Disturbed Children

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31086, 15 June 1966, Page 16

Disturbed Children

Sir,—Because of the pathetic failure of those responsible to handle the problem of disturbed children, a national society has recently been formed in Auckland to try to fill the gap. There is a need for urgent action in Christchurch, too, for prevention at this important level is almost an unexplored field. J. F. Williams is right, but where will he get his “teach-er-psychiatrists”? There are only a handful of qualified psychiatrists in New Zealand, and neither among these nor the untrained, self-stvled “psychiatrists.” with their minimal medical degrees, is anyone devoted exclusively to a specialty with disturbed children. The Education Department’s psychologists do their best, but few are trained in clinical psychology, and, locally, two of the most experienced have had to move from the field to get promotion.—Yours, etc., VARIAN J. WILSON. June 14, 1966.

Sir,—Varian J. Wilson’s statement that “playing around with early childhood memories by any means is a waste of time” comes as a shock. Early childhood fears,

etc., are implanted in the subconscious mind and expose themselves in later life in many forms. Probing the subconscious and bringing to light these fears in their correct context in the conscious mind greatly assists a disturbed person to cope with life in this disturbed world. —Yours, etc., PAT T. SHEEHAN. June 13, 1966.