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Sunday, October 21, 2012
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Offenders and Victims - Our misconceptions about child pornography
Disenfranchised-Educators.blogspot.com TheNeoSchoolCounselors.blogspot.com Schoolcounselingpodcsat.blogspot.com Disenfranchised-Help.blogspot.com
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The Police Chief magazine, vol. 74, no. 3, March 2007
By Michelle K. Collins, Director, Exploited Child Unit, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Offenders and Victims
There are several misconceptions about child pornography. Some believe child pornography refers to baby-in-the-bathtub pictures and others are under the impression that child pornography images are 19-year-old women dressed up in pigtails and schoolgirl uniforms. Neither of these descriptions constitutes child pornography. Child pornography is not pictures of teenagers romping on a beach; it is pictures of children, often babies in diapers, being violently molested. Not only did these children suffer the initial sexual victimization, they will continue to be exploited every time their image is traded online among individuals who use these images to fuel their sexual desire for children. These traded images are photographs of actual crime scenes.
As a result of NCMEC’s collecting data regarding child pornography investigations in the United States and around the world, a greater knowledge has been gained regarding the perpetrators of these crimes. In almost all cases tracked by NCMEC, the abuser was an adult with legitimate access to the child victim. In fact, in those cases where the child has been identified by law enforcement, 35 percent of the abusers were a parent of the child victim. Twenty-eight percent of the abusers were neighbors or trusted family friends of the child victim. Although it may be difficult to accept, the offenders who photograph the sexual abuse of children are typically in a position of authority in the children’s life. Not surprisingly, few children disclose their abuse to a trusted adult.
Another disturbing trend investigators have noticed is the dramatic drop in the age of the child victims seen in these sexually abusive images. According to data collected by NCMEC, 58 percent of identified child victims are prepubescent. Sadly, 6 percent of the identified children were only infants at the time the sexual abuse occurred and the images were produced. And although NCMEC does collect information regarding children from other countries who were used in the production of child pornography, most of the children known to NCMEC are from the United States.
Law Enforcement’s Response
Over the last decade, law enforcement has proven itself highly effective in identifying and apprehending individuals who transmit child pornography on the Internet. On a federal level, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are working these crimes effectively. In addition, strong networks of trained law enforcement professionals are working on the state and local levels through the 46 federally funded task forces devoted to stopping Internet crimes against children (ICAC). The successful teamwork among these agencies is reflected in the large number of arrests they make each year.
In the last eight years, there has been a collective awakening in law enforcement regarding the need to identify the children seen in the images. Today, law enforcement considers as part of its mission not only using the child pornography images to charge a defendant but also scrutinizing the images for any possible clues that could lead to the location of the abuse. Many of these children are being abused in the basements and living rooms of their homes across the United States. Few of these children will disclose their abuse to a trusted adult. Thus, in recent years, investigators working child pornography investigations have begun to examine each disturbing image and video to find a clue that could lead to the rescue of a child from an abusive situation.
History of CVIP
In 2002, as a result of the court decision in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition (535 U.S. 234, 2002), the Supreme Court decided that computer-generated child pornography was not considered illegal if no actual child was used in the production of the images. The Supreme Court maintained that these images are not criminal because there is no live victim, hence no real child.
This ruling allowed defendants to argue that the child pornography images found on their computers are actually images of virtual kids and not real children. In response to this defense, many prosecutors try to establish the actual identity of the children seen in the illegal images. Since determining the identity of children in child pornography may be difficult or even impossible, this presents additional challenges when prosecuting cases. CVIP is playing a critical role in helping to ensure the successful conviction of child pornographers.
CVIP analysts, in cooperation with in-house federal law enforcement partners, work with law enforcement and prosecutors to ensure convictions of child pornographers. Most importantly, CVIP analysts closely examine the heinous images for any clues that might point to a location of the abuse. The efforts of law enforcement across the country have been astounding. In the first four years of CVIP, law enforcement has notified NCMEC of more than 900 child victims rescued from the hands of their abusers.
Evidence Reviews
Local and federal law enforcement agencies are able to submit copies of seized child pornography to the federal law enforcement agents assigned to NCMEC, accompanied by a written request that the images be reviewed for identified children. After a review of all of the pictures on the defendant’s computer, a child identification report is provided to the submitting agency listing every single picture containing an identified child. In order to protect the child’s privacy, this report contains detailed information about the law enforcement agency that identified the child.
