11-17-2014 Global:
Over the past few decades, we've seen a rise in different interactive technologies and new ways of using them to treat various mental problems. Among other things, this includes online, computer-based, and even virtual reality approaches --to-- cognitive-behavioural therapy. But what about using robots to provide treatment and/or emotional support?
In recent years, the field of robotics has advanced to the point that social robots have become increasingly common. Defined as an "artificially intelligent system that has a physical embodiment, is autonomous, and interacts and communicates with humans," social robots such as Tico, Jibo, and iCub are already moving beyond the laboratory to interacting with people in real-life environments. Some social robots such as Hitchbot have even become media stars and their potential to do far more is just beginning to be understood.
Some researchers have already coined a new term, robotherapy, to describe the different ways that social robots can be used to help people in need. This includes specialized robots for helping children, adults, or the elderly with cognitive, social, or physical problems. Not only can robots be available twenty-four hours a day, but they may also help with the growing shortage of trained support workers, especially for older adults with dementia. Research has already shown that social robots can help improve the quality of life for many people who might otherwise "fall between the cracks" due to not having the help they need.
To read more, check out my new Psychology Today post. ..Source.. by Providentia
November 17, 2014
The Rise of the Robot Therapist
September 6, 2014
Op-ed: More can be done to stop sexual abuse by therapists
9-6-2014 Utah:
Each major mental health profession subscribes to a code of ethics that strictly prohibits sexual contact between a therapist and client due to the imbalance of power and innate vulnerability associated with the fiduciary context of the therapeutic setting. While the majority of therapists are ethical, those who are not create a significant problem for both the credibility and integrity of the mental health professions.
Most importantly, the damage and hurt imposed on a vulnerable client when sexual contact occurs often ruins individual lives, breaks up families and disrupts communities. It is insidious and often kept secret. Clients report feeling embarrassed and confused, and they blame themselves. Worse yet, the issues which prompt individuals to seek assistance are often compounded, leading to an overwhelming sense of despair and even suicide. Many times, but not always, clients who report sexual contact with therapists are also victims of childhood sexual abuse, rape or other sexual trauma.
It shouldn’t happen, but it does. And it happens in Utah. To highlight the prevalence of sexual misconduct by mental health professionals, we need not look further than our own neighborhoods. Comparing registered sex offenders in Utah to therapist sexual misconduct offenders in Utah, a troublesome image is brought to reality. As of May 2014, the state lists 7,006 registered sex offenders out of 2,900,872 people, or 0.24 percent. In the therapist group, there were 77 offenders just in the past 18 months, out of 7,206 total workers = 1.07 percent. This is more than 4 times the rate of the population! This is a highly statistically significant increase and is evidence that the therapist group commits offenses at a higher rate than sex crimes in Utah’s general population.
So where does a person turn for help when the help hurts? The state relies on self-policing therapists, ethics codes and governmental boards which can only offer professional sanctions. With existing loopholes in Utah law, there are no real deterrents to significantly curtail this type of sexual exploitation and truly protect the public.
A set of national recommendations, in the form of model legislation, is currently being considered by lawmakers for the upcoming 2015 legislative session. The four pillars of the policy proposal are mandatory criminal background checks, with an emphasis on administrative findings containing sexual misconduct, information linkage to prevent state hopping for licenses, requiring mental health ethics boards to become mandatory reporters and providing guidance on a consumer awareness packet which educates clients on expectations for therapy.
Cultural shifts are sorely needed to stop victim-blaming and to make this behavior criminal. Therapists and governmental entities are not immune from this way of thinking. In fact, the bourgeoisie attitude among many practitioners and governmental decision-makers is one of mere toleration concerning the proletariat consumer-victim.
It takes considerable effort on the part of advocates to explain the nature of damage that comes from this type of exploitation. Additionally, when the Utah Criminal Code (76-5-406) entitled, "Sexual offenses against the victim without consent of victim — Circumstances," states that you must reasonably resist. It implies that victims must act in a specific way and that one is not a victim if they don’t resist enough.
While the intent may be to protect vulnerable people from being exploited, the paternalistic fashion and burden placed on the victim does not serve the purpose of the statute, nor does it furnish needed protections for vulnerable people.
