Dear Daniel, I came across your website about 2 months ago. Since then, I have familiarized myself with your ideas and in doing so acquired the strong impression that we are, on more than one topic, on the same page. I agree with what, in your book, Breaking from Your Parents, you state about the connection – I would say, the symbiotic interrelation - of psychiatry and the family: “[T]he way that psychiatry treats parents is an extension of the way parents-in-denial treat their children (…) [I]f parents didn’t abuse their children there would be no psychiatry at all. The two function very similarly...” I agree with you that the family is a cult, and indeed the prototypical one. I see the family as a social system defined by an extreme power imbalance between parents and children, mystified by the cynical fiction of so-called unconditional parental love -- the family myth -- whereby the structural conflict of interest between the two parties is denied. As a consequence, childhood trauma is as ubiquitous as it is invisible; accordingly, the family is, contrary to popular belief, the primary institution of oppression. Antithetical to any grouping organized along the lines of the family is a community of peers, possessed of equal power. Allied in solidarity against institutions of oppression - from the family to psychiatry to gender - such a community is, in itself, politically radical, at once transformative and liberatory, and a vehicle for political education, both of its members themselves and the public at large. Looking for allies, a like-minded English friend of mine, James, whose educational background is in philosophy, and I, German, an early retired social worker (neither of us has children), would greatly appreciate an exchange of thoughts with you, in particular about your book, mentioned above. Our views are informed primarily by the works of R. D. Laing, Aaron Esterson, and David Cooper, and to a greater or lesser extent by Thomas Szasz, Judith Herman, Alice Miller, Colin A. Ross, and John Briere. Best regards, Karin

Daniel, thank you. I have spent this day with your writing and films - and one song - and I consider it a gain. First, I would like to ask how familiar you are with http://www.traumacenter.org and the work of Dr. van der Kolk? I would be glad to learn from your thoughts on - and perhaps your experience with - body-based therapies and artistic expression as paths to healing from trauma. The JRI annual trauma conference is coming up: http://www.traumacenter.org/training/Trauma_Conf_2017.php Second, after having read your essay about your plans for starting a community and your fear of failure and I would like to share something that has helped me navigate through fear: the book \"Designing Your Life\", which proposes \"wayfinding\" as an acquired \"failure immunity\" and even more, as guaranteed thriving - we cannot fail when we live and learn through experiences that we design for own growth. We win, come what may. http://designingyour.life How does this sound to you? With thanks, Cleopatra

After reading your About page I\'m relieved to know I am not the only one has this abnormal relationship with family. I\'m coming to a point where I\'m about to jump the sinking ship so at least one of us can lead a healthy and positive life. I\'ve always felt bad about my relationship with my family and have drastically improved myself in order to fix it. Although I\'ve grown to become a much more patient and strong person, the relationship with family remains in an amateur state. This made me realize in this instance, the only way to fix this issue is to leave it. Thanks for sharing your story!

I\'ve spent the past two years recovering from a dr increasing my SSRI when I told him it would exacerbate my mania he said\"I don\'t have a problem with that\" and handed me an RX for 90 klonopin I was having seizures most likely from serotonin syndrome rather than take me off psych Meds they installed a pace maker somehow with my consent while I was incoherent on a 72 hour hold resulting from the original statement. It did not stop the seizures. It\'s a long traumatic tale of social injustice which nearly led to my death. It did lead to the loss of my spouse, my home, the entirety of its contents, my job, my friends, my sanity...I will not stand silent and let them kill someone who is perhaps not as resilient or tenacious as I might be. I had a legitimate law suit, unfortunately by the time I recovered it was too late to sue. I am in the process of going through the Wyoming state medical board to fine a grievance. I\'ve been off all Meds for over a year now, I did this alone without medical supervision I do not recommend this! I feel... Well, I feel.

Nice movie: open dialogue. Good luck! M.