Image Analysis
The most critical function of CVIP is the ongoing effort to rescue the unidentified children seen in sexually exploitive images. There are many children still suffering at the hands of their exploiters who need to be located. While reviewing evidence submitted by law enforcement, CVIP analysts closely examine the images and videos and document all investigative clues that could lead to the location of a child victim. Once a location has been determined, CVIP enlists the assistance of the appropriate law enforcement agency to identify the child victims. Many children have been rescued from ongoing exploitation as a result of the cooperative efforts between CVIP and law enforcement.
This case highlights the importance of image analysis and cooperative investigations involving federal and local law enforcement agencies. During the course of providing technical assistance to the ICE and U.S. Secret Service, CVIP analysts reviewed several child pornography images of six prepubescent girls. The CVIP analysts had never seen these pictures before, which heightened their concerns that these children might still be in an abusive situation. Many of the sexually explicit photographs showed the girls in various rooms of a private home that provided critical clues for a location.
CVIP analysts began an aggressive analysis of the images with the hope of identifying the six young girls. CVIP reviewed the images, one by one, and documented a significant number of investigative clues. The first clue that led CVIP analysts to the children’s location was an envelope seen in the background of one of the images. Image enhancement provided the analyst with the name of a storage facility. Internet searches for this company indicated six possible locations in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, area.
The second clue that indicated that the victims lived in the Minneapolis area was a particular picture in which a child’s uniform is seen draped over a chair. Partially visible on the uniform was the text MINNEA. CVIP analysts believed that this clue, along with the envelope, could help law enforcement find the victims. In addition to a possible location, CVIP analysts determined that many of the images were taken with an Olympus digital camera between March and October 2004.
NCMEC referred the case to ICE’s field office in Minneapolis. ICE agents coordinated the investigation with the Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Burnsville Police Department. The investigators created a mini-taskforce and successfully identified all six children within a few days. During the search warrant of the abuser’s home, many of the items seen in the photographs were seized as evidence. The U.S. attorney’s office successfully convicted the producer of these images on 24 counts of manufacturing child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Newly Identified Victims
During the course of child sexual exploitation investigations, law enforcement investigators frequently encounter children who have been pornographically photographed or videotaped. It is an unfortunate reality that many of these pictures will be uploaded to the Internet for the enjoyment of others. It is often difficult, if not impossible, for law enforcement to determine whether photographs of locally identified victims have been traded with others. NCMEC can generate reports for law enforcement documenting where specific pictures have been seen. These reports have been incredibly helpful to law enforcement and prosecutors who were looking to ensure convictions on charges of distribution.
More than 900 children seen in these horrific images already have been identified, but there are many sexually abused children who still need to be rescued. It is critical that law enforcement agencies notify NCMEC when they’ve identified a child who was pornographically photographed, whether they believe the images were distributed or not.
Victim Identification Laboratory
Every week, CVIP staff members view thousands of illegal images of children where the victim appears to be in the United States yet has not been identified. CVIP analysts work to identify the location of these children by looking for distinguishing clues in the background such as newspapers, calendars, and envelopes. Such unique identifiers may not be recognizable to CVIP staff members, but it is highly probable somebody may recognize them. Based on the assumption that more children can be located if more people are looking at the backgrounds, NCMEC created an aggressive new tool in the fight against child pornography called the Victim Identification Lab.
In summer 2006 the first-ever United States–based victim identification lab was launched at the Crimes Against Children Conference in Dallas, Texas. It was a cooperative effort involving NCMEC, the ICAC task forces, the FBI, ICE, and the USPIS. The purpose of the lab was to create a secure environment where law enforcement officers could review sanitized, nonpornographic images that contain potential clues in the background that may be regionally identifiable.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Parents, Teens and Drugs: The Conversation II
By
EDITED BY I, PRAETORIAN AND A HOST OF OTHERS (PERSONALITIES)
although I believe very strongly in the need for parents to take the early drug use by their children as a more serious threat than Many seem to want to believe. Testing SHOULD play a role under some circumstances.
Another problem is that many adults are chronic marijuana users themselves and feel HYPOCRITICAL to the point of denial. Many would rather lessen the illegal drug as a problem than admit that they had a problem.
For starters, my experience shows that many drug-related crimes are seriously under-reported when they occur in middle, upper-middle and even upper-class communities. Generally it’s because the victim and the perpetrator know each other or are even related. No one wants to turn in their neighbor’s kid, their own mom or husband, their best friend or members of their daughter’s lacrosse team.
