Some of you have understanding. You’re beginning to see the multiple layers, the multiple planes of understanding.
Family systems describes the family pathology. The DSM-5 describes the diagnostic pathology. Both levels of description will be helpful in solving the pathology.
You? You want a treatment plan – a written treatment plan. Hold on to that and don’t let go. The ONLY reason we need a diagnosis is because diagnosis always – always – guides treatment… are we treating cancer or diabetes?
But we always land on treatment. That’s the final destination for everything we do in healthcare… we fix the problem.
Diagnosis = identify
Pathology = problem
Treatment = fix it
You have a problem, a pathology. The doctors in the healthcare system identify (diagnose) what the problem (pathology) is, then we fix it, that’s the treatment part – the fixing.
You don’t need to prove something to someone. Diagnoses are given, not proven. Diagnosis is a pattern-match of the symptoms to the diagnostic criteria.
If your symptoms pattern-match to the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia… that’s your diagnosis whether you like it or not. That’s how diagnosis works.
You don’t have to prove something to someone. You did nothing wrong, it’s not your fault, bad people are doing bad things – it’s a cross-generational coalition from that description – it’s a shared persecutory from another. We need the doctors to do their job and diagnose child abuse when child abuse is present.
So we can fix it.
We always land on treatment. The only reason we need the diagnosis is because the treatment we do will depend on the diagnosis. Are we treating cancer or diabetes?
Once we know the diagnosis, then our focus becomes entirely about treatment.
The pathological parent wants to drive this into the courts and make it about custody. That’s a lie, this is a pathology of lies. This isn’t about custody, it’s about pathology, it needs treatment.
The pathological parent wants to put you on trial for being a bad (spouse) parent. Don’t let them do that. You make it about treatment instead and expose the pathology. You want a written treatment plan – for that you’ll need a diagnosis, because diagnosis guides treatment.
You shape the narrative, you shape the movement. You’re actually more powerful than the pathological parent. They’re pathological, you’re not. They only have lies, you have the truth.
Keep your footing in the barrage of lies – this is a pathology of lies.
Lies gain early traction when everyone is uncertain. You know the truth, you remain certain.
You know where the truth is. Don’t activate into your insecurities. You need a plan. You need a treatment plan. Make it a written treatment to make sure it’s clear.
Do you want an example of a written treatment plan? A school IEP for special education services. It has Goals identified in measurable ways, it has Interventions specified for each Goal, it has estimated Time Frames for achieving the Goal, and it has Outcome Measures to monitor progress and Goal accomplishment.
The schools give written treatment plans all the time, you can’t qualify for special education services without an IEP (Individual Education Plan). Written treatment plans are common throughout healthcare… except here in the family courts.
And understand this… the patient should NEVER have to explain the pathology to the doctor. That should NEVER happen. But it’s happened here. That’s how bad things are. The patients must explain the pathology to the doctors. That is so bad.
But it’s the reality of your world as you try to rescue your child. So… the family systems description is to explain the pathology, the diagnostic description is to formally diagnose it – and the DSM-5 diagnosis of concern is V-995.51 Child Psychological Abuse.
I’m not your warrior. I’m your weapon. I’m the established professional knowledge you need to protect your child. You’re the warrior. Don’t be lazy, learn what you need to learn. Make a plan. Execute the plan. Don’t trigger into your fears and insecurities.
You’re fine. This is a pathology of lies. You need a plan, a written treatment plan.
You just need support… how about a weapon? That sounds like a plan to me.
Craig Childress, Psy.D.
Clinical Psychologist, CA PSY 18857
GreatCosmicMothersUnite 