David Mielke - Educating in the era of the psychiatric diagnosis

This week we interview David Mielke. David is a psychology graduate and teacher in a California high school who has become increasingly concerned about the number of children that he teaches that have a psychiatric diagnosis and how many are on psychiatric drugs.

In this interview, we discuss David’s experiences as an educator and how teachers can empower students to have more confidence in themselves.

In the episode we discuss:

• How David studied psychology and then came to be a teacher at Culver City High School in California.
• How an experience witnessing electroshock therapy made an indelible mark on his approach to educating.
• How David knew from interacting with his students that most often their struggles were because of difficult circumstances such as issues at home rather than brain diseases in need of diagnosis.
• How David has witnessed many of his students have internalised their diagnostic labels.
• The relationship between a psychiatric diagnosis and learned helplessness.
• The tensions that may arise between school policies and guidance, teachers and parents when a psychiatric diagnosis is involved.
• The power inherent in psychotherapy to connect with and support people in difficulty.

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