Both children and the reputation of psychologists suffer in the struggles of different families: MP L. Slušnis was also blacklisted

Linas Slušnys, child psychologist and psychiatrist elected to the Seimas of the 2020-2024 legislature, is included in the “black list” and says that he has faced for the first time the attack of some members of the APTA – they accuse the specialist of losing children in court.

Other renowned specialists from the country were included in the organization’s “black list”: the psychologists Simonas Audickas, Ilona Butautienė, Vita Čioraitienė, Alma Golcienė and Tomas Kelpša, as well as the psychiatrist Asta Dervinytė-Borgazoni.

T. Kelpša claims that one of the APTA members, Ramūnas Kvietkauskas, felt uncomfortable after refusing to work with the proposed methodology.

The specialist does not rule out the possibility of going to court and thus defending his reputation.

Although the letter was drawn up last summer, it was heard for the first time a week ago by the specialists mentioned in the list about the fact that it is distributed to parents by municipal institutions and the Save the Children organization.

According to L. Slušnis, it is no coincidence that this letter appeared just before the elections.

“It just came to our notice then. I see it as an attempt to deal with me politically. There are at least two angry and aggressive parents in the (APTA) organization who clearly told me about 5 years ago that their mission is to ruin my life. I’m afraid that some of the specialists that were included in the list were included there, because they remained under my name in a meat grinder, after that mission ”, explained L.Slušnys.

I see it as an attempt to deal with me politically.

Assessed the competencies of psychologists

“Our association faces a shortage of competent specialists in Lithuania to help children affected by parental rejection,” begins the APTA letter prepared and distributed last August.

It is aimed at several institutions: the Inter-Institutional Cooperation Coordination Division of the Vilnius City Municipality, the Social Services Division of the Vilnius City Municipality and the State Service for the Protection and Adoption of Children (VVTAĮT).

The letter emphasizes that parental rejection (stabbing children against one of the parents in the event of divorce) is one of the most brutal forms of psychological violence against children.

The letter was prepared by one of the APTA members, the vascular surgeon R. Kvietkauskas.

“How did we make those lists? Because there are dozens of people in our association who have suffered from one psychologist or another and who have some good experience with one or another psychologist, we just listen and crystallize in what people said. 15 minutes explained R. Kvietkauskas.

The question of diagnosis

According to the APTA representative, L. Slušnys has repeatedly openly said that parental rejection is a non-existent phenomenon.

This is said to be one of the main reasons for blacklisting it.

L. Slušnys responds that he could not, even if he wanted to, diagnose a disease that is not included in the International System of Disease Codes (ICD).

“Neither Linas Slušnys nor anyone else can recognize or not recognize (the disease). There are psychologists in Lithuania who are beginning to explain that there is a” parental rejection syndrome. “

That’s great – they may be able to afford to philosophize because they don’t follow the Australian version of ICD.10. I am guided by what a doctor should follow ”, explained L. Slušnys, who changed his medical practice to that of a parliamentarian.

According to him, as soon as the World Health Organization (WHO) decides to include the condition mentioned by R. Kvietkauskas in the ICD, he, as a specialist, will decide on its determination in specific cases.

“I’m not a down-to-earth Martian with any of my disease classifications. They (APTA – red.past.) Explain that I don’t recognize anything.

When the WHO adds this disease to the ICD, when the Lithuanian Psychiatric Association accepts this classification as a document and says: yes, we accept it, we say that the wording of the new disorder in the new classification is acceptable and verified, I will address the question whether to admit this syndrome to someone or not “, – said L. Slušnys.

Known in court

According to R. Kvietkauskas, L. Slušnys is a mild denier of parental rejection, because he admits that a child can be placed against one of the parents, but does not recognize the proposed methodology for providing diagnosis and assistance.

“Normal specialists believe that this (parental rejection – past.) Is violence, that a child needs to be separated from such a mother, or to prevent such violence at any cost.

If we cannot accept it, it is irrational, it is not such a momentary violence that a child should be abducted at this time, you can try to give his mother a warning in a couple of weeks: if he does not show any signs of deprogramming the child again, you destroy it in two weeks, then we’ll take it. These tactics are applied mainly abroad, ”said R. Kvietkauskas.

L. Slušnys emphasizes that your testimony in court is only part of the process, and the judges make the decision with whom the children will live after the divorce.

“My problem is that I know the stories of those parents very well. They (APTA members – ed.) Accuse me of losing children through me. No way. Those who have lost children lose them by court order. And the court examines many circumstances.

I can say one thing with certainty: I do not allow violence against a child and a mother, even if, according to them, it is only psychological violence ”, revealed L.Slušnys behind the scenes of the conflict.

Treat relationships

The APTA document divides psychologists and psychiatrists into three categories: the most recommended, those to be treated with caution, and the so-called “black list.”

Dainius Pūras, doctor of medical sciences and child and adolescent psychiatrist, was on the list of recommended specialists.

In his opinion, in some cases families should receive “relationship treatment.”

“I think it is obvious that the phenomenon in which one of the former spouses does everything possible to prevent the child from wanting to communicate with the other is harmful and traumatic. That is what we need to know and address. However, I would consider it more a violation of the rights of the child than a diagnosis, ”explained D. Pūras.

“Family relationships should be treated in such a way that even ex-spouses understand that they have no right to harm a child when they divorce. However, the Health Insurance Funds will not pay for the treatment of the relationship,” the psychiatrist added.

The municipality apologized

Janina Ragelienė, head of the family support department at the Vilnius City Social Support Center (SPC), says she regrets that this letter was distributed to parents due to human error.

“We regret that the letter received was also sent to the recipient of the service, because the opinion of the Division of Family Support and the Administration of the Municipality of Vilnius City does not agree with the list of psychologists drawn up by APTA, since the Division does not question the powers of psychologists believes that all, – it is written 15 minutes in the reply sent.

“The document received from APTA was intended solely for internal knowledge of the content of the letter. Once again, we deplore human error in the dissemination of information prepared outside the Department, which could have been misinterpreted as an opinion of the Department of Family Support” , J. Ragelienė’s answer is emphasized.

I contacted the police

The struggle of R. Kvietkauskas is already known to law enforcement officials.

As soon as the quarantine began, in late March last year, the husband appealed to the police claiming that his ex-wife had not allowed him to visit the children, citing the threat of COVID-19.

“I think the information I have is scandalous. I am a doctor, divorced, the children live with my mother.

Justifying the quarantine, the children’s mothers did not let me see them. But the most impressive thing is the police reaction. I recorded the conversation with the LSC operational management researcher, it is impressive “, – such a letter along with an audio recording 15 minutes submitted by R. Kvietkauskas.