-----Original Message-----
From: Therapeutic Communities
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Anthony Slater
Sent: 18 November 2005 21:50
To:
[log in to unmask]
Subject: 1000 flowers, past,
present, future.
Dear (Craig) and All,
These last few days discussion have brought to me many
things to think about, including my own reactions. In an attempt to continue to
move forward, I would like to share the following experiences and thoughts,
some about the past, some about present time, and some about the future.
1) The lessons
from the past are often mixed, and particularly in the field of therapeutic
communities well documented.
2) The
experiences which took place in the past, of Synanon are one example of this,
why bring this up now? Synanon has been well documented, also more recent
examples of the dangers of charismatic leadership, (though not so much about
what goes well, charisma is not so bad, sometimes).
3) In the early
1990’s I found myself in the company of the director and some of his
staff, who spent some time justifying the use of violence in a well known
therapeutic community. My colleagues and I, of course confronted this
“model of treatment,” as having no place in treatment services of
any type.
4) The
scientific documentation which was available from the past of these types of abuses,
added to the solidarity & experience of “our” position and
values system.
5) What
relevance does this has in the present time?
6) A couple of
years ago during this 21st century , I was able to visit a country
in Central & Eastern Europe, I think the current term is “emerging
country”, where there are two members of the European Federation of Therapeutic Communities. One of the difficulties
being faced locally at that time, was the growing popularity of a
“privately” owned therapeutic community, run by a charismatic
businessman, who had the vulnerable clients “working for him”, when
they objected, violence was used as a therapeutic tool. The country in which
this was located, a former member of the Soviet Union,
in a cultural sense, simply accepted that as the people who were in
“treatment,” were drug addicts, former prostitutes, and former
criminals that this was to be expected, in essence they deserved it, and so, it
was OK. Oddly enough the community member’s families also accepted this approach;
my own view was (when I met them) that perhaps, they felt powerless to do much
about it.
7) After
meeting with the ministers of justice, health and social policy, the wife of
the president of the country, the head of the church, It was possible, with the
help of the staff from the local therapeutic community, acting as translators
and giving me support ( holding my hand ), to explain the values of therapeutic
community treatment, (also the advantages of an integrated system approach to
substance abuse treatment, including methadone and other medical approaches) to
the responsible authorities.
8) It was also
possible to create the possibility of a public debate on television, in
newspapers and professional journals (not English, I’m afraid) with the
businessman / leader/ director/ to explore his treatment regime.
9) He refused
to participate.
10) He lost his
political and economic support, plus his license to provide treatment.
11) Lessons and
experiences from the 20th century, in the context of therapeutic
community treatment in the 21st century, in countries without the
experience which we are fortunate to be able to draw upon, together with our
current levels of broad personal & professional experience, knowledge,
skills, values, and standards of treatment and ethics are essential.
12) Less than two
months ago, I was invited to travel to a former central and eastern European
county, where on this occasion the director of a present day, world wide known
“therapeutic community”, was invited by the responsible authorities
/ government departments to lecture and promote the benefits of his
methodology, ( please excuse me now, if I sound cynical) which is in present time, that in his
therapeutic communities, as long as a community member believes in the
Christian God, then if they have HIV or AIDS, then they will be cured, while in
his programme. ( incidentally the programme does help people with other
problems)
13) I leave this to
you, to react to, but if it is possible to do this, why don’t we all
provide bottles of faith and share this with everyone? (For free).
14) At the moment, (
more present time):
15) There is another
“emerging” country, which is considering the development of some 26
new therapeutic communities for substance abuser’s, they actually want
(amongst other things) to learn form our collective experiences, mistakes and
whatever we have succeeded with.
16) Perhaps, we have
learned something, in this movement from 1960’s passivity to something a
little more valuable?
17) The future: This is
a beast with many heads and agenda’s; the experience which has so far
been accumulated is invaluable. ( For example) :
18) Therapeutic
communities, whether of the transitional or Cull De Sac variety provide the opportunity
for change, for many disadvantaged groups, and most importantly those men,
women & children who are often perceived by the mainstream, as having
little or no value to society and not worth the effort or expense.
19) There are as I am
sure you all know lots of different projects, for different “special
target” populations. However, one particular special needs group which
very few people care to acknowledge, is women, children and men who have been
trafficked for the purpose of prostitution or slave labour. My limited
experience to date draws a picture, wherein almost no-one, whether it is
government or national treatment provider, is willing in real terms, to accept
this group and the challenges that they bring, except in terms of providing temporary
or short term crisis treatment. Then ship them back to country of origin, maybe
we can do better?
20) Why Not?
21) The answer which I
have become familiar with is this: They, “it” is not our problem,
they are just in transition, and we are just a transitional country, along the
way.
22) Interesting? (The
transitional word), perhaps some truth in this expression, in this context,
I’m not sure.
23) To the point, if I
can.
24) Therapeutic
communities, also provide people with the opportunity to change, to move in a
different direction, to get better, to heal, and perhaps in some ways, to
re-invent themselves.
25) Some time ago,
following a number of discussions, an old abandoned monastery was pledged for
the purpose of developing the possibility of providing a safe haven, a 21st
century modified therapeutic community, for the provision of treatment to these
men, women, and children to spend time, to create a new life, to re-invent
themselves? (If possible be healed) to maybe find a new future.
26) ( Trafficking
in Humans is the 3rd fastest growing economy, slightly behind the
sale of arms and drugs)
27) What the project
lacks is funding for a minimum of 5 years, to provide long term,
multidisciplinary treatment ( not just a couple of months)
28) Agreement of
support on a broad European level.
29) Protection from
violent traffickers.
30) If there is anyone,
on this discussion list, who has the skills, experience, and willingness to
bring to this venture, then I and my associates will be pleased to hear from
you.
31) As for me,
I’ll have more time to make available to work with this in 2006.
32) Craig, if you have
anything in your archives, which you think could help in this challenge, please
let me know.
Anthony
Anthony Slater,
Director: Phoenix
Haga.
President: European Federation of Therapeutic
Communities.
c/o Phoenix Haga, N
- 1850 Mysen, Norway.
Tel: + 47 69 89 82 50.
Fax: + 47 69 89 82 51.
e-post: [log in to unmask]
http://www.phoenixhouse.no
http://www.eftc-europe.com