Unintended consequence of peer run organizations
In the summer of 2016 I stopped working as a trained mental health and addictions practitioner as a volunteer in the organizations, Pandora Arts Collective Society, Our Place Society and the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society Victoria in Victoria city, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada. At the Pandora Arts Collective Society I was a studio liaison bridging the gap between studio participants and community members on the board of directors. At Our Place Society I analyzed symptoms of schizophrenia by working one on one with individuals in the drop-in center and at the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society Victoria I engaged with a group while observing the group process of people with schizophrenia. To me, each of the three organizations had one common theme and that was schizophrenia. Out of experience I noticed that each individual that I engaged with was unique, and on a macro-level – each organization I was inside was unique as well. On reflection of my four years of hands-on experience and working shoulder to shoulder with individuals with a diagnosed DSM psychiatric label of schizophrenia in Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada I would like to mention two main components. First, it is in my humble opinion that psychotherapy needs to be re-introduced into the Victoria City Medical system and second, it is in my semi-professional expert opinion that, it is not the clients with schizophrenia who are resistant to changing, but rather the management of the organizations which take care of the clients with schizophrenia who are resistant to change. This phenomenon hinders positive personal development in clients and can lead to an increase of symptoms of psychosis and schizophrenia. I believe this to be an unintended consequence of a community run, peer run and non-medically run organization.
(If you request any information regarding my findings, please contact me by e-mail and I will be happy to communicate in more depth on this topic).
Note: Visual Connection Mapping will continue in the private sector.
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