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February 6, 2012
On Saturday, February 4, 2012, Dale Rosin, D.O., a board-certified psychiatrist and member of the Board of Regents and Clinical Associate of the American College of Orgonomy, presented "Medical Orgone Therapy for Children and Teens: Treating Emotional and Behavioral Problems" at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, Princeton, NJ. Dr. Rosin shares some insight about his presentation.
Why is medical orgone therapy useful in treating children and teens?
Dr. Rosin: "Medical orgone therapy encompasses many kinds of therapies from behavioral to psychodynamic to play therapy to family therapy. The advantage and benefit for the psychiatrist who practices medical orgone therapy is the understanding of emotional functioning that allows for more specific use of various options to effectively treat problems in children and adults, often without medication."
Does medication have a role in treatment?
Dr. Rosin: "A medical orgone therapist may prescribe medication but will always look for a way to lessen the dosage or eventually discontinue it. Also, a psychiatrist should be able to tell you if you need medication, and likewise, be able to tell you if you don't need it. For example, I treated a child who had previously been given the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). After the child was actively able to get a lot of feeling and emotion out during his sessions with me, there was never any need to use medication."
When treating children and teens, do you see the parents as well?
Dr. Rosin: "Yes. Always. A child can never be treated without working with the parents. Parents are an integral part of a child's life."
What types of case histories did you present?
Dr. Rosin: "The case histories I chose to discuss illustrated behavioral problems, attention difficulties, grief, and parenting matters in dealing with young people today. These cases showed that there is an effective therapy that helps both parents and children to function in a better way in everyday life."
Dr. Rosin received his medical degree from the Des Moines University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Des Moines, Iowa and completed his residency in general psychiatry and fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. Dr. Rosin maintains private practices in Somerville, New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania where he treats children and adults. Dr. Rosin has authored numerous articles on the treatment of children and adults in the Journal of Orgonomy.
Join us for our next Social Orgonomy Series presentation, "Clearing the Air: Facts & Fictions about Marijuana" on Saturday, March 31, 2012. Visit our Events page or call (732) 821-1144 for more information.
November 11, 2011
The ACO Press is proud to announce it has published My Eleven Years with Wilhelm Reich by Dr. Elsworth F. Baker. This limited, special edition was released in conjunction with the American College of Orgonomy's public presentation, "Burned but Not Forgotten: U.S. Government Suppression of Wilhelm Reich's Work," on October 1, 2011 in Princeton, NJ. Originally appearing as a series of 17 articles in the Journal of Orgonomy from 1976 to 1984, this is a well-documented account of Dr. Baker's personal experience with Reich from someone who was a student, patient and colleague, who worked closely with Reich but remained objective about him and did not idolize him. In light of recent distortions about Reich and his work, this book shines as a first-hand, historically accurate account about Reich, his work and medical orgone therapy. Visit our online store today to look inside the book or place your order.
Burned But Not Forgotten Event and Banned Books Week
October 4, 2011
On October 1st, 2011 the ACO’s Social Orgonomy presentation event, “Burned But Not Forgotten: U.S. Government Suppression of Wilhelm Reich’s Work,” coincided with the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week. Presenter Dr. Peter Crist tells how learning about Banned Books Week inspired this presentation.
“So few people know that the US government not only banned but also burned Wilhelm Reich’s books. It is truly an astounding historical fact. Ever since the 50th anniversary of Reich’s death a few years ago, I thought that we really should do something to let people know about it, and considered it a perfect topic for one of our social orgonomy presentations. When I also discovered that the ALA’s Banned Books Week would fall in the last week of September, so close to the date of our usual scheduled presentation on October 1st, I thought this would be a perfect time.”
Multiple presenters at the October 1st event spoke about the impact Reich’s ideas and books have had on their lives. When did you first learn about Reich and his work?
Dr. Crist: “I first heard about Wilhelm Reich when I was 16. One of the things that the person who introduced me to Reich said, was that in the Eisenhower administration Reich’s books were burned and he was put in prison. As a teenager, the idea that the authorities could do such a thing captured me. One student in our recent laboratory course also said that as soon as he heard that the books were burned he knew he had to read them. There is something about ideas being suppressed that effects people tremendously.”
What did attendees hear about at the presentation?