I am reminded of a good friend of mine during my late teens through my early 30s. Although she did not smoke marijuana she was friends with several older teenagers who did. An older young man from the next street over who was very high at the time, came over and found her at home alone and proceeded to rape my friend. She was 15 at the time. She did not report the crime for fear that her three brothers would kill the young man and most likely they would've. This is a simple but very tragic example of how drug related crime goes under reported in middle and upper middle-class neighborhoods.
Parents, Teens and Drugs: The Conversation II
If you don’t want to be convinced that even “flirting” with drug use is potentially hazardous, you won’t be convinced. What I can tell you is that the data tell a different story.
Prescription medication abuse and addiction are such a serious problem that new medications and treatments are being developed all the time. It is quite a challenge to help people get off these drugs, especially since the withdrawal symptoms are pretty uncomfortable. People’s marriages and family relationships really suffer when a family member is just hanging on until their latest prescription can be filled. How many parents really want their kids “experimenting” on the weekends with oxyocodone, codeine, vicodin, or other medications?
What about ecstasy? Cocaine? What about crack? Heroin? Which one of these would be okay for your kids to experiment with? What would be the cut-off point? Would one line of coke be okay or six lines? What if they liked ecstasy so much that they decided to use it two or three times a months, but only on weekends?
Would you be okay with your child doing opium or LSD? What kind of environment would be “safe” for your son or daughter to hallucinate in? Would you be willing to be there in case they had a bad trip?
What about them using marijuana, which some people believe is safe because it is natural? Tobacco, poison ivy, and the ebola virus are also natural, by the way. Pot use can not only can lead to dependency, but can damage brain cells, cause serious lung disorders, trigger extreme paranoia and anxiety, and create such common and all-consuming apathy that kids have no ambition to pursue their life goals. And yes, it is a gateway drug. As much as I might have argued as a teenager the truth is exactly that. Anyone who has worked with or around recovering addicts understand that the vast majority started at a young age with pot. The people who say it isn’t simply don’t have the facts. Go to any addiction treatment center in America and ask the people who work there and the clients who are in recovery if smoking pot once or twice a week is safe.
What is a reasonable pot budget for your teen to have? Would it be okay for him or her to take money from college funds and use it to buy pot? Would it be okay for them to spend the money they saved for a trip to Europe to spend on pot? Would it be okay if they money that might have been spent on tickets to a ball game or even donating to a charity? Would you be okay with them using the money you earn, i.e., their allowance money?
Where should your son or daughter go to buy pot? What would be okay with you? How much time would you like to see your kid spend smoking pot? Getting and staying high?
Would you let your teen drive drunk? What about high? Most people couldn’t pass a driving test while drunk or high—they’d never show up for the exam in that condition. Why do so many insist it’s just fine to drive that way?
If you have a supportive, healthy family structure (even if you have problems—everyone has problems), your pre-teens and even your teens will trust you and want to talk to you about many topics. Despite the generation gap portrayed in popular media, many teens do in fact turn to their parents for advice. A surprising number of kids also do feel comfortable asking their parents about very serious issues including drug use.
If you have serious problems and rocky relationships with your pre-teens and teens, and I agree many of us do, if they live with you, you still can repair and reconnect with them. Counseling may help.
If you suspect your children are doing drugs, don’t go in there like gangbusters. Unless you regularly have open conversations with your kids, confrontation could lead to arguments.
If the signs of drug use are there (see the post, The Seven Signs Your Kids Might Be Doing Drugs), call an addiction counselor or other qualified health care professional, treatment center, call one of the many hot-lines or see Disenfranchised-Help and Hope for more options. Discuss your concerns with someone. Ask them for advice on how to handle your particular family situation. Asking your child to take a drug test might not be easy, but it might literally save his/her life and the lives of others.
EDITED BY I, PRAETORIAN AND A HOST OF OTHERS (PERSONALITIES)
although I believe very strongly in the need for parents to take the early drug use by their children as a more serious threat than Many seem to want to believe. Testing SHOULD play a role under some circumstances.
Another problem is that many adults are chronic marijuana users themselves and feel HYPOCRITICAL to the point of denial. Many would rather lessen the illegal drug as a problem than admit that they had a problem.
For starters, my experience shows that many drug-related crimes are seriously under-reported when they occur in middle, upper-middle and even upper-class communities. Generally it’s because the victim and the perpetrator know each other or are even related. No one wants to turn in their neighbor’s kid, their own mom or husband, their best friend or members of their daughter’s lacrosse team.
