Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

Bear Psychology Podcast


Dr. Anna Baranowsky is a Canadian Clinical Psychologist, CEO of the Traumatology Institute, Founder and President of the Board at Trauma Practice. She is the author of two books on trauma, numerous courses to help train professionals in trauma mental health and the developer of the Trauma Recovery Program for Self-Guided trauma care. She works with trauma survivors and those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on post-traumatic growth and recovery.

Through her work she believes that when we share, dialogue and feel supported, it provides a powerful foundation for forward movement in our understanding and the care needed. In her own words "I have found that the most profound changes occur when a person truly feels heard and understood - I like to think of it as deeply BEARING WITNESS to life evolving. We can feel incredibly stuck when we live with our fears, stressors and troubles in isolation."

Dr.Baranowsky is the host of the Bear Psychology Show, focusing on bearing witness to Evolving Mood, Mind, Health. Her talks revolve around recovery, relationships, work and life adventures.

She is dedicated to assisting organizations and health professionals who help trauma survivors to ensure a trauma informed lens of care can grow in community health networks. With that vision in 1998, the Traumatology Institute Canada (TIC) was established. TIC has trained thousands of individuals nationally and internationally.

Dr. Baranowsky serves on the board of directors of the Academy of Traumatology and is a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress through the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is recognized by The National Center for Crisis Management. She has published in the area of Post-Traumatic Stress, Compassion Fatigue, and therapeutic relationships (the Silencing Response).

Copyright:  Dr. Anna Baranowsky, 2020

Feb 24, 2023

We may believe that asylums are a thing of the past but practices of enforced psychiatric confinement continue today, much to our surprise. Author Wipond, argues that, now more than ever, North Americans are being forced into treatment and involuntarily committed supposedly "for their own benefit."

Rob Wipond’s book “Your Consent Is Not Required” gives us a look into the psychiatric practices of forced interventions still in place today in some private and public mental health facilities.

Wipond describes mental health institutions using psychiatric confinement to manage school children; disoriented elderly; quell family conflicts; police the streets; control people in shelters and prisons; “resolve” workplace disagreements; detain protesters; discredit whistleblowers; and shockingly fraudulently increase hospital profits, plus more.

Wipond’s book details coercive use of mental health interventions used today in some public and private hospitals, group and long-term care facilities, troubled-teen and residential treatment centers, and even individual’s own homes under outpatient commitment orders. He found that these interventions often include surveillance against will, indefinite detention, and powerful tranquilizing drugs, restraints, seclusion, and even electroshock.

Listen to our conversation with investigative journalist & author Rob Wipond as we unpack the common misconception that only “dangerous” individuals get committed and dive into some of the traumatic practices supposedly used to “help” those struggling with mental health complexities.

We explore Rob Wipond findings and research full of alarming true stories and hard data from both the US and Canada’s mental health systems.

Links & Resources:

Materials to Reference: