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Psychologists blast Rush Limbaugh for mocking traumatized Kerry voters [HA!]
BocaNews ^ | Tuesday, November 16, 2004 | Sean Salai

Posted on 11/16/2004 3:38:10 AM PST by johnny7

Post Election Selection Trauma is a real problem, Florida clinicians say

Mental health officials in South Florida blasted Rush Limbaugh on Monday, saying the conservative talk show host’s offer of “free therapy” for traumatized John Kerry voters has made a mockery of a valid psychological problem.

“Rush Limbaugh has a way of back-handedly slamming people,” said Sheila Cooperman, a licensed clinician with the American Health Association (AHA) who listened Friday as Limbaugh offered to personally treat her patients. “He’s trying to ridicule the emotional state this presidential election produced in many of us here in Palm Beach County. Who is he to offer therapy?”

The Boca Raton News reported last week that more than 30 distraught Kerry supporters in South Florida contacted the non-profit AHA following their candidate’s Nov. 3 concession to President Bush. AHA officials have diagnosed the disorder as Post Election Selection Trauma (PEST) and have scheduled the first of several free group therapy sessions for just after Thanksgiving. Cooperman, whose professional practice is based in Delray Beach, said the election-related symptoms she sees in the Kerry supporters more than quality PEST as “a legitimate syndrome or disorder within the trauma spectrum,” according to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. “Rush Limbaugh has no clinical qualifications to counsel anyone,” Cooperman said. “He’s not only minimizing PEST, but he’s bastardizing the entire psychological field and our clinical expertise.”

Rob Gordon, AHA executive director, said Limbaugh’s radio musings caused the charity to receive hundreds of calls and letters from gloating Republicans. But he said he also received a small batch of letters and e-mails from people who said they understood why some Kerry voters would need therapy. A man named Paul wrote to AHA, “I too was very depressed, and I knew a lot people who felt the same way. You have to understand that to many of us, this was the key election about the future of our country, and with a Bush win that future is pretty much destroyed. Naturally, there’s going to be some significant grief.” “The people here in Palm Beach County now in therapy or support groups are the canaries in the mine shaft,” Gordon said. “There could be thousands of others, even Republicans, who need to be in therapy over this election.” Gordon said the AHA on Monday also received its first out-of-state call – from a fixed-income woman in Texas who is “absolutely terrified of what Bush will do” – and scheduled a free telephone therapy session with her for today.

Douglas Schooler, the Boca Raton trauma specialist who treated 20 people with hypnotherapy following Kerry’s loss, said he believes many people suffering from election-related symptoms are still afraid to step forward.“The Republicans want Kerry voters to shut up and pretend they’re not feeling anything,” Schooler said. “But many people have serious emotional pain over this election and it’s unhealthy to stuff it down inside of you. Therapy is the best way.” Although Schooler said he never listens to Limbaugh, he said he has been deluged by similar phone calls and attacked on South Florida’s radio talk shows. “Most of the calls I’m getting are from Republicans making fun of the whole thing,” Schooler said. “One guy wrote me a letter saying I should tell people to vote Republican and save themselves the stress. Republicans want to minimize the whole story of election fraud and voter anger.” Schooler said he did not expect the Republican gloating to stop anytime soon. Limbaugh, a Palm Beach County resident who owns $26 million worth of property in the area, read the two Boca News exclusives on his nationally syndicated radio program last week.

“So if anybody on the left wants some serious therapy here and counseling, I’m more than willing to offer my assistance as well,” Limbaugh said on Nov. 9. On Nov. 12, accused by Gordon of picking up the story to rub it in the faces of Democrats, Limbaugh said, “Now, my friends, I didn’t do that. I reached out. I offered a hand of friendship. I offered my own counseling services.” AHA officials, listening to the taped broadcasts, described Limbaugh’s tone of voice as sarcastic.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: aha; democrats; dramaqueens; kerrydefeat; liberals; psychology; sorelosers
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To: johnny7

The depression of these libs is truly heart rendering. The therapists ought to immediately start using "big hug" therapy for all of their patients, the hugs to be provided by 20' reticulated pythons.


101 posted on 11/16/2004 6:18:40 AM PST by libstripper
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To: johnny7
I'm a clinical psychologist -- and, let me tell you, the whole PEST thing is just silly. These therapists deserve to be mocked. This is a joke.

With that said, I'm sure there are people out there who are grieving over the election. But since when did normal grief become a clinical disorder in need of therapy?

If someone out there is really "traumatized" by the election, they have more problems than losing the election. More than likely, they either were already suffering some other mental disorder or the election was the straw that broke the camel's back.
102 posted on 11/16/2004 6:19:54 AM PST by bdeaner
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To: johnny7
Why is it the rest of the world is supposed to give credence to their opinions? I mean isn't this the same group that is trying to make pedophilia a disease - transforming its perpetrators into victims?
103 posted on 11/16/2004 6:25:45 AM PST by Let's Roll (For a guy who shirked his own job, Kerry sure was eager to tell others how to do theirs ...)
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To: dawn53

"I can't believe that the liberals were stupid enough to name the "stress disorder" as PEST."

In their eagerness to include the word "selection", they over looked the obvious. What losers.