I am reminded of a good friend of mine during my late teens through my early 30s. Although she did not smoke marijuana she was friends with several older teenagers who did. An older young man from the next street over who was very high at the time, came over and found her at home alone and proceeded to rape my friend. She was 15 at the time. She did not report the crime for fear that her three brothers would kill the young man and most likely they would've. This is a simple but very tragic example of how drug related crime goes under reported in middle and upper middle-class neighborhoods.
Parents, Teens and Drugs: The Conversation II
If you don’t want to be convinced that even “flirting” with drug use is potentially hazardous, you won’t be convinced. What I can tell you is that the data tell a different story.
Prescription medication abuse and addiction are such a serious problem that new medications and treatments are being developed all the time. It is quite a challenge to help people get off these drugs, especially since the withdrawal symptoms are pretty uncomfortable. People’s marriages and family relationships really suffer when a family member is just hanging on until their latest prescription can be filled. How many parents really want their kids “experimenting” on the weekends with oxyocodone, codeine, vicodin, or other medications?
What about ecstasy? Cocaine? What about crack? Heroin? Which one of these would be okay for your kids to experiment with? What would be the cut-off point? Would one line of coke be okay or six lines? What if they liked ecstasy so much that they decided to use it two or three times a months, but only on weekends?
Would you be okay with your child doing opium or LSD? What kind of environment would be “safe” for your son or daughter to hallucinate in? Would you be willing to be there in case they had a bad trip?
What about them using marijuana, which some people believe is safe because it is natural? Tobacco, poison ivy, and the ebola virus are also natural, by the way. Pot use can not only can lead to dependency, but can damage brain cells, cause serious lung disorders, trigger extreme paranoia and anxiety, and create such common and all-consuming apathy that kids have no ambition to pursue their life goals. And yes, it is a gateway drug. As much as I might have argued as a teenager the truth is exactly that. Anyone who has worked with or around recovering addicts understand that the vast majority started at a young age with pot. The people who say it isn’t simply don’t have the facts. Go to any addiction treatment center in America and ask the people who work there and the clients who are in recovery if smoking pot once or twice a week is safe.
What is a reasonable pot budget for your teen to have? Would it be okay for him or her to take money from college funds and use it to buy pot? Would it be okay for them to spend the money they saved for a trip to Europe to spend on pot? Would it be okay if they money that might have been spent on tickets to a ball game or even donating to a charity? Would you be okay with them using the money you earn, i.e., their allowance money?
Where should your son or daughter go to buy pot? What would be okay with you? How much time would you like to see your kid spend smoking pot? Getting and staying high?
Would you let your teen drive drunk? What about high? Most people couldn’t pass a driving test while drunk or high—they’d never show up for the exam in that condition. Why do so many insist it’s just fine to drive that way?
If you have a supportive, healthy family structure (even if you have problems—everyone has problems), your pre-teens and even your teens will trust you and want to talk to you about many topics. Despite the generation gap portrayed in popular media, many teens do in fact turn to their parents for advice. A surprising number of kids also do feel comfortable asking their parents about very serious issues including drug use.
If you have serious problems and rocky relationships with your pre-teens and teens, and I agree many of us do, if they live with you, you still can repair and reconnect with them. Counseling may help.
If you suspect your children are doing drugs, don’t go in there like gangbusters. Unless you regularly have open conversations with your kids, confrontation could lead to arguments.
If the signs of drug use are there (see the post, The Seven Signs Your Kids Might Be Doing Drugs), call an addiction counselor or other qualified health care professional, treatment center, call one of the many hot-lines or see Disenfranchised-Help and Hope for more options. Discuss your concerns with someone. Ask them for advice on how to handle your particular family situation. Asking your child to take a drug test might not be easy, but it might literally save his/her life and the lives of others.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Online Cheating Usually Leads to Physical Encounters
By Senior News Editor
Edited by I, Praetorian MA, PPS, STD, XYZ, July 14, 2011
With the downfall of former Rep. Anthony D. Weiner (D-NY) for sending lewd photos of himself online, it may not shock many to know that virtual infidelity over the Internet or with cellphones is typically the first step toward the ultimate goal of real-life cheating.That is, although sex and infidelity are now only a keyboard away, at the end of the day, there is no substitute for physical, face-to-face contact in our sexual relationships, according to a new study.
