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 feel of Venice is closely connected to walking. The experience of walking between houses, alongside canals, over bridges, over piazzas (and repea…Read more
It is funny how walking from Dorsodura, where we live, to the Saint Mark Basilica is a journey from a good tourist experience to something like hell.…Read more
Ten years ago, we visited Venice for the first time. Our youngest son was just a little one, my hair was still short after cancer, and I still had m…Read more
It is not all beach, UNESCO site, amazing nature, and repeat. Some days, we are just practical. These days are not to be taken lightly. They are impo…Read more
Some days on our journey are so packed that it is simply impossible to reflect on them the next morning as my 365 challenge asks for. Sometimes, I ha…Read more
Ravenna showed up on our travel itinerary because of a Donald Duck story. It is funny how things are connected. Read more
We have crossed the mountains from the coast and sunshine to the coast, crossing a landscape of snow. And we lived in Sant’Oleo for three days lookin…Read more
We are grateful to have a life from which we do not need a pause. We have created and allowed ourselves a life with freedom enough to decide how we w…Read more
Traveling from Sicily to Copenhagen between the beginning of March and late May will give us three months of spring. Being Danish, escaping six month…Read more