Julie Greene's tracks: Recent Episodes
Julie Greene
Good Evening, Fellow Toastmasters! This speech was delivered July 13, 2017, I was once told I could never live on my own, I was "dangerous," and that I would be forced into a state mental facility for a long time. If anyone ever tells you that, just laugh and walk away. THERE ARE NO HOPELESS CASES. This is Competent Communicator Speech #10 for me, and I am proud to say I am the first in my club to earn this prestigious award.
It's hard to believe this person who is giving this speech is 59 years old and spent three decades in and out of mental hospitals. Listen to her nail Speech #10 of Competent Communicator. She was the first to achieve this for her club.
This speech was done live a couple of weeks ago, October 2016. This is my interpretation of Stevie Smith's "Not Waving but Drowning" (1972).
Calling people "toxic" is really a form of bullying. "Toxic"is a meaningless term. In fact, it's a magical thinking (delusional) to say a person can "suck energy" out of other people. No one truly has that power! Calling a person "toxic" is just another way of saying, "We do not like you." Stop calling people that nasty name and end bullying now.
My name is Julie Greene. I am a writer and former "patient" of psychiatry and am now working hard to expose the harms of psychiatry and the "mental health" (sic) system in general. Please do not believe the lies these doctors tell you. Especially beware those who may attempt to convince you they have your best interests in mind. The nicest bedside manner will fool more innocent victims into believing this is "safe and effective treatment" when it is none of the above.
This is a reading from a web page that you can find here: https://thesentinelproject.org/what-we-do/early-warning-system/operational-process-stages-of-genocide-model/. Please do not hesitate to comment!
I was called socially awkward, clumsy, or just plain stupid. I couldn't hold down a waitress job but was a brilliant student. I was bullied and made to feel like a failure at life. This was never true, and the answer was NOT a psych disorder as was the assumption for so many years. Listen here as I explain what was really going on. You will be amazed. #mindfreedom
This is a description of one of the most hilarious events in the history of my relationship with my ex-shrink, but I can only say that in hindsight. Listen up, and I think you will see why. The doctor is in! But hey, buyer beware, eh?
I was a "client" at Options Day Treatment, located in Watertown, Massachusetts, from October 1981 until July 1982. I also attended this same program for around three years later that decade. This is an excerpt from a draft of my memoir, which will be published soon.
This is a short excerpt from a new work that has not yet been published anywhere online. Enjoy!
This letter is written to Ron DiBiase, who practiced as an LICSW at Options Day Treatment many years ago. He left the program stating that he was going to stop being a therapist, however, I see that he now holds a senior position at Fenway Community Health. I plan to mail this letter. I am a survivor of the Mental Health System, one of the few "clients" from Options still living.
Originally I uploaded this recording to Northeastern University's Our Marathon site in 2014. I am presenting it here so more people can access it. This is a different perspective than others you have heard before. You won't hear cheering about Watertown Strong. I lived in public housing for 22 years and the Watertown Police treated us terribly, especially my neighbors who were immigrants. This is not a political statement but my own personal experience the days of the ordeal. The writings were written at that time, then narrated and compiled for this recording. I live far away now, and I am safe and happy.
This is a true story of ECT, that is, "shock treatments," that were done to me in 1996. In this piece, which is highly literary, I name the names of those that participated in the coverup of the damages from ECT that happened to me. I was 38 years old that the time and I am now 57,
Please join us in protest May 16, 2015. Go to ECTJustice.org to find the protest near you.
This is posted in memory of my late boyfriend, Joe Casey. He was a psychiatric survivor as am I.
Today is Carnaval. I live in Centro of a town about an hour's drive from Montevideo. This is a brief recording of the unbearable noise here tonight. The noise has been very bad all tourist season, but tonight has been, so far, the absolute worst. Nice for tourists, bad for those of us who actually live here. I can hardly wait to move to someplace quiet and more private. That should happen in a few months. Noise pollution sucks bad.
I recorded this a few minutes past midnight on January 1, 2015. I was standing by the open door to my patio. Location: Centro of Atlantida, Canelones, Uruguay. Current weather: Clear, 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Good evening! This is an audio clip that once was a video, but since the picture and sound didn't seem to line up well, I decided to post the audio only. I made this a month ago. I viewed it tonight and was delighted at how often I smiled and laughed. A year ago, I certainly wasn't smiling! At the end of the clip, you hear me picking up my little dog, Puzzle, in my arms and showing her off for the camera. Needless to say, she wasn't at all fazed by this.
This is a poem I wrote just now and am reading aloud. It's been a while since I broadcasted. I made a bunch of recordings but again and again, was undecided as to whether to upload what I had or to re-record. Finally, I was settled on this one recording I have here. I hope you enjoy it. Take care of yourselves and I will be back soon with lots of exciting things in store for you. Love, Julie and Puzzle (that little white dog).
Feminist readings from Rachel Conrad Wahlberg and Adrienne Rich dating from way back when remind me that WE ARE NOT WORTHLESS and all is not lost. Even for little ole me, stuck on "disability"! We are worth more than our measly paychecks. If you are loving and giving, you are priceless. Rejoice in lost things.
Memories. This is an EXTRA radio broadcast just for you! Here, I am reading a poem I wrote not long before the death of my beloved Joe, just over a decade ago. I located this poem while cleaning out a drawer. I'd been searching for a research paper. I'm happy to say I found the paper at last. It's funny how all sorts of other memorabilia seem to show up as well. I love you, and thanks for listening. There is hope for each and every one of you. I know what a lonely life this can be, but don't give up.
The Passover Broadcast: Julie Greene discusses what it's like to "break free" in various forms. She discusses two forms of breaking free from brainwashing. One is her experience breaking free from a religious cult as a young adult after ten days. The second was breaking free from over three decades of brainwashing done by the mental health system. In both instances, returning to the brainwashers wasn't possible, because once she saw the truth, she couldn't undo her enlightenment.
Are you on both Medicare AND Medicaid? If so, you may find yourself in the same rut I'm in. We know the system is stacked against folks like us who are considered "permanently disabled." Are we really supposed to accept what society is telling us, that we're nothing but throwaways? I've decided I'm not going to live like this any longer. My name is Julie Greene.
I attended the 2014 National Eating Disorders Association Walk today in Newton, Massachusetts. Here are my reflections on this year's walk.
Hello. My name is Julie Greene. Is this rain (or whatever it's doing where you are) keeping you in? If you're not doing anything else tonight, you might as well sit back, relax, and listen just for fun! I plan to be broadcasting every Sunday night! Stay tuned! (P.S. If you listen wicked closely, you'll hear Puzzle on here, too! Just take the Lego pieces outa your ears, you might hear better, okay? Only kidding and have a great week!)