Drs. Diane Kholos Wysocki and Cheryl Childers, both sociologists, investigated the behaviors of infidelity on the Internet and sexting — sending sexually explicit text messages and photographs via email or cellphone.
Their findings are published online in the journal Sexuality & Culture.
According to experts, the Internet is now where the majority of people go to find sex partners. And at the same time, the Internet has made infidelity much easier.
In order to explore both sexting and infidelity and understand how people use the Internet to find sexual partners, Kholos Wysocki and Childers placed a survey on a website aimed at married people looking for sexual partners outside their marriage (AshleyMadison).
A total of 5,187 adults answered questions about Internet use, sexual behaviors, and feelings about sexual behaviors on the Internet. The authors were particularly interested in aspects of sexting, cheating online, and cheating in real life.
The survey revealed the following results: Women were more likely than men to engage in sexting behaviors. Over two-thirds of the respondents had cheated online while in a serious relationship and over three-quarters had cheated in real life.
Women and men were just as likely to have cheated both online and in real life while in a serious real-life relationship. In addition, older men were more likely than younger men to cheat in real life.
Saliently, Kholos Wysocki and Childers found that respondents were more interested in finding real-life partners, both for dating and for sexual encounters, than online-only partners.
“Our research suggests that as technology changes, the way people find each other and the way they attract a potential partner also changes. While social networking sites are increasingly being used for social contact, people continue to be more interested in real-life partners, rather than online partners,” the authors said.
“It seems that, at some point in a relationship, we need the physical, face-to-face contact. Part of the reason for this may be that, ultimately, humans are social creatures.”
Source: Springer
Monday, July 11, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Secondary Intervention
In the previous blog posting, we discussed the primary behavioral supports. This time, let’s think about the secondary prevention strategies you utilize, These are defined as specialized group systems for students with at-risk behavior. This targets approximately 15–20% percent of the school population as groups showing at-risk behaviors.
Secondary interventions rest on the first level of primary prevention, school-wide and classroom systems. Without school-wide prevention, we can't reliably identify students in need of targeted interventions. These systems must be in place and used consistently and with fidelity by all staff.
Secondary interventions can be effective in working with this at-risk group of students. Approximately 10–15% of students will respond to the targeted group interventions. Tier 2 small group interventions are strategies and procedures put into place to support a group of students who display similar needs or deficits as identified through the data. These interventions may include:
• Check, Connect, and Expect—This intervention provides for systematic and frequent reinforcement and encouragement for positive behaviors by the staff so that the individual receives high rates of immediate feedback.
• Mentoring—This may be done by staff or peers.
• Coaching.
• Daily progress reports.
• Self-management training—Social stories may be helpful here.
• Social Skills Club—This can benefit all students.
• Student Check In-Check Out in a feedback loop with teachers and parents.
• Ticket/token systems that serve as incentives for and recognize demonstration of pro-social behaviors.
It’s important to consider how to customize our strategies in order to be culturally competent, student-centered, and age-appropriate. Strategies for pre-kindergarteners in an elementary building wouldn’t look or sound like the applications used on a high-school campus.
What are your thoughts on these connections? What kinds of things are you doing for secondary prevention? Do you have success stories with the examples above? With others?
Secondary interventions rest on the first level of primary prevention, school-wide and classroom systems. Without school-wide prevention, we can't reliably identify students in need of targeted interventions. These systems must be in place and used consistently and with fidelity by all staff.
Secondary interventions can be effective in working with this at-risk group of students. Approximately 10–15% of students will respond to the targeted group interventions. Tier 2 small group interventions are strategies and procedures put into place to support a group of students who display similar needs or deficits as identified through the data. These interventions may include:
• Check, Connect, and Expect—This intervention provides for systematic and frequent reinforcement and encouragement for positive behaviors by the staff so that the individual receives high rates of immediate feedback.
• Mentoring—This may be done by staff or peers.
• Coaching.
• Daily progress reports.
• Self-management training—Social stories may be helpful here.
• Social Skills Club—This can benefit all students.
• Student Check In-Check Out in a feedback loop with teachers and parents.
• Ticket/token systems that serve as incentives for and recognize demonstration of pro-social behaviors.
It’s important to consider how to customize our strategies in order to be culturally competent, student-centered, and age-appropriate. Strategies for pre-kindergarteners in an elementary building wouldn’t look or sound like the applications used on a high-school campus.
