Kellevision

The Drama Triangle: Victims, Rescuers and Persecutors

Sometimes called the Karpman Drama Triangle, this is a powerful script which some clients find themselves locked into.   The triangle has three roles: Victim, Rescuer and Persecutor.  These three roles work to form a cycle of blame and guilt which allows all three "players" to avoid taking responsibility for their own emotions, beliefs or behavior.

HUD's Definition of Homelessness

HUD's definition of what constitutes a "homeless" person is disturbing.

Ending Homelessness 2

An interesting debate has evolved regarding how to end homelessness in America. 

Removing "Barriers" Instead of Changing Behaviors

Another meeting with caseworkers and social workers working with homeless clients.  Another opportunity to bite my tongue.

Discounts as a Form of Abuse

When transactional analysts talk about a "discount", they are not talking about getting something cheaper.  They are referring to something much more insidious.  A discount in TA is a way of denying some part of another person and, unfortunately, discounts are quite common in most of our lives. 

Barriers vs. Behaviors and the Homeless Population

I sat in the meeting with case workers and social workers of homeless clients and desperately wanted to bang my head on the table.  The cause of my distress was the word "barriers".  Granted, many homeless clients face serious barriers.  But the way the word barriers was being used during the meeting was indicative of the inappropriate and ineffective ways the social services system approaches problems.

The Secret to Ending Homelessness in America

I read an interesting article at the SLO Homeless website, "Absurdity of the Bureaucratic Mindset" regarding the strategies needed to end homelessness and the absurdity of the current measures being employed and I couldn't agree more.  Providing more affordable housing will not solve the homeless problem.  What will?

Healing the Healer

The Jung at Heart blog has a wonderful article on therapists getting therapy, "Therapist Heal Thyself".  I couldn't agree more that therapists taking responsibility for their own issues and doing their own work is absolutely essential.  This is the first question I recommend asking a potential therapist, "How do you work through your own issues?"  (See the full article, "10 Questions to Ask Your Next Therapist".)  

Mindfulness, Childhood Trauma and Denial

The hot new concept in psychotherapy these days is "mindfulness".  At least the word is new.  Most concepts are just old concepts revisited with new jargon.  This concept is an important one and I'm glad it has been resurrected.  Many of us grew up learning to be out of touch with our bodies, our senses and our emotions.  People who experienced trauma as children and those who lived in repressive households are especially susceptible. 

Freud and Mackenzie Phillips on Trauma and Childhood Sexual Abuse

Recent research is showing that major psychiatric "disorders" may not be disorders at all but reactions to childhood trauma.  Freud discovered the same thing and announced his findings in 1896.  However, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, in his book, "The Assault on Truth: Freud's Suppression of the Seduction Theory" makes an excellent case that the psychiatric community shut Freud down and forced him to recant his findings.