Geraldo Rivera                  

Television journalist, born in New York City, New York, USA. An anti-poverty lawyer in New York City (1968–70), he joined WABC Eyewitness News (1970–4), gaining fame for producing his exposé of a state home for the retarded, Willowbrook: The Last Disgrace. In 1974 he joined ABC, doing pieces for their magazine shows such as 20/20. In 1987 he started Geraldo, a daytime talk show, in which he pioneered what came to be known as television tabloid journalism, featuring offbeat topics.   © Crystal Reference 2004.  www.crystalreference.com

Q:  What do Governor Codey and Janet Werner have in common?

A:  They both deeply care about Rethinking How We Think about Mental Health. They both stayed overnight at the loony bin and learned a lot from the patients.  He at Greystone.  She at Bergen Regional.  They both have a personal commitment to NJ, to consumers, to truth and to making a difference with the least cost.  They are both professionals with cognition intact.

Q:  What is different about Gov. Codey and Janet Werner?

A:  He signed himself in and stayed only 1 night.  She had a police escort, was detained for 11 days and received a $14,000 bill.  She didn’t receive therapy, she administered it with Tai Chi classes & listening. She made phone calls to members of her business team that led to increased sanitary conditions, better meals & respectful treatment  producing results before the end of her stay. 

Q:  What Gov. Codey and Janet Werner can do as they compare notes?

A:  Let’s get them together on the Geraldo Rivera Show and find out.  Tonight on Geraldo join us for a fasinating look behind the scenes of mental health institutions in New Jersey.  What are the patients really saying?   Is there an easier way hiding behind conversations untold?

Tell us about real conversations with real people, real professionals with cognition in tact locked up inside our hospitals – testimonies from a nurse, lawyer, engineer, business consultant who spent the longest July 4th weekend together.  One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest is NOT the typical profile of patients.  We will see intelligence & answers to our blindness hidden behind labels that will show us how to mine the diamonds in the rough seas of mental health stigma.

“We come in here sane and leave a little nuts.  Look at us grabbing for food.  It’s the only thing to do in here.”  “If staff held a daily 15 minutes attention time per patient it would cut violent rage.  Ray

 “ Dr. I work best on a lower dose of meds, I have a sensitive body chemistry. I learned that in 1979 from my MD.  Janet.  “  Increase her meds until she reaches the level we want.”  Dr. N.  “Make sure you ask specifically for the requirements for your release.”  Staff Member. 

“If this place doesn’t have sick folks in Q to take your place they will not release you today.”  Staff

“Why can’t we have paper and crayons to draw?  Why can’t we have access to the art room?  Why can’t we go to the recreation center instead of pacing these enclosed 2 floors?  It’s sunny out, can’t we go out to the court yard today, it’s July 4th weekend and we’re cooped up in here.” Patient.

“You aren’t a patient Janet.  You must be a spy from the medical team.”  Patient.

Let us acknowledge Steven Feldstein, Feldstein Financial Group and Michael Hayden of www.harknews.com for their heartfelt leadership and business acumen to produce results, bettering the conditions for patients from the daily reports received from Janet Werner, Bergen Regional Hospital. 6/26-7/8/05.  We have undeniable proof that we in NJ can make a difference with minimal cost through a focused team approach by folks who think out of the box and will not give up until the job is done. 

Introduction to the DSM-IV-TR 1994 v-code:  62:89 Spiritual & Religious Problems.

What the heck is a Spiritual Emergency?   Rx911 Spiritual Emergency on Mental Hill: 

Objective:  to inform & educate with a short visual media the differentiation of Spiritual Emergence & Spiritual Emergency  with Mental Illness categories as defined in Spiritual Emergency, When Personal Transformation Becomes a Crisis  (by Stanislav Grof, MD and Christina Grof ) To provide real life testimonies of how to apply protocols that work for the DSM-IV V-code Religious & Spiritual Problems.

Description:

An educational resource for mental heath professionals showing a selection of experts in the fields of psychotherapy, medicine & spirituality along with mental health consumers.  the statistics behind misdiagnosed spiritual episodes (those labeled bipolar and other mental illnesses) and how the current system treats such experiences/individuals.  Tools and diagnostic experts offer alternatives and support of the DSM IV Vcode for Spiritual & Religious Problems in a way that it can be integrated into traditional categories for insurance purposes.

Sequence for 10 – 20 minute DVD:  

  1. Are you taking your lithium? A mother asks her daughter.  She rolls her eyes, Yes mom.
  1. Mental health institution scenes:  What really goes on behind closed doors?  What is being surpressed?  How might we get more crayons and paper on these wards to encourage expression from depression? Testimonies from June/July 2005. 
  1. Business institutions:  Exponentially growing statistics of prescriptions in the work place/ADD with Manic success stories.  Link:  Delivered from Distraction (Hallowell, MD) & The Hypomanic Edge, Link between Craziness & Success in America. (Gartner).   Testimonies from business executives. Ie. Wall Street Bipolar
  1. Schools –Statistics of Teens & Tots on drugs, the impact of misdiagnosis + intro to the INDIGO profile.
  1. A young woman wonders:  How do I integrate prescription pharmaceuticals with the holistic therapies?  What have I learned over 25 years that works and is readily available in this spiritual marketplace?.
  1. Rev. Karen Herrick:  Introduce the DSM-IV (1994) Religious & Spiritual Problems
  1. Scene:  A woman in a psychiatrist office.  Will you help me to integrate my lithium dosage with holistic therapies?  Are you willing to use these checklists by Christina Grof ? Testimony: Doctors abandoning me:  Yes, use this nutritional protocol.  No, I never said go off Lithium.  Yes I will monitor your blood level.  No, I won’t look at your research, nor use the DSM-IV Spiritual Emergency model
  1. Scene:  A woman in a new doctor’s office: Notice the Holistic Integrative Choice Wheel on the wall.

Testimony from Montclair Cope Center. 

  1. Dr. Whitney – introduces suggested protocol for SEY.  His personal story briefing.
  1. Dr. Grof/Dr. Lukoff:  Briefing on the types of SEY.
  1. Christina Grof – personal story briefing + checklists from The Stormy Search for Self.
  1. Scene of this one woman with an SOS, Save Our Students, Save Our Selves, Save our Spirit banner.  How do I heal myself as I complete my mission for the college campus?  Article:  The Dorms are fine, how are the counseling centers?   Garrett Lee Smith funding available – College Sponsors taking advantage of the $ available to support the spiritual emergence of college kids?  Read:  Daniel Steel’s address to Congress, highlight other testimonies.
  1. ACPA, Higher Ed. executive – Statistics of mental health on college campus.  College Student interviews
  1. UR Grounded College Kid – script reading by college kids with music and a fun beat.  Intro: What I learned from 100’s of testimonies on the internet.  (Icarus Project)
  1. My vision for the college campus by J. Werner
  1. Commentary by Feldstein, Hayden, Welten, Kroger, SGeorge, Tom, James: observations 2005-06
  1. Spy in the House of Crazy – movie trailer. 
  1. Commentary of Indigo population by Neal Donald Walsh, The Indigo Child, movie.
  1. Spiritual Emergency First Aid Kit – commercial.  Thank you to ______________health care institution for your sponsorship.
  1. Song:  Stop Jamin My Circuits or  OR N.O. Spells NO on suppression and lock up of spiritual emergence. YES spells YES on collaboration & integration to allow spiritual emergence take its natural course with safety..

©Janet Werner, 10/01/05