Therapist-client sex may never go away completely, but efforts to secure protective laws and create a culture which does not tolerate exploitation of any kind are worthwhile. ..Source.. by Amy Coombs is a policy advocate, lobbyist and national responder for the Therapy Exploitation Link Line network (T.E.L.L.). She lives in Lehi.
April 29, 2012
What could have caused Jamie Geer to turn into a sex offender?
4-29-2012 Florida:
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Former Clearwater Fire Chief Jamie Geer is set to spend the rest of his life in prison after he was found guilty Friday of sexually abusing a young girl he knew for nearly a decade.
10 News wanted to know what could cause a man like Geer to turn into a sex offender, so we turned to Sarasota psychologist Dr. Robin Wilson, who said loneliness and a hard time interacting with adults are among the reasons some people become sex offenders.
"They kind of gravitate to children because they're less threatening. They're more open to kind of being directed in certain ways and I think there's a thrill to it as well," said Dr. Wilson.
Dr. Wilson, who's been counseling sex offenders for years, said it's either they prefer children sexually to begin with or something in their life triggers that type of behavior. He thinks that may have been the case with Jamie Geer. "Some stress, some work related stress, some situations with his family relationships, if he was having problems with his wife," he said.
The psychologist added, though, that there really is no profile when it comes to identifying sex offenders beforehand, and they're often good at hiding their interests.
Dr. Wilson said it's up to parents to play an active role in their children's lives. "Spend a lot of time asking them about what they do. Take an interest in the lives their children are leading, and to be really open with them, that it's OK to talk about anything," he said.
He adds that 90 percent of the time children are victimized by someone they know and trust.
According to Dr. Wilson, there has been more psychological treatment offered to sex offenders over the past 10-15 years. Those who finish treatment re-offend at a much lower rate than those who don't seek treatment. The vast majority of sex offenders are treatable, Dr. Wilson said, but of course, that means there are others out there who are not. ..Source.. by Althea Paul
March 1, 2011
Positive approach key to sex offender change
3-1-2011 National:
Trailblazing authors have walked the walk for 40 years
John distorts his offense history and refuses to accept his sexual deviance. Although the other members of his treatment group vigorously challenge him, they are not fully transparent in their own disclosures. The therapist feels stymied. What should she do?
First, she should abandon confrontation and negative labeling. Next, she should race lickety-split for her computer and order a radical new book that will help her succeed as a therapist and also feel better about herself.
The visionary book is Rehabilitating Sexual Offenders: A Strength-Based Approach, written by the team at Rockwood Psychological Services in Canada. Under the leadership of Bill Marshall, a pioneer in the field, the program has successfully treated sex offenders for 40 years. Unlike most sex offender treatment programs, Rockwood has a negligible refusal rate and a negligible dropout rate. Offenders enter therapy, they complete therapy, and when they get out they are very unlikely to reoffend.
Therapist is the key
As psychologists know from the general treatment research, the therapeutic alliance is a primary factor in successful therapy, with more impact than any specific theory or technique. With sex offenders, who are often mistrustful and reluctant to enter therapy or disclose information that may be used against them, the therapist is even more critical, accounting for between 30% to 60% of change.
Like anyone else (only more so), John isn’t going to benefit from confrontation or shaming. Instead of being critical or judgmental, an effective sex offender therapist is empathetic, warm, respectful, and even humorous at times.
Toss out those iatrogenic labels
Language is powerful. When we call people names -- pedophile, rapist, offender, sex offender, deviant – we encourage their negative and harmful beliefs about themselves. That certainly doesn’t reduce shame or foster change.
Instead, the Rockwood authors (Bill Marshall, his son Liam Marshall, Geris Serran, and Matt O’Brien) focus on strengths, invoking a vocabulary heavily influenced by the positive psychology movement and motivational interviewing.
Their guiding principle:
Inside every offender is a good person waiting to throw off the burden of his dysfunctional past. It is the therapist’s job to facilitate the emergence of that good person.
For the remainder of this excellent post: by In the News, Karen Franklin
