Sunday, January 6, 2013

The Courts are Prescribing Snake Oil and Witchcraft in the name of helping Families

"Because my ex abused my son/ daughter, this stranger (GAL) is deemed a more capable parent than me"
 

Is it any wonder then why any parent when faced with a similar situation would feel anger towards a custody situation they find themselves in? Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators have been “prescribing” courses in anger management for quite some time. One Senior GAL is on record for recommending this because one of the parents was “caustic and controlling”. Are these parent(s) who are given this “prescription” by court officers really in need of anger management? Or is this the “prescribers'” attempt to control (and need to punish) the parent(s) as a result of an unfriendly or hostile interpersonal situation? The courts and court officers appear have not given much thought or “prescriptive” precision in recommending “anger management”.

Anger is an emotion and is not recognized as a diagnosable form of mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association. Anger is not a primary condition but is a secondary emotion and is a part of many situations. The courts order and or prescribe “anger management” without the knowledge, skill or professional experience to know what they are doing with this alleged “tool”. The courts and their officers (GALs and Parental Coordinators) are not clinicians trained to “prescribe” anything, they are reporters to the courts. In making these 'prescriptions' the courts and officers of the courts never describe the 'anger' as being mild, severe, appropriate, inappropriate, controlled or out of control. If it is secondary to psychosis, drugs or alcohol or whether the anger is threatening the safety of others. In 'prescribing' therapy the courts and officers of the courts do not set goals or an end point to 'anger management'.

So are the courts helping the parent(s) that are 'prescribed' treatment or are they delving into an area that they have no business being involved in? Causing more harm to the parent(s) in an attempt to control and manipulate them. It appears that the courts in 'prescribing' 'anger management' are doing nothing more than playing witch doctor in their pseudo-psychological, court 'prescribed' punishment for what is perceived as bad behavior. The reality is that the parent(s) are showing their frustration with a process that is so twisted and warped that it is devoid of any reality.

If you have fallen victim to court 'prescribed' therapy please contact us at MeGALalert@gmail.com for support or like us on Facebook for up to date information.

4 comments:

  1. If anger is not a clinical condition, if anger management is not a recognized treatment, if anger management is evaluated as having no effect, why does it get recommended and "ordered" by Maine courts?

    (a) for power trip reasons?
    (b) for "have to do something" reasons?
    (c) because judges don't know better?
    (d) because it sounds plausible?
    (e) because other judges do it?
    (f) because a GAL as a "professional witness" says so?
    (g) it is less obviously controlling than ordering a lobotomy or shock therapy?
    (h) for all of the above?

    You decided.

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  2. Psychiatry/mental health has been shamefully abused in many totalitarian countries. The former Soviet Union was notorious for using psychiatry as a political tool for controlling dissidents. It is worrying to see this sort of thing in a democratic country.

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  3. When judges give court orders for mental health treatment, because a GAL says so, it has terrifying implications for a democratic society.

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  4. The courts have gone beyond what their roles are supposed to be. It is amazing that this group of under trained people are give such credit and power. I am surprised that there are not more complaints against Judges as well as the carrion that feed off of the scraps that fall off of the divorce plates. Oh! Wait - the complaint process is broken also......

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