What are your thoughts on these connections? What kinds of things are you doing for secondary prevention? Do you have success stories with the examples above? With others?
Monday, June 20, 2011
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
|
Parents, Teens and Drugs: The Conversation I
By RICHARD ZWOLINSKI, LMHC, CASAC
Edited by myself: I, Praetorian -MA, PPS, STD, WTF
Once again I would like to remind the reader that I have capriciously edited this peice mostly due to the references to the following gentleman Steve Stahovich of Teensavers, who manufactures and sells home testing kits. I believe that this otherwise important subject is compromised by pandering to Stahovich by ZWOLINSKI which takes away from the credibility of the subject.
There’s been a spirited, well actually a heated, discussion going on at Facebook and by email regarding our blog post that asks: Should parents drug test their teens?
When Zwolinski and crew did the interview with Steve Stahovich of Teensavers, a home drug-testing company, The assumption was made that readers knew the authors weren’t suggesting that all or even most parents should randomly test children for no reason.
They were addressing those concerned parents who noticed signs that their kids might be using drugs but didn’t know that home drug-testing is an option that allows for privacy and protection. They were also talking to concerned parents who don’t buy the myth that it is unavoidable or even normal, for kids to experiment with drugs. And They were speaking to parents who do not believe it’s okay, or even harmless, for kids to use drugs “recreationally”.
The responses from readers were, to me and the colleagues I talked about this topic with, passionate. Perhaps They were most disappointed (though not surprised) by the Facebook comment that says using drugs 2 or 3 three times on a weekend (not sure if this was a one-weekend party or on subsequent weekends) was “normal” for teens.
It might be common, but that doesn’t make it normal. And the difference is serious. Many kids manage to live their lives without even trying drugs once. Many, sadly, don’t.
Some people believe that experimenting with drugs is simply something teens are going to do. This is fatalistic thinking.
First, education and prevention does work. (Not for everybody and not all the time, and only if done skillfully).
Second, until very recently, people all over the world, including the United States, believed that illicit drug use wasn’t a good thing. Now we’re saying since “everybody” does it They have to look the other way.
Remember when you used to want to do something and you argued that all your friends were doing it? Your mom had a great answer for that: “Well, if everybody was jumping off the roof should I say go ahead and do that too?”
I’ve worked with literally thousands of families on every side of this issue. I know that the myth that some forms of illicit drug use isn’t a big deal is the viewpoint that gets the most play. But it actually isn’t the most prevalent viewpoint.
Most parents do not believe using drugs (or alcohol) is a simple, safe rite of passage, even if they themselves tried drugs when they were young. Now that they are adults they recognize the physical and emotional dangers. Sure, not everyone who tries drugs ends up addicted. But addiction isn’t the only danger.
There are many stories. Here’s one: I recently listened to a mom, a teacher, tell her daughter that the reason why she doesn’t want her to smoke pot is because when she was in college she passed out smoking pot and woke up to find that she was being raped. By a fellow student.
Think this is an extreme example? It’s not. Every day at the treatment center where I work, They hear how people were victimized, robbed, assaulted, and yes, even raped, because they were too high to defend themselves. Conversely, They work with parolees and prison groups, made up of men and women who committed crimes while high on drugs.
And in case you think this couldn’t happen in your nice neighborhood, you should know: Not all drug-related crimes happen in low socio-economic areas. I regularly volunteer to speak with kids-at-risk. Most of the neighborhoods where I speak are middle to upper-middle class. it seems to me the author is some what incensed regarding the number of negative replies. Having worked with so many parents I am not surprised at all.
In fact, my experience shows that many drug-related crimes are seriously under-reported when they occur in middle, upper-middle and even upper-class communities. Generally it’s because the victim and the perpetrator know each other or are even related. No one wants to turn in their neighbor’s kid, their own mom or husband, their best friend or members of their daughter’s lacrosse team.
If you don’t want to be convinced that even “flirting” with drug use is potentially hazardous, you won’t be convinced. What I can tell you is that the data tell a different story.
Part II, Coming Soon
Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC is the author of Therapy Revolution: Find Help, Get Better, and Move On Without Wasting Time or Money and is an internationally licensed psychotherapist and addiction specialist with over 25 years experience as well as a consultant to organizations and companies in the fields of mental health and addiction.
