Extreme States of Mind

Helping the developmentally different.

by Dan Edmunds, Ed.D., D.D., B.C.S.A.

Young Persons and Extreme States of Mind

How do we address the needs of our seriously distressed children and adolescents? Read More

Voices in the Wilderness and Sacred Madness

There have been those in various generations who were voices in the wilderness, who through very unconventional ways brought attention to the problems and oppression of society. These individuals were possessed with sacred madness. Read More

Revisiting the Important Work of R.D. Laing

Exploring the importance of the work of humane psychiatrist, R.D. Laing in an era of over-medicalization. Read More

World Autism Day: Forging Emotional Connections

I met with a 5-year-old autistic boy who was non-verbal. He came into the office and began banging his hands on the computer keyboard. The secretary’s immediate response as it typical was to suppress that behavior and make it go away. Instead, I told her to let him go. Read More

Concepts of Recovery: Thinking Outside the Biopsychiatric Paradigm

About a year ago I participated on a television panel which discussed the antipsychotic drugs and the massive settlements pharmaceutical companies paid out. A psychiatrist on the panel compared the need for these drugs for psychoses as comparable to a diabetic needing insulin. Read More

The Child's Journey Out of Despair: The Power of Understanding and Journeying With the Other

This reflection is based on the actual experience of a young person I encountered in my therapeutic work. Read More

Breaking Down Barriers and Creating a Genuine Therapeutic Alliance

A 16-year-old young man came to see me at the clinic. He was in immense suicidal despair. He explained that his father had been frequently absent from his life, making promises, and then leaving. His father always disappointed him. Read More

Creating Places of Sanctuary for Those in Extreme Distress

a police officer suggested that maybe this young man just needed a safe place to settle for a time and be free from the distress within his home. I concurred. Read More

He Hears Voices: Validating the Experience

I encountered a young man, around 12 years old, who was hearing voices. Prior "treatment" included: prescribing psychotropic drugs to suppress the voices or telling him to ignore the experience. During my consultations with him, I sought to journey with him, to build a connection where he would feel safe to share his experience. Read More

Seeking to Understand the Metaphorical Language of "Psychosis"

I was contacted on one occasion to conduct an assessment and consult with a family in regards to their son who was in his early twenties who had been involuntarily committed by his father to a state mental hospital. As I entered the facility, wondered how any in this place could not feel worthless, depressed, and mad. I entered to meet John. Read More

Extreme States and the Power of Journeying With the Other

I recall working with a young man who had undergone sexual trauma at the age of 4. He lived in a chaotic family with an aggressive, addicted father. There was little positives spoken to this young man. He had an extensive history of psychiatric hospitalizations. Read More

Dan Edmunds, Ed.D., D.D., B.C.S.A., is affiliated with the International Center for Humane Psychiatry and the European-American University.

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About Extreme States of Mind

Exploring approaches to extreme states of mind (schizophrenia and other psychoses, bipolar) that consider the experience of the individual and is based on the importance of relationship.