Dr. Crist: “I wanted to make a very personal impact by having numerous people who are continuing Reich’s work talk about the books that affected them. Reich is not well known in the popular sense but this has not stopped people from making use of the knowledge he left us or from his still having a profound effect on their lives and careers and the work that they do.”
What was the first book by Reich that you read?
Dr. Crist: “I was exposed early on to all of Reich’s books that were available in print at the time. However, the first book that impacted me most was The Murder of Christ.”
Who were the other presenters?
Dr. Crist: “Presenters were primarily medical orgonomists, both from the U.S. and Europe, but there were also others participating. Some ACO Board of Regents members who spoke included Drs. Dee Apple, Dale Rosin and Virginia Whitener. Many of our Clinical Associates also spoke including Drs. Edward Chastka, David Holbrook, Salvatore Iacobello and Susan Marcel, as well as two from Europe: Drs. Alberto Foglia and Vittorio Nicola. One of our social orgonomy trainees, Carol Freund, MSW also participated.” (See presenter quotes below.)
In your opinion, why did the government burn Reich’s books?
Dr. Crist: “I believe it had a lot to do with how Reich viewed sex and sexuality at a time when such things were repressed. I also think it had to do with his revolutionary, functional approach. In addition to people’s personal reactions to Reich’s works, I described the situation that led to the burning of his books and detailed how this was just one example of multiple attempts in this country and abroad to suppress his work. In this regard, our government was in league with the communists and the Nazis.”
Burned But Not Forgotten Event
September 19, 2011
At our Social Orgonomy series presentation, "Burned But Not Forgotten: U.S. Government Suppression of Wilhelm Reich's Work," led by Peter A. Crist, M.D. on October 1st in Princeton, NJ, numerous professionals and students of Wilhelm Reich's work from the U.S. and abroad discussed the profound impact of Reich's ideas and books on their lives and careers. Below, we share a small sampling of some of their thoughts.
Susan Marcel, D.O., ACO Clinical Associate
"When I read The Murder of Christ, I felt, for the first time, I had found a voice -- Reich's voice, as a clear thinking and feeling, serious guide to the outrageous murder of such a loving, alive human being."
Alberto Foglia, M.D., ACO Clinical Associate
"During the years 1977 and 1978 I was a young, unhappy and miserable man after I was left by my girlfriend. I was looking for something but I didn't know what...Then my brother and I read our first book written by Wilhelm Reich, The Mass Psychology of Fascism, translated into Italian...We had found what we were looking for: the solution for human and our private misery was not in politics but in the loosening of armor."
For more information about our Social Orgonomy presentation series, please visit our Events page or call (732) 821-1144.
New Attacks on Wilhelm Reich and Orgonomy
August 5, 2011
They just can’t leave Reich alone. There is something about Reich’s work and his story that seems to affect people profoundly. They either attack him or idolize him. Either way, people often lose contact with their better judgment and professionalism. It also appears much easier to focus on Reich the man than to critically investigate the merits of his discoveries.
For years a problem for those of us who take Reich’s work seriously and try to develop, as well as find, practical applications for it has been that orgonomy and Reich have been given the silent treatment. We welcome the press bringing Reich and his work “out into the light of day” for a new appraisal in the 21st century, but only ask for decent, serious scrutiny with genuine, honest journalism.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) took the opportunity of a recent book’s publication -- purported to be a well-researched biographical work about Reich by Christopher Turner -- to hire a reviewer, Henry Allen, who rather than assess the book, attacked Reich and perpetuated numerous old rumors, false attitudes and distortions about the man and his work. (Read more about Turner’s and Allen’s “qualifications”…)
Within a few days of the alleged “review,” which, incidentally, appeared on the front page of the WSJ book review section, the president of the ACO, Peter Crist, M.D. submitted a letter to the editor of the WSJ by both e-mail and postal mail to address our concerns about the distortions and poor journalistic standards so evident in the piece. Unfortunately, the WSJ did not publish that letter. Although some key points are mentioned here, you can read Dr. Crist’s letter to the WSJ in full…
In the face of the old and renewed distortions with their typical smutty and salacious attitude toward Reich, we feel it is especially important for those who have a deep appreciation for the value of Reich and orgonomy to simply continue the work of developing and using this new science, and convey undistorted views of Reich and orgonomy to the public. That is the goal of all our work at the ACO including our training programs, public presentations, laboratory courses, and publications.