Edited by myself: I, Praetorian -MA, PPS, STD, WTF
Once again I would like to remind the reader that I have capriciously edited this peice mostly due to the references to the following gentleman Steve Stahovich of Teensavers, who manufactures and sells home testing kits. I believe that this otherwise important subject is compromised by pandering to Stahovich by ZWOLINSKI which takes away from the credibility of the subject.
There’s been a spirited, well actually a heated, discussion going on at Facebook and by email regarding our blog post that asks: Should parents drug test their teens?
When Zwolinski and crew did the interview with Steve Stahovich of Teensavers, a home drug-testing company, The assumption was made that readers knew the authors weren’t suggesting that all or even most parents should randomly test children for no reason.
They were addressing those concerned parents who noticed signs that their kids might be using drugs but didn’t know that home drug-testing is an option that allows for privacy and protection. They were also talking to concerned parents who don’t buy the myth that it is unavoidable or even normal, for kids to experiment with drugs. And They were speaking to parents who do not believe it’s okay, or even harmless, for kids to use drugs “recreationally”.
The responses from readers were, to me and the colleagues I talked about this topic with, passionate. Perhaps They were most disappointed (though not surprised) by the Facebook comment that says using drugs 2 or 3 three times on a weekend (not sure if this was a one-weekend party or on subsequent weekends) was “normal” for teens.
It might be common, but that doesn’t make it normal. And the difference is serious. Many kids manage to live their lives without even trying drugs once. Many, sadly, don’t.
Some people believe that experimenting with drugs is simply something teens are going to do. This is fatalistic thinking.
First, education and prevention does work. (Not for everybody and not all the time, and only if done skillfully).
Second, until very recently, people all over the world, including the United States, believed that illicit drug use wasn’t a good thing. Now we’re saying since “everybody” does it They have to look the other way.
Remember when you used to want to do something and you argued that all your friends were doing it? Your mom had a great answer for that: “Well, if everybody was jumping off the roof should I say go ahead and do that too?”
I’ve worked with literally thousands of families on every side of this issue. I know that the myth that some forms of illicit drug use isn’t a big deal is the viewpoint that gets the most play. But it actually isn’t the most prevalent viewpoint.
Most parents do not believe using drugs (or alcohol) is a simple, safe rite of passage, even if they themselves tried drugs when they were young. Now that they are adults they recognize the physical and emotional dangers. Sure, not everyone who tries drugs ends up addicted. But addiction isn’t the only danger.
There are many stories. Here’s one: I recently listened to a mom, a teacher, tell her daughter that the reason why she doesn’t want her to smoke pot is because when she was in college she passed out smoking pot and woke up to find that she was being raped. By a fellow student.
Think this is an extreme example? It’s not. Every day at the treatment center where I work, They hear how people were victimized, robbed, assaulted, and yes, even raped, because they were too high to defend themselves. Conversely, They work with parolees and prison groups, made up of men and women who committed crimes while high on drugs.
And in case you think this couldn’t happen in your nice neighborhood, you should know: Not all drug-related crimes happen in low socio-economic areas. I regularly volunteer to speak with kids-at-risk. Most of the neighborhoods where I speak are middle to upper-middle class. it seems to me the author is some what incensed regarding the number of negative replies. Having worked with so many parents I am not surprised at all.
In fact, my experience shows that many drug-related crimes are seriously under-reported when they occur in middle, upper-middle and even upper-class communities. Generally it’s because the victim and the perpetrator know each other or are even related. No one wants to turn in their neighbor’s kid, their own mom or husband, their best friend or members of their daughter’s lacrosse team.
If you don’t want to be convinced that even “flirting” with drug use is potentially hazardous, you won’t be convinced. What I can tell you is that the data tell a different story.
Part II, Coming Soon
Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC is the author of Therapy Revolution: Find Help, Get Better, and Move On Without Wasting Time or Money and is an internationally licensed psychotherapist and addiction specialist with over 25 years experience as well as a consultant to organizations and companies in the fields of mental health and addiction.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy
John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
Psychotherapy is a process focused on helping you heal and learn more constructive ways to deal with the problems or issues within your life. It can also be a supportive process when going through a difficult period or under increased stress, such as starting a new career or going through a divorce.
Generally psychotherapy is recommended whenever a person is grappling with a life, relationship or work issue or a specific mental health concern, and these issues or concerns are causing the individual a great deal of pain or upset for longer than a few days. There are exceptions to this general rule, but for the most part, there is no harm to going into therapy even if you’re not entirely certain you would benefit from it. Millions of people visit a psychotherapist every year, and most research shows that people who do so benefit from the interaction. Most therapists will also be honest with you if they believe you won’t benefit or in their opinion, don’t need psychotherapy.
