I am delighted to have been asked to be a Director of Atebion, and to write content for this Prof’s Corner section of the website. I believe strongly that Rich and his colleagues at Atebion are building something special and inspirational – and much needed. I am also very aware of the wonderful activities engaged in by North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC), Eternal Media, and various other exciting initiatives in North Wales which focus on helping people overcome adversities such as addiction, trauma, and mental health problems.
Atebion is connecting with such initiatives, and together they will create a ripple effect of healing within and across communities. This process will also allow a healing process to be initiated across generations. Trauma has passed across generations, so clearly evidenced following the colonisation of Indigenous cultures, and now healing must do the same. Our children deserve this, as do their children and grandchildren.
I believe that sustained change, much needed in today’s world, can only come about from the grassroots. Atebion is a true grassroots initiative. At its heart, Atebion recognises that people who have come through great adversity have much to offer in helping others. Many of these people want to ‘give back’. As world-leading trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry points out, these ‘people tend to have tremendous empathy for others who are struggling and they tend to have wisdom.’ I have personally seen so much good coming from people who have overcome addiction and/or healed from trauma.
An important aim of Atebion is to create a powerful Voice of people who have come through adversity. In addition, the team want to help communities learn from world-leading experts how to tackle and prevent the problems we are experiencing in society today, particularly in relation to addiction, trauma, and mental heath problems. One difficulty is knowing what ‘expert’ voice we should be listening to, in order to improve our social and emotional wellbeing. The mental health field is dominated by a flawed biomedical model, the idea that there is something wrong with us that can be fixed by drugs. However, many experts, like myself, believe that psychiatric drugs cause more harm than good.
I’ve been working in the addiction and related fields for nigh on fifty years, and have been fortunate enough to interact with a number of genuine world-leading experts. Over time, I’ve leant a great deal, and believe that I can ‘separate the wheat from the chaff’—the valuable or useful from the worthless or less desirable. Rich Price and his colleagues have appreciated my experience and understanding, and asked if I would highlight the work of ‘my’ world-leading experts in the Prof’s Corner. At the same time, I will highlight the experiences of remarkable people who have come through great adversity.
I am so lucky to have met and worked with so many inspiring people, and so grateful for all that they have taught me.
Prof’s Corner comprises the sections outlined below:
