Back

Challenge the Norm: Rethinking 'Normal' in a Medicated World | Day 285 of my 2023 Journal

Cecilie Conrad·Oct 14, 2023· 3 minutes

Challenge normal!

The game is on!

We are recording eight podcasts in six days. We had nothing in “the bank” when we sent the grandparents off from Barcelona, and we want to stay true to our goal of sharing one per week in the SelfDirectedPodcast and one per month in the LaidisFixingTheWorldPodcast.

It is lovely work. One of our most important life elements is to grow by talking to interesting people about important stuff. The podcast interviews are exactly that. This day, we talked with Laurie Couture, an attachment and early childhood trauma expert. We met online a few months ago, and it was a true pleasure to meet in real life. She has powerful insights into what childhood is for institutionalized children, and it was a pleasure to talk with her.

I am always impressed when I meet people who find the energy to work inside the systems to help children broken by it. This woman found the strength to push through without giving in to the standard procedures; she even wrote a book about what we can do instead of medicine. The episode will air in a few weeks; sign up for our newsletter to get the news.

I can not stress enough how important it is to challenge the mainstream system, especially the element of medicating people to fit into it. We NEED to revolt against this! The entire concept of “normal” has to be challenged by as many people as possible and can NOT be standardized by how the establishment looks - especially not if human beings are not thriving in it.

In the best case, the structures happened by coincidence, and we all need to remember we want a community to live better lives, not because we want to sustain a community, some traditions, big money, or old habits.

Sometimes, it is very complicated conversations we need to have with people we love and who might become very angry, but it is IMPORTANT to stay with our truth.

And mine is: This is crazy! Do not medicate children for mental stuff unless they are psychotic or do not sleep. Which is rare. Change the scene, solve the problem!

We also did a lot of preparations for our American trip. Bought more plane tickets. Looked at insurance. Locations. Recommendations. It just takes time. Nice to do on a rooftop terrace in the shade on a warm day.

So, we also went for a walk and dipped in the Mediterranean as the sun was setting. Staying true to what is important. Staying together. 

With love

Cecilie-Underskrift-300x133

Cecilie Conrad

Thank you for reading
I would love to hear from you. Listen to your thoughts and reflections - or praise :) It is often emotional to share our lives like this, and we get very happy when we get your feedback. So feel free to share a comment below 😋 

The summer nights are fantastic here, and with even one more sentimental emotion, we stick to our plan of leaving Scandinavia in high summer to get t…Read more
But worse, much worse, is to impose this ambition on OTHERS, Adults want to set the scene for their (or others’) children to learn to their highest p…Read more
One of the reasons we chose to become nomadic was my winter depression, and one clear sign for us was when I started worrying at Summer Solstice. On …Read more
Creating a better story is a way to survive a challenging situation emotionally. The question is: Do we always do that? And is the so-called reality …Read more
True unschooling is a lifestyle where the whole idea of school has been removed from the equation, the idea of “you have to learn” and the idea of th…Read more
We live in a world of consumerism. Always shopping. Always using something. What if we stop? Stop to think. What if we let go? Read more
One thing I do not understand about modern parents. It seems they can’t get away from their children fast enough; it seems all they talk about is how…Read more
It is some form of rebellion to stop and be silent and do simple slow stuff of no obvious value. To the world, it seems we always have to be producti…Read more
On the last day we spent with my sister's family in Sweden, we shared the last bottle of champagne from my mother, whom we all lost four years ago. I…Read more