Hi, I\'ve spent 35 years finding out what happened to make me as weird as I am. I\'ve used a lot of modalities and have the full picture. What a trip! But I\'m still left with a couple of things I don\'t know what to do about - except to accept them, I guess. But I\'ve come so far and I hanker to be normal. I\'ve always found dealing with OPs \'face\' weird - why do they refuse to accept themselves? Yesterday I realised the best way I found as a child to protect myself was to go energetically invisible. Another repercussion was that my adrenal glands never functioned well enough to give me libido. Which made my teen years weird, and relationships in my 20s and 30s petered out when I failed to lust. My other bug-bear is my complete lack of knowing what love is . My parents failed to bond with me, and the only touch I got was my father\'s sexual abuse. Hence a lifetime of Stockholm Syndrome. Oy vei! Does anyone know how to heal from all that? No shock or hurt or chronic fatigue left - just the blasted repercussions. Oh, and the ex who is just like my dad and is best described as a pathological narcissist! An external uneasiness to add to my internal dissatisfactions.

I just wanted to thank you a lot! Found your anti psychiatry songs online and then kinda found your website. It is great to have people caring about real issues. Psychiatry in my eyes is pseudo science. I wish people who have problems were really helped and not just drugged up and locked up against their will. This is not how things should be and obviously how is someone going to trust the people around them if they don\'t know who really helps them and who just stereotypes and locks them away? Obviously it all has to do with Trauma, I also think so. I personally don\'t think that things like depression are sicknesses by itself but rather symptoms. With saying that it is just a chemical imbalance that cannot be cured they ignore the root causes and the person itself. This doesn\'t help anyone except the corporations and institutions that profit from it. It is great to have people like you who are really experienced and being active for human rights. Thanks a lot! Peace! Ciara

Hi, Daniel. My name is Maiia, I\'m from Russia. I\'m severely traumatized person. And I want to help myself very very strongly. Yesterday I found out your website at first time. And I saw you sell your book From Trauma to Enlightenment: Self-Therapy in Twelve Steps. I really want to read it, but, actually, I don\'t have money to buy it and I don\'t have opportunity to pay by paypal. Could you send me, please, your book free to my email?

Daniel, I\'ve used audio from one of your videos for an illustrated piece on my channel, Illustrated Philosophy. Feel free to share if you find value in it. https://youtu.be/vf6T45YbACU Matthew

I really enjoyed listening to your fresh new approach to childhood trauma. Hoping to hear more. The world needs to hear your healing perspective. Peace and blessings.

I just found the book Peace Pilgrim and enjoyed your review of it: https://www.amazon.com/review/R3LBS3RN835XKO/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0943734290

Hi Daniel, Can you write me? I am seeking downloadable versions of the TRAILERS of your films. THANKS and peace, Eliza

Hello Daniel I wonder if you could read the book by Alice Miller\'s son Martin and what you think about it. It seems that as a mother she was not very sympathetic with her son, even at times when she had already written her best books. The book wasn\'t translated in English yet, I think. But maybe you understand enough German? Always following you on your way (as far as possible)! Franco

Soy Azucena, de Zaragoza, España. Estoy interesada en el sistema de recuperación de psicosis sin medicación utilizado en Noruega. Tengo un hijo de 25 años diagnosticado de varios trastornos, ahora no toma medicación, y pasa el día en su habitación, cortándose e la realidad, y yo su padre no me rendiré, y buscaré hasta hallar lo que le pueda ayudar a salir y poder vivir de otra manera. Estoy dispuesta a hacer lo que haga falta y si hay que viajar a Noruega para la recuperación no dudaría en hacerlo. La esperanza y el amor a mi hijo es mi fuerza, y mi perseverancia mi ayuda. Muchas gracias por tu atención, y espero tu respuesta.

I am working on a site about childhood trauma. I agree with you, I think.I am not pro but have been actively mending my life since I became aware at 20 years old. I am 68. Having read spirit centered books first ,to heal, I have used yoga, movement therapy, chanting, sounds like Tibetan bowls and drumming. I have used acting process to get in touch with deeper feelings. After meditating for several months I received information from that dimension also on healing. My dreams have been helpful . I want to say, you have expressed it clearly, even if I did not hear the words neuroscience or pathologies. I once told myself , humans must be educated and be required to pass a psych test before being allowed to procreate. I believe in the last 30 years I have put me squarely in opposition to society and it\'s insane political correctness when it comes to \" accepting \" behaviors of other cultures in America . Crazy to me is not acceptable. Yet daily men want me to accept violation of personal boundaries because it is considered okay now. I didn\'t vote for that. I accepted the challenge of healing myself and gave up every comfort for the authentic me. Not going back any time soon. Keep up with the videos, thank you.