effects

by Stephen B.Chadwick, MA Counselling Psychology.
www.cowichancounselling.ca

Corporal Nathan Cirillo

Today in Ottawa, with the event of the shooting of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Corporal Nathan Cirillo at the War Memorial, which follows almost two days after 2 other CAF members were rundown by a recently radicalized Canadian, the bubble on Canada's mythical belief of a land of peace and tranquility has been burst.

As a Canadian myself, I think most Canadians would like to think that we, as a middle power, could rest on a point of pride that we "negotiate" in our country. We would like to believe in the myth that we are a relatively safe, peace-loving society and that we have no need for ramped up security. We pose no threat to anyone. 

However, now with what has happened, we will have to deal with the trade-off between security or safety and privacy restrictions or freedom. Moreover, Canada will now begin to feel for the first time, as a nation and society, what other, more war-ravaged countries have felt for a while, since the advent of global terrorism: paranoia, anxiety and group post-traumatic stress disorder.

However, we can get through this.

The Blame Game

by Stephen B.Chadwick, MA Counselling Psychology.
www.cowichancounselling.ca

A Follow up from the Identified Patient

So dear friends, in my last post I talked about the "identified patient" or "I.P." and how the identified patient is the one member of a family who usually comes in or is sometimes dragged in to therapy. This is because, rightly or wrongly, the "I.P" is the "one with the problem", who has, or is causing, or even IS the problem (in the opinion/estimation of the family).
This sets up the fiction that the rest of the family HAS no problems..... other than of course the identified patient.

Now the other piece that comes out of this story and follows naturally from it is that if and/or when the I.P. goes into therapy and starts to get better it presents other unique problems for both the IP and the family.

PTSD, Corporal Ron Francis and Institutional Aggression

by Stephen B.Chadwick, MA Counselling Psychology.
www.cowichancounselling.ca

Dear Friends,

I wanted to continue on from my last post on "The Identified Patient" with the part two, which is The Blame Game, however as of today, October 7th, 2014, it was reported, at least in Canadian national news, that Corporal Ron Francis, who was a member of the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) had in fact committed suicide.

RCMP Corporal Ron Francis returning his uniform, in tears.

This poor man, had made national headlines last year as he had been found smoking marijuana while in uniform. And while, yes, smoking marijuana while in uniform, is probably not becoming of an officer of the law, Francis stated that this was due to his PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which had had a cumulative effect upon his mental health.