It is ironic as well as fitting and perhaps fortuitous that prior to this recent attack we already scheduled our next public presentation to be on the subject of the burning of Reich’s books. Set for October 1, 2011 so that it would coincide with “Banned Book Week (also read), this presentation will look at various aspects related to this attempt to silence a scientist who did not follow the accepted views of life and science. It is remarkable how few people even know that Reich is the only person to have his books burned under the authority of the U.S. government. In addition, he is the only person whose books were also burned by the Nazis and banned by the communists.
If others want to make Reich better known to the public, let us use this as an opportunity to set the record straight with accurate information.
"Whenever you interact with another human being, we're talking about social orgonomy."
Dee Apple, Ph.D.
In 2006, psychologist Dee Apple, Ph.D. began the American College of Orgonomy's Social Orgonomy Series with a presentation entitled, "Social Orgonomy in the 21st Century." On Saturday, June 4th at the Princeton Public Library, he presented again with, "A New View of Society & How We Relate: What is Social Orgonomy?" Dr. Apple saw his 2011 presentation as the series coming full circle.
How was this presentation different from what you talked about in 2006?
Dr. Apple: First I want to say how honored I was to give the very first presentation in this series, and it's been exciting to see how much it has grown in five years. My June 2011 presentation was both a reprise and an update -- a chance to present information from a different perspective because I could speak with even greater depth and understanding from my own work and personal life about applying orgonomic principals to the social realm.
What makes your perspective as a psychologist and social orgonomist different from some of the other speakers who have been psychiatrists and medical orgonomists?
Dr. Apple: As a psychologist, I'm very tuned into the social realm, meaning that I tend to focus on the contact -- awareness and perception -- individuals have with themselves, with me in sessions, and in their interactions with others in their lives. It's primarily where I work and think. I consider myself extremely lucky to be working in my field with an orgonomic perspective. The work we do in social orgonomy is not just one other way of addressing the social realm; it's a very unique and powerful perspective based on biological and energetic functions. The concept, "making genuine contact," for instance, is relevant wherever there is an interaction, whether in business, with children, in a marriage, between friends or in organizations.
What exactly does "contact" mean from the orgonomic perspective?
Dr. Apple: Contact is first your awareness of yourself, which requires the sensitivity to be able to be aware of your feelings and sensations, and then to clearly and accurately perceive yourself and the environment around you.
How did you demonstrate the concepts you will be talking about?
Dr. Apple: I put together compelling examples from my practice, daily life, and video clips of current media. One television show I will talked about is Kitchen Nightmares, where a famous chef visits failing restaurants around the country and tries to turn them around. In one episode, a totally dysfunctional family restaurant owned by a mother and two sons was going out of business because of complete disorganization and a lack of contact between the manager and the cooks. The chef broke through their contactlessness by literally grabbing the manager and yelling at him to stop what he was doing. This one interaction changed the whole restaurant for the better. Without knowing anything about social orgonomy, the chef was utilizing the idea of contact and excitation.
I also discussed how people have become dependent on "substitute contact" including video games, cell phones, texting, and the social media such as Facebook. There was a great article in the New York Times titled, "Quality Time Redefined." It talked about how even when families are together in one room, dad is watching TV, mom is on her iPad, and the kids are playing a video game: They are physically all in one room, but they are not together. And the people featured in the article actually thought of this as quality family time!
Social orgonomy is obviously far-reaching. If you could sum up what social orgonomy means in one brief sentence, what would you say?
Dr. Apple: I would say that whenever you interact with another human being, we're talking about social orgonomy.
For more information about our Social Orgonomy presentation series, please visit our Events page or call (732) 821-1144.
If, as children, we had adults in our lives who loved books and wanted us to feel the same way about them, they read to us; and as adults who care about children, we read to our own young ones. But do we actually recognize what even simple children’s books have to offer? In his presentation, “Are Children’s Books Just for Kids?,” board-certified psychiatrist, Howard Chavis, M.D., discussed what we might be missing. The talk took place on April 2, 2011 at the Friend Center at Princeton University as part of the ACO’s ongoing Social Orgonomy Presentation Series. Dr. Chavis offers his take:
What inspired you to want to talk about children’s books?
Dr. Chavis: My children, who are two-and-a-half and four-years old, inspired me. In reading to them, I’ve come to realize that there is so much more to children’s books than just a simple story. Nestling with them while reading is so pleasurable and the emotional contact so extraordinary that my thoughts and ideas simply flowed from there.