Modern psychotherapy differs significantly from the Hollywood version. Typically, most people see their therapist once a week for 50 minutes. For medication-only appointments, sessions will be with a psychiatric nurse or psychiatrist and tend to last only 15 to 20 minutes. These medication appointments tend to be scheduled once per month or once every six weeks.
Psychotherapy is usually time-limited and focuses on specific goals you want to accomplish.
Most psychotherapy tends to focus on problem solving and is goal-oriented. That means at the onset of treatment, you and your therapist decide upon which specific changes you would like to make in your life. These goals will often be broken down into smaller attainable objectives and put into a formal treatment plan. Most psychotherapists today work on and focus on helping you to achieve those goals. This is done simply through talking and discussing techniques that the therapist can suggest that may help you better navigate those difficult areas within your life. Often psychotherapy will help teach people about their disorder, too, and suggest additional coping mechanisms that the person may find more effective.
Most psychotherapy today is short-term and lasts less than a year. Most common mental disorders can often be successfully treated in this time frame, often with a combination of psychotherapy and medications.
Psychotherapy is most successful when the individual enters therapy on their own and has a strong desire to change. If you don’t want to change, change will be slow in coming. Change means altering those aspects of your life that aren’t working for you any longer, or are contributing to your problems or ongoing issues. It is also best to keep an open mind while in psychotherapy, and be willing to try out new things that ordinarily you may not do. Psychotherapy is often about challenging one’s existing set of beliefs and often, one’s very self. It is most successful when a person is able and willing to try to do this in a safe and supportive environment.
Common Types of Psychotherapy
Behavior Therapy
Cognitive Therapy
Interpersonal Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
Family Therapy
Group Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Psychotherapy
Understanding Different Approaches to Psychotherapy
Who should Seek Out Psychotherapy?
John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
Psychotherapy is a process focused on helping you heal and learn more constructive ways to deal with the problems or issues within your life. It can also be a supportive process when going through a difficult period or under increased stress, such as starting a new career or going through a divorce.
Generally psychotherapy is recommended whenever a person is grappling with a life, relationship or work issue or a specific mental health concern, and these issues or concerns are causing the individual a great deal of pain or upset for longer than a few days. There are exceptions to this general rule, but for the most part, there is no harm to going into therapy even if you’re not entirely certain you would benefit from it. Millions of people visit a psychotherapist every year, and most research shows that people who do so benefit from the interaction. Most therapists will also be honest with you if they believe you won’t benefit or in their opinion, don’t need psychotherapy.
Modern psychotherapy differs significantly from the Hollywood version. Typically, most people see their therapist once a week for 50 minutes. For medication-only appointments, sessions will be with a psychiatric nurse or psychiatrist and tend to last only 15 to 20 minutes. These medication appointments tend to be scheduled once per month or once every six weeks.
Psychotherapy is usually time-limited and focuses on specific goals you want to accomplish.
Most psychotherapy tends to focus on problem solving and is goal-oriented. That means at the onset of treatment, you and your therapist decide upon which specific changes you would like to make in your life. These goals will often be broken down into smaller attainable objectives and put into a formal treatment plan. Most psychotherapists today work on and focus on helping you to achieve those goals. This is done simply through talking and discussing techniques that the therapist can suggest that may help you better navigate those difficult areas within your life. Often psychotherapy will help teach people about their disorder, too, and suggest additional coping mechanisms that the person may find more effective.
Most psychotherapy today is short-term and lasts less than a year. Most common mental disorders can often be successfully treated in this time frame, often with a combination of psychotherapy and medications.
Psychotherapy is most successful when the individual enters therapy on their own and has a strong desire to change. If you don’t want to change, change will be slow in coming. Change means altering those aspects of your life that aren’t working for you any longer, or are contributing to your problems or ongoing issues. It is also best to keep an open mind while in psychotherapy, and be willing to try out new things that ordinarily you may not do. Psychotherapy is often about challenging one’s existing set of beliefs and often, one’s very self. It is most successful when a person is able and willing to try to do this in a safe and supportive environment.
Common Types of Psychotherapy
Behavior Therapy
Cognitive Therapy
Interpersonal Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
Family Therapy
Group Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Psychotherapy
Understanding Different Approaches to Psychotherapy
Who should Seek Out Psychotherapy?
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