– Only positive reactions have reached me directly. It is almost unbelievable, because I know that women who venture out in public are often subjected to both harassment and harassment. I have the benefit of experiencing that, says Rød-Larsen to news. The author says that it was during the work on the novel “Diamantkvelder” that she herself realized what she was exposed to as a young person: A boundary-crossing relationship between her and a psychiatrist, according to Rød-Larsen. The psychiatrist was not her treatment, but she was ill when she met him. Now she tells news that the statements of support have poured in since she did the first interview with Danish Information and then told about her experiences in VG and Morgenbladet. – A race of people thank me for bringing up topics that affect them in different ways. There are also many professionals who contact me privately and thank me for starting a necessary debate in their field, says Rød-Larsen. The book “Diamantkvelder” Published autumn 2022 In the book, you follow the main character Agnete, who works as a translator. She is married for the second time and has a daughter who will soon be an adult. One day she starts losing her hair, and Agnete thinks it may be related to stress. When her husband goes away for an extended period, Agnete gets time to find out what has triggered this stress reaction. This leads to her starting to question what actually happened when Agnete began a relationship with her study friend’s father, who was a psychologist. The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, the story is told through the first person Agnete, while in the second part one reads Agnete’s story through a third person, Marianne. In the third, Agnete is again the narrator, where she confronts herself more directly with what has happened. Calls for investigation The case has triggered an avalanche of debates in social media. Several psychologists have advocated that the “metoo” settlement in mental health care has failed. Until now. – I want a formal investigation to be launched into the specific psychiatrist I’m talking about, says Rød-Larsen. She hopes the debate that has followed in the wake of her story can trigger concrete change. – I hope that formal processes are initiated, and would like to contribute to that. This must be followed up by bodies other than the media, she adds. As far as news is aware, no notifications have been delivered in this case. It has thus not been assessed by supervisory authorities or other relevant bodies. The psychiatrist has been offered to comment on the case, but has not responded to news’s inquiries in recent days. Rød-Larsen also wants it to be safer for patients and other vulnerable people to report unethical treatment within mental healthcare. – And then I want professionals to gain a heightened awareness of experiences that are in what can be claimed to be in a “grey zone”, she points out. Power asymmetry news has spoken to a number of people within mental health care in connection with this case. One of them is Jørgen Flor, who is both a psychologist and author. He believes the debate can give impetus to important public information about what is right and wrong in the therapy room. Psychologist Jørgen Flor is calling for better patient safety within mental healthcare. Photo: Paal Audestad – The incident in question does not appear to be a direct treatment situation, but the asymmetry of power means that we as healthcare personnel must always be particularly careful. I would have asked the therapist questions about what his professional reflection on the situation was. Was there a pause button there? asks Flor. In an interview with Vårt Land, Flor said that he believes his own profession is characterized by naivety in the face of the “metoo” problem. – Healthcare personnel are obliged to such ethical awareness. There is no doubt. And here I think the industry should be a little more interested. Surprised by the lack of “metoo” stories, Flor is advocating that patient safety within mental healthcare needs to be strengthened. – Who can guide and support you if you experience therapy as offensive? Where are you going? I didn’t even know where to go. Flor believes it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that patients know the difference between good therapy, bad therapy and border crossings. – In addition, there must be someone you can contact if you have harmful experiences, he says. There are several hundreds of thousands of patients who receive conversation therapy in closed rooms in Norway every year. Flor is surprised that there have not been more “metoo” stories from mental health services earlier. – We are close to ten thousand psychologists and several thousand psychiatrists. It is completely unlikely that there have not been “metoo” cases in this context, he says. – Expected this to happen within our industry Lars Lien is head of the Norwegian Psychiatry Association. He agrees that there have been few “metoo” debates in their industry. – It surprised me a little. There have been mostly issues within art and culture. So I actually expected this to happen within our industry. – Why do you think it has been delayed? – The good idea is that there is a high ethical awareness of exactly this power relationship and what can happen with skewed power relationships in the industry. The other side may be too little reporting. Lien believes Rød-Larsen has started an important debate. – It is important to think about how we run our practice as psychiatrists, psychologists and others who have a power relationship with other people. It is important that we always have a well-thought-out attitude to how we behave and how we should engage in ethically sound practice. Head of the Norwegian Psychiatry Association, Lars Lien says there has been little “metoo” related to their industry. Photo: Thomas B. Eckhoff / The Norwegian Medical Association He says that those in the industry work to have a clear awareness of the role of a psychiatrist. This applies not only in the therapy room, but also outside the therapy room, he emphasizes. – I think that is extremely important. Must press the alarm button Psychological specialist Heidi Svendsen Tessand shares many of the same thoughts as Flor and Lien. – If people talk to us who are psychologists and doctors by virtue of the fact that we are just that, professional ethics come into play. – It is not unusual for us to experience professional ethics being put to the test. We are only human after all. But the point is that we have an additional responsibility to stop and think about it if, for example, we notice that we are starting to talk like therapists, says Tessand and adds: – We have to press the alarm button in our heads and ask ourselves; should I talk about this now? Power and humility She points out that the point of both legislation and professional guidelines is to protect vulnerable people from abuse of power. – If you can’t stand it, you have to work on something else. Even if things are legal, it is not certain that it is wise. It is important to distinguish between what is legal and what is wise. It should be a matter of course that demands are placed on healthcare personnel’s ability to reflect ethically, says psychologist specialist Heidi Tessand. Photo: The Association of Psychologists Tessand is also concerned that the debate should not be too much about how ethical dilemmas are experienced by psychologists and doctors. – It should be a matter of course that strict requirements are placed on our ability to reflect ethically. Talking to us involves some risk. We have an authorization and a power that we must manage with humility. Hit a nerve – The fact that doctors and psychologists are now discussing ethical issues that have previously been under-examined in their profession makes me very happy, says Hilde Rød-Larsen. She is happy to know that I have initiated reflections in many people about what it means to be a victim. She also believes that it is healthy to have dissenting voices, as long as they are factual. – Without them, there will be no real debate. Of course, it is unpleasant that the debate partly involves a dissection of my private narrative, which also includes critical remarks about my rendering or interpretation of it. But I am willing to pay that price. Literature gave strength Rød-Larsen says that literature has given her the strength she needed to tell her story. – It helps me in my continuous search for truth. It may be paradoxical, but the ambivalence that characterizes the literature I appreciate helps me to think and feel more clearly. The work on “Diamantkvelder” has made me clear and strong, she says and adds: – I get my strength from the fact that I am no longer confused about what happened, and from the fact that I am no longer ashamed of it. And my willingness to use that strength comes from knowing that my experiences and my insights have relevance for others besides myself. The book Diamond Nights by Hilde Rød-Larsen. Photo: Aschehoug – Why are you standing up after so many years? – It is because I did not realize until now that I was being exploited and manipulated by the psychiatrist. I have become wiser through “metoo”, but I was late in understanding the meaning of the movement. And then it is part of the explanation that part of the picture of my illness is that I have a very strong need for control, and also a strong ability to control. I have created a story for myself, about myself, that has not included me being a victim. But that story has been false.
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Hilde Rød-Larsen calls for investigation of psychiatrist after “metoo novel” – news Culture and entertainment