What do you think attendees discovered from your talk?
Dr. Chavis: I showed the audience what has been hiding in plain sight. Hopefully they became aware of things they haven’t routinely recognized in even the most simple of books. These include parenting practices and life lessons that are right there in the pages in front of them.
For example, some parents may not realize that they have difficulty making emotional contact, and that this can have an adverse effect on their children. There are, in fact, books that can help parents make a better connection with their children, such as Marjorie Newman’s “Mole and the Baby Bird” and “Kitten’s First Full Moon” by Kevin Henkes. I also showed how some children’s books can offer lessons about such sophisticated topics as the fundamentals of economics, as in “What Do People Do All Day” by Richard Scarry.
Are the books you talked about all books you read to your own children?
Dr. Chavis: Yes, they are. Many of the books are current but I also discussed a few of the classics that offer the same types of lessons as well, although from a simpler time. The important message is that no matter when a book was written, there are certain timeless lessons to be learned that most adults miss when they read to their children. I greatly enjoyed reading some of these books aloud, and was excited to share some of the exciting things inside them with the audience.
For more information about our Social Orgonomy presentation series, please visit our Events page or call (732) 821-1144.
For several thousand years the doctor/patient relationship has been one of the most significant as well as intensely emotional and intimate of all human bonds. In recent history, however, this connection has deteriorated. What goes on in the doctor's office has become a major source of stress for all. Both patients and doctors feel rushed during appointments, burdened by skyrocketing expenses and frustrated and aggravated by having to deal with insurance company and government bureaucracies. On February 5, 2011 at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts in Princeton, New Jersey, Board certified psychiatrists Peter Crist, M.D. and Edward Chastka, M.D. focused on this very compelling situation, leading an open discussion entitled "Is the Doctor Really In? - Making Each Visit Count," as part of the ACO's ongoing Social Orgonomy Presentation Series. Their approach:
This presentation was different from past events in that it was an open discussion with the audience. Why did you make that change?
Dr. Crist: "We decided to experiment with this format so that we could engage the audience in a more informal discussion and focus on what matters most to them. We wanted to make a real connection with everyone who attended in as direct a way as possible."
Dr. Chastka: "And we wanted to listen to what people, both doctors and patients, had to say, not just talk to them."
What do you see as the primary cause of the lack of a genuine connection between doctor and patient?
Dr. Crist: "The doctor/patient relationship has been undermined by many different forces in recent years. The toughest change is that doctors have to deal with patients in a more mechanical way just to get paid. Because of insurance and government regulations, doctors are seeing more patients for shorter visits in order to make a living. The threat of malpractice suits has also been very destructive, and now most doctors have a figurative lawyer sitting in with them when they see patients and make medical decisions.
I want to be clear that this is not the doctor's fault. We're not blaming anyone, but rather focusing on what the problem is and what we can do about it. Both doctors and patients need to work together to make better contact. Doctors have become health care providers, and are no longer healers. A different kind of contact is essential for healing to happen, and we hope people left the discussion with new tools to help make that a reality."
Dr. Chastka: "Over the last, say, 100 years, people have been looked upon more and more as a biochemical machine, and the idea that there is a healing relationship between doctor and patient has lost its popularity even though there is a lot of information supporting its effectiveness. For example, studies in psychiatry with a control group of patients merely coming in and meeting with someone and talking, found that that alone was beneficial to the patient. However, because of health insurance, seeing a doctor is now more like dropping your car off at the mechanic, and that's not a relationship.
How has medical insurance contributed to the deterioration of the doctor/patient relationship?
Dr. Chastka: When health insurance first came about in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s there were no restraints - doctors no longer had to think about what it actually cost the patient, and the patient no longer had to worry about paying the doctor. This resulted in an explosion in medical costs -- not only in doctor and hospital fees but also with pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies. Since then we have gone even further down that road. People don't pay for their own regular medical care anymore and so prices are set in order to get the maximum amount from the insurance companies. The cost of medical care has lost any connection with reality, and the insurance companies decide whether the patient gets something or not. All of these things have contributed toward destroying the doctor/patient relationship and the true healing that it can bring about."
For more information about our Social Orgonomy presentation series, please visit our Events page or call (732) 821-1144.
