Posted on 11/09/2004 6:19:33 AM PST by Happy Valley Dude
Boca Raton trauma specialist has treated 15 patients
More than a dozen traumatized John Kerry supporters have sought and received therapy from a licensed Florida psychologist since their candidate lost to President Bush, the Boca Raton News learned Monday.
Boca Raton trauma specialist Douglas Schooler said he has treated 15 clients and friends with “intense hypnotherapy” since the Democratic nominee conceded last Wednesday.
“I had one friend tell me he’s never been so depressed and angry in his life,” Schooler said. “I observed patients threatening to leave the country or staring listlessly into space. They were emotionally paralyzed, shocked and devastated.”
Schooler’s disclosure comes after the weekend discovery of a Kerry volunteer’s corpse at Ground Zero in New York City. Georgia resident Andrew Veal, 25, reportedly killed himself with a shotgun blast to the head due to Kerry’s loss and a girlfriend problem.
Some mental health professionals in South Florida said Monday they have already developed a new category for the Kerry-related stress reactions. Because Palm Beach County voted heavily for Kerry, the therapists said, many residents hurt themselves by so anxiously expecting the Massachusetts senator to win – especially those who maintained unrealistic recount hopes after their candidate’s concession.
“We’re calling it ‘post-election selection trauma’ and we’re working to develop a counseling program for it,” said Rob Gordon, the Boca-based executive director of the American Health Association. “It’s like post-traumatic stress syndrome, but it’s a short-term shock rather than a childhood trauma.”
Gordon, the first American Red Cross psychotherapist sent to Ground Zero after the 9/11 terror attacks, said therapists’ main concern is to prevent the recurrence of Kerry-related suicides like the one in New York City. “There are definitely people depressed by John Kerry’s loss, and this can easily lead to suicides like the one we saw up in New York this weekend,” Gordon said. “Luckily, it can be treated if people seek help. We’re urging people to call us immediately if they feel depressed or know anyone who is seriously stressed out.”
Also in Boca, at least one counseling center and an emotional support group were preparing for an influx of Kerry supporters at their first post-election meetings today.
“We’ll let the Kerry voters talk about it and let off some steam, and by listening to other people’s stories, we’ll help them refocus and surrender to the things in their life which they can’t possibly change,” said a spokeswoman for Emotions Anonymous, a recovery group meeting tonight at Glades Presbyterian Church.
“We’re referring people with election-related stress to the Democratic National Committee,” said Karen Jacobs of the Center for Group Counseling. “We’ll do what we can for anyone who shows up for our support group programs this week, but we haven’t implemented a specific program for Kerry-related trauma.”
Schooler, practicing in Boca since 1984, said he treated his 15 patients last week with hypnosis-based rapid response trauma therapy. This week, he is charging a sliding fee to non-clients who feel they need the one-time “election therapy” session. South Floridians can contact him at 561-395-3033.
“A lot of Kerry voters don’t know what to do with their anger, because there was no recount, so they’ve kept it bottled up,” said Schooler, who also is a certified sex therapist. “I help them transform the anger into more positive emotions.”
Asked to describe symptoms of the post-election trauma, Schooler said, “They include feelings of extreme anger, despair, hopelessness, powerlessness, a failure to function behaviorally, a sense of disillusionment, of not wanting to vote anymore – that sort of thing. We’re talking about a deep, unhealthy personal suffering that can best be remedied by intensive short-term therapy.”
Well, instead of blaming Bush, they should take a look at the flaming rhetoric coming out of the democratic machine these past couple years. They constantly racheted up the fire with each new charge. Nothing out of the republican side came as close to this. Problem is, they believed it...we knew the difference and refused the 'koolaid'. That's why they're mad...we just don't cooperate with them against ourselves.
"Also in Boca, at least one counseling center and an emotional support group were preparing for an influx of Kerry supporters at their first post-election meetings today."
As the saying goes: There is one born every minute. First these people were duped out of their votes by Kerry and now they are being duped out of their money by snake oil selling quacks. I wonder if Hillary's health plan would have covered these "counseling" sessions. On the other hand, it might create some nice medical malpractice litigation opportunities for John Edwards.
Well, wouldn't one suitable therapy for
this be transference? Schooler is a sex
therapist too! Therefore, he can transfer
the Kerry voter malaise to perhaps masturbation.
MV
Asked to describe symptoms of the post-election trauma, Schooler said, “They include feelings of extreme anger, despair, hopelessness, powerlessness, a failure to function behaviorally, a sense of disillusionment, of not wanting to vote anymore – that sort of thing.
symptoms include not wanting to vote.........does this need a cure?
BWAAAAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! "....extreme anger, despair, hopelessness, a failure to function behaviorally, disillusionment...
The anguish and pain the Kerry backers are feeling right now is only a small downpayment for all of the vile, outrageous lies they perpetrated on President Bush.
I hope they stew in their misery and anguish for many, many months.
I seem to recall that Gen. Patton got in trouble in WWII doing that very thing. That soldier must have been a Proto-Liberal.
How is this different behavior for these people than any other day of the year?
I don't see any downside with that last one.
"That's utterly stupid and moronic! There are so many important things to do with your life...For heaven's sake. We put up with Clinton for 8 years. Do they think we all liked it? Of course not! Did we seek mental health? I didn't! We lived through it. and so will they. He states because they didn't get a recount they're upset, and what about the last 4 years? There was a recount and they are still upset."
LOL
The Clinton years was ones of almost mandatory therapy and I didn't go. I thought I would be depressed if Bush didn't win, but it never occurred to me to line up a therapist. It's not as if someone died.
Maybe they will stop attacking me during counter protests if they get some help so maybe this is a good thing.
Liberalism is as mental disorder. As if we needed any more proof!
They all need shock therapy. Oh wait....we did that last Tuesday!
"Yes! Yesss!! Oh, let me taste your tears. Mmm, your tears are so yummy and sweet. Oh, the tears of unfathomable sadness! My-yummy."
AAAARGH!! The dreaded Liberal Trance Ray! No! No! Get it away from me! ROTFLMAO!
"Paging Dr. Dean. Paging Dr. Howard Dean. Please pick up the red courtesy phone. People in need of primal scream therapy."
I believe that's called "shock and AWE" therapy!
Shows the difference between the "Real" folks and these diehard leftist liberal. They are acting like spoiled children after someone took their favorite toy away
The profession of victimization. It's a tough hustle? Remember how we saw long processions of power crews and tree removal trucks headed to South Florida after the hurricanes? I'll bet I-95 is south bound, bumper to bumper psychotherapists headed for the "gravy train"? These nomadic therapists should be easy to spot -- pulling a small trailer with only a small leather couch in it.
As long as these deluded idiots can't see the real reasons they lost, they'll be easy meat next time.
Ya know, that's darn good! I couldn't have said it better.
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