California’s “Inside the Issues” with Alex Cohen Brings Rob Aboard
Alex Cohen interviewed me for her show “Inside the Issues” about my book Your Consent Is Not Required and efforts in California to expand forced psychiatric treatment laws. Click here to watch the show, with the interview beginning at about 33:00 minutes.
The best books for understanding contemporary involuntary commitment and forced psychiatric treatment
Shepherd is an intriguing website, where “8,000+ authors have shared five of their favorite books around a topic, theme, or mood.” It’s a fascinating way to get a little more insight into authors as they describe their own books, as well as get very personal, expert book recommendations from them. I’m a bit reluctant to use a term like “best”–especially when I know all too well how many great books I couldn’t include–so I might have instead called mine a list of “books that, placed together, craft an insightful overall picture into contemporary involuntary commitment and forced psychiatric treatment.” In any case, I liked writing this, and if you’re an avid reader, you’ll probably enjoy meandering further through the
Gabe Howard of Inside Mental Health Interviews Rob
Gabe Howard interviewed me for his popular Healthline PsychCentral podcast “Inside Mental Health.” Gabe identifies as bipolar, has personally experienced psychiatric detention, and has interviewed a wide array of guests over the years of his podcasts, and brought some deep and unique understandings of the issues from my book Your Consent Is Not Required.
Rob on Abolitionist Radio and Christian TV
Jesse Strauss interviewed me for Law & Disorder, the self-declared abolitionist California radio station KPFA, about the 988 hotline’s use of call tracing to detain people in psychiatric hospitals.
I also recently appeared on the Christian cable television channel Daystar in Canada, discussing my book Your Consent Is Not Required on the show TalkTruth.
Diversity — your choice!
LIVE May 4: “Ask Us Anything” about Mental Health Laws
“ASK US ANYTHING about how involuntary psychiatric commitment and forced drugging laws and hearings work, and the best ways to navigate them.” A live YouTube discussion event with lawyer Jim Gottstein, journalist Rob Wipond, and psychiatric survivor Janet Werner. Thursday May 4, 2023 at 3 pm pacific, 6 pm eastern. Watch the video on YouTube here.
Law360 Canada Reviews Your Consent Is Not Required
One of Canada’s top psychiatric civil rights lawyers and legal scholars, Anita Szigeti, describes Your Consent Is Not Required: “…informative, eye-opening… Having worked as a defence lawyer representing ten thousand individuals embroiled in the justice system consequent to being diagnosed with a mental disorder over 30 years at the bar, I know that Wipond’s thoughtful analysis is right on all fronts… There has not been much, if anything of this nature available in print, until now… should be required reading for anyone involved in supporting, treating, caring for or representing persons living with serious mental health issues.” Click here to read the full review.
Decarcerating Care: Histories of Coercion and Dreams for Liberated Futures
Hosted by the Institute for the Development of Human Arts, I participated on a diverse panel with Tatyana Nduta, James Burch, Kelechi Ubozoh, Chacku Mathai, and Theo Henderson. From IDHA: “On Monday, April 17th, 2023, IDHA hosted a community discussion that explored how institutionalization has long operated as a tool of social control, disproportionately impacting Black and Brown communities, manifesting today in the expansion of involuntary commitment directives nationally.” Learn more about the event and the presenters, or click here to watch the talk.
Radically Genuine Podcast – with Rob Wipond
Clinical psychologist Dr. Roger McFillin, along with Kelly Wetherhold and Sean McFillin, interview Rob Wipond about Your Consent Is Not Required on the Radically Genuine Podcast. Click here to listen to the podcast — full transcript also available.
Get 30-40% off Your Consent Is Not Required
Click here to get 40% off the audiobook of Your Consent Is Not Required (until May 1). Click here to get 30% off the hardcover or e-book by using the code “RIGHTS”.
‘Not as Crazy as You Think’ Hosts Rob
Jen Gaita Siciliano added a lot of dimension to her interview with me by sharing her own stories and perspectives from being forcibly treated. Click here to listen to the Not As Crazy as You Think podcast.
Christopher Lane at Psychology Today Reviews Your Consent Is Not Required
From the “Side Effects” column at Psychology Today: “…timely… exhaustive… powerful… Wipond’s comprehensive study unearths health and social services replete with poor-to-dreadful outcomes, lax oversight, and protocols seemingly rigged against those most in need: the vulnerable, destitute, and marginalized.” Click here to read the whole review of Your Consent Is Not Required.
The Ashland Source Reports on My Visit to Ohio
The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County, Ohio brought me in to speak at their annual conference remembering psychiatric civil rights activist Pat Risser — the recording may be posted online soon. But the local Ashland Source also reported on the reading and discussion at the public library before the conference, and published an op-ed of mine about the situation in Ohio. Some state legislators have been pushing a law to expand the number of people being involuntarily committed–even while they have no idea at all how many people in Ohio are currently being committed.
Peterborough Examiner Story — Where Rob Grew Up
Joanne Culley interviews me for the Peterborough Examiner, the newspaper that was a daily feature of my family home as a kid. Click here to read (subscriber paywall). By the way, if you were to delve into the Examiner’s archives, you’d also find stories of me scoring goals in peewee hockey and of saving someone from nearly drowning–true story! :-)
Peter McCully of Black Press Interviews Rob
In a special book club episode, long-time Black Press Media journalist and editor-turned-podcaster Peter McCully interviews me for the “Today in BC” podcast. After author Kate Gately, our interview begins at about 12:50 and continues for 13 minutes. Click here to listen.
Vancouver Sun Review of Your Consent Is Not Required
“Deeply researched, lucidly written… an important contribution to public policy debate and a profoundly moving, must-read call for human dignity and humane treatment for all. Highly recommended.” –Vancouver Sun
Click here to read the entire review.
PS I’m actually a “former” Victoria writer but, you know, headlines…