ARW – Project France

Shareby David Heurtevent, Asperger, MA Georgetown “Of all those who have nothing to say, the most likeable are those who stay quiet. ” Coluche   Listening to France Culture (a Public Radio) is painful. The smell of mothballs wafts across the airwaves from Saint-Germain-des-Prés with daily sessions of verbal masturbation financed by the taxpayer. But it’s not surprising that France Culture is the main media outlet for psychoanalysis as the pseudo-humanist, ethno-centric, verbal and financial mechanisms are the same. On 10 [...]

Share13 February 2012 will go down as an important day in the evolution of the treatment of people with autism in France. The newspaper Liberation published a version of an unreleased report by the National Authority for Health (HAS) which the HAS was quick to refute, under pressure from the psychoanalytical lobby (APM News and AFP). Episode 1 – Libération publishes a report on “recommendations for good practice” by the National Authority for Health. In the evening of 12 February [...]

ShareThe debate on the origins of autism started heating up in Ireland after an article of Dr. Tony Humphreys in the print edition of the “Irish Examiner” of Feb. 3, 2012, which cited Dr. Sami Timimi stating that “there is no such thing as autism and the label should be abolished”. Immediately, parents and scholars reacted strongly. Since, the newspapers has started a damage control operation. Dr Tony Humphreys and Dr Sammi Timimi have offered some apologies on Feb.9 2012. [...]

ShareGood luck with the appeal. The use of the law to suppress clinical debate is a repressive step, and risks bringing the courts themselves into disrepute. And good wishes too for the year of the “Grande Cause Nationale” which could bring modern and humane processes into the management of autism. Eric Taylor Emeritus Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, King’s College London FRCP FRCPsych FMedSci Profile of Eric Taylor at King’s College London Eric Taylor is Emeritus Professor of Child [...]

ShareDuring the week of January 16th to 22nd 2012, the campaign took a really international turn. International reactions January 17th, 2012 The autism community website, Wrongplanet, publishes a statement of David Heurtevent, co-founder of “Support the Wall: Autism”. The article goes somewhat viral. Within hours, it reaches 7000 views. In English: http://www.supportthewall.org/2012/01/interview-of-david-heurtevent-on-wrongplanet-autism-in-france-psychoanalysis-packing-and-other-travesties-why-it-matters/ January 19th, 2012 The global edition of the New York Times publishes a landmark article titled “A French Film Takes Issue With the Psychoanalytic Approach to Autism”. In [...]

ShareKaren Weintraub, a Cambridge-based health/science journalist, published an article on Jan 20th 2012 on WBUR, the National Public Radio channel in Boston on “The Wall”. She analyzes the film “The Wall: psychoanalysis put to the test for autism” of Sophie Robert and interviews Michelle Dawson an autism researcher from the University of Montreal (Canada). She even offers retirement as a solution to solve the issue of psychoanalysis in France. Excerpts: “Watching the 50-minute documentary on YouTube (French with English subtitles [...]

ShareThis document is the translation of a manifesto published on Jan 12th 2012 by one of the organization opposed to changes in autism in France. This organization, named “Collectif of the 30 against security darkness” is organizing a demonstration in Paris on Saturday March 17, 2012 in Montreuil, near Paris. It should be noted that their petition against reforms in psychiatry is signed by prominent communists and left-wing intellectuals, politicians and some child psychiatrists. This group strongly support psychoanalysis and [...]

ShareThis article on packing was published originally in French on the “Soutenons Le Mur” website on January 11th 2012. Translation: Karen Wilshin This Q&A article attempts to explain the practice of “Packing”, the technique for wrapping children with autism in cold, wet sheets, why it’s a problem, what’s being done to stop it and what’s blocking progress. Written by Olivier Bousquet and David Heurtevent, it gives an introduction to the practice. For more detail, you can read the full article [...]

ShareThis document, is a faithful transcription, translated into English of most of the questions and answers on the very famous France live talk show “The Phone Rings” (“Telephone Sonne”) on French National Public Radio France Inter on January 4th 2012. Our sister organization “Collectif Soutenons Le Mur” launched an action the day before to call the station and to help increase the awareness on the difficulties of Autism in France.   Important Contextual Notes – David Heurtevent In France, the [...]

ShareBy David Heurtevent, MA Georgetown, Asperger, david@supportthewall.org France is a very odd country in the world of Autism. Autism is viewed by many mainstream child psychiatrists as a psychosis, not as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder. The “frigid mother” theory of Bruno Bettleheim still is mainstream. Therapeutic laissez-faire is the norm. Many children are “packed” in wet clothes as cold as 50°F (10°C) several times a day. In France, Autism is viewed as a psychosis, not as a PDD In France, [...]