104 posted on 11/16/2004 6:28:37 AM PST by Let's Roll (For a guy who shirked his own job, Kerry sure was eager to tell others how to do theirs ...)
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To: bdeaner
I'm a clinical psychologist -- and, let me tell you, the whole PEST thing is just silly. These therapists deserve to be mocked. This is a joke.

Thank you.

105 posted on 11/16/2004 6:33:27 AM PST by FourPeas (By gnawing through a dike, even a rat may drown a nation. ~Edmund Burke)
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To: johnny7; Constitution Day; mykdsmom; Howlin; TC Rider
There are some support groups for upset Kerry supporters popping up in... Chapel Hill!

If they are free of charge I would love to attend a session or two just to see what happens there and to make fun of them.

106 posted on 11/16/2004 6:44:55 AM PST by Phantom Lord (Advantages are taken, not handed out)
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To: johnny7

I am a psychologist and I've been mocking these losers for awhile. Unfortunately far too many in my profession are filled with condescension and self-importance so not surprisingly they are mostly liberals. I know of only two other psychologists who are conservative and both of them (like myself) are criminal/forensic psychologists which tend to draw a more "law and order" type of practitioner. The rest tend to be girly, french guys, and manly, Russian women.


107 posted on 11/16/2004 7:03:10 AM PST by Dr Snide (vis pacem, para bellum - Prepare for war if you want peace)
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To: bdeaner
oh my God, another conservative Psychologist. Who would have thunk (actually I know exactly 2 others). Had the experience of going to a sexual abuse conference a month before the election and the presenter had two case examples: George W. and Dick C. which all the other participants thought was just great, I left in visible disgust. Its like belong to the underground.
108 posted on 11/16/2004 7:12:21 AM PST by Dr Snide (vis pacem, para bellum - Prepare for war if you want peace)
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To: johnny7

When I first read this, I thought I must be reading The Onion. PEST! LOL!


109 posted on 11/16/2004 7:43:55 AM PST by Roberts
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To: Taxman

These are Rats, you need industrial strength "De-Con" to eradicate these PESTS. RAID just won't cut the mustard. :-)


110 posted on 11/16/2004 7:50:53 AM PST by daviscupper
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To: johnny7
"You have to understand that to many of us, this was the key election about the future of our country, and with a Bush win that future is pretty much destroyed."

These people don't need to be treated for stress, they need to be treated for delusions.

111 posted on 11/16/2004 7:57:05 AM PST by mlo
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To: pearlz

bump


112 posted on 11/16/2004 7:59:53 AM PST by BenLurkin (Big government is still a big problem.)
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To: johnny7
The Republicans want Kerry voters to shut up and pretend they’re not feeling anything,” Schooler said.

Okay. One man says something sarcastic, and now it's "The Republicans" who want Kerry voters to shut up? Why would we want that? Where would PJ-Comix get material for the DUmmie FUnnies if they shut up? I want them to keep talking!

113 posted on 11/16/2004 8:02:35 AM PST by Not A Snowbird (Official RKBA Landscaper and Arborist, Pajama Duchess of Green Leafy Things)
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To: FreedomGuru
your right voting for Kerry is a symptom of mental illness.
114 posted on 11/16/2004 8:03:52 AM PST by since1868
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To: johnny7
This isn't from the Onion? They really believe in this Syndrome?

Oy vey, you can't make this stuff up!

115 posted on 11/16/2004 8:06:46 AM PST by Yaelle
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To: johnny7

"Oh let me taste your tears. Your tears are so yummy and sweet. Oh the tears of unfathomable sadness...mmmm yummy!"

116 posted on 11/16/2004 8:10:50 AM PST by dfwgator (It's sad that the news media treats Michael Jackson better than our military.)
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To: meyer
It sounds like the mental health officials are trying to drum up some business.

As someone with a Pscyh degree I can tell you "It sounds like some partisans are trying to pretend to be mental health officials."

Hypnotherapy Mr Douglas? They might as well employ Phrenology while breaking out the Tarot card deck.

117 posted on 11/16/2004 8:13:46 AM PST by PeoplesRep_of_LA (I can't believe I voted for this Cheap Labor Activist)
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To: johnny7
You know, these people are completely insane. Even the people who are supposed to be helping them are insane.

When a therapist is perpetuating the delusions by saying, "Republicans want to minimize the whole story of election fraud and voter anger", then the therapist is neglext.

Is their voter anger? Yes. Is it realistic? No.

If anyone is acting inappropriately, it is the therapists cited in this story. They are reinforcing a delusion. This will only cause their patients to spiral further and further down.

The only thing I could suggest is that the therapist and his patients read my after-election commentary...

Despair. It is the bottom. What will you do now?

118 posted on 11/16/2004 8:15:06 AM PST by mattdono ("Crush the democrats, drive them before you, and hear the lamentations of the scumbags" -Big Arnie)
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To: johnny7
AHA officials, listening to the taped broadcasts, described Limbaugh’s tone of voice as sarcastic.

That's Rush!

119 posted on 11/16/2004 8:26:57 AM PST by BunnySlippers (George W. Bush is our president ... Get over it!)
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To: Tarpaulin
That's thearapy for you, mowing the lawn and crying.

"The Leary kid's in therapy again; their yard looks fabulous!"

120 posted on 11/16/2004 8:31:38 AM PST by Chemist_Geek ("Drill, R&D, and conserve" should be our watchwords! Energy independence for America!)
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