The Impact of Psychopaths in Therapy Roles

I. The Oak Ridge experiment

The male patients sent to St. Thomas were all seen as “graduates” of a treatment program at the Oak Ridge Psychiatric Unit in Penetanguishene, which for years was Ontario’s sole forensic hospital for individuals deemed criminally insane.

The facility housed some of the country’s most infamous offenders, including Peter Woodcock, convicted of murdering three children in Toronto during the late 1950s, and David Lariviere, a notorious mafia hitman who also killed a woman with a wine bottle while she slept next to him.

For over 15 years, patient-inmates at Oak Ridge underwent experimental treatments that featured sensory deprivation, hallucinogenic drugs, and physical punishment.

This program has since been labeled “flagrant and outrageous” by an Ontario Superior Court judge. However, half a century ago, it was viewed as groundbreaking by many within the psychiatric community.

The unconventional program originated from Dr. Elliott T. Barker’s vision; he was a newly qualified psychiatrist fresh from the University of Toronto in the mid-1960s.

He had drawn inspiration from British psychiatrist Dr. Maxwell Jones’s work on establishing “therapeutic communities” aimed at treating mental illness. A key principle of these “therapeutic communities” was that patients would take an active part in their own therapy and act as role models for one another.

A year after graduation, Barker and his wife traveled globally-visiting a Chinese prison camp in Maoist China to study behavior control techniques and attending a kibbutz in Israel to engage with philosopher Martin Buber, along with visiting therapeutic communities in Britain and Denmark.

Dr. Elliott T. Barker had been inspired by the work of British psychiatrist Dr. Maxwell Jones, who had pioneered involving patients in mental hospitals in their own therapy. (CTV)

Barker arrived at his position at Oak Ridge in 1965 with an innovative plan inspired partly by his travels. He intended to merge coercive methods like truth serums and sensory deprivation with patient-led encounter groups to compel psychopaths into confronting their issues head-on; this initiative would be called the Social Therapy Unit.

“I think I was more idealistic than I am now,” Barker reflected during a 1993 interview that The Fifth Estate obtained. “I thought we were creating the best program globally and we truly could fix psychopaths-these patients were going to improve.”

A vital aspect of Barker’s approach was that patients would act as therapists for each other-a tempting solution for an underfunded institution facing staffing shortages among doctors treating inmates.

However, what began as necessity soon became an unwavering belief for Barker.

“I hired a patient when there were no staff around-a patient who could do superb mental statuses better than I could-and he’d meet each new admission to write up an excellent mental status,” Barker recounted in 1993. “He stayed around for about six months until he bolted with the social worker’s wallet and credit cards.”

The inmate-patients at Oak Ridge could even prescribe drug treatments for one another-including LSD, methamphetamine, and truth serums-while alcohol treatments were popular too. Some men-severe alcoholics-have claimed they were forced to consume significant amounts of high-proof alcohol; not aimed at curing their mental health issues but rather weakening their defenses so they’d confront their flaws.

“The whole aim of this program was to break us down mentally,” recalled former Oak Ridge patient Jim Motherall back in 2016. “They thought if you stripped away all our harmful defenses that led us into trouble you could rebuild us as better people.”

Jim Motherall, shown in 2016 , was sent to Oak Ridge in 1972 , where he was diagnosed as having a personality disorder and underwent numerous experimental drug treatments. He diedin2018.(Warren Kay)Jim Motherall showed this image while discussing his time at Oak Ridge.

Motherall entered Oak Ridge back in 1972 after attacking a 15-year-old girl with a tire iron; an offense he admitted wasn’t his first nor last brush with law enforcement. His diagnosis included personality disorder along with various experimental drug therapies such as LSDand scopolamine while there.

“They gave you six shots per dayofthat stuff. Bythe endofthefirst day, you didn’t knowwho youwere or whatyouweredoing,” said Motherall.”Youcan’t dothat tomanypeople repeatedly… callit treatment because that’s justa nicewordpeople wanttohearwhen really it’s torture. Itwasjustthatfromstartto finish,” hesaid.

Initially, Barker envisionedpatients would willingly jointhe newprograms, but it didn’talways turn outthis way. To ensureeven thoserecalcitrant patients compliedwiththe “therapy,” Barkerinventedthe Total Encounter Capsule.

Some say he cribbed idea from US military.

authorities believed himto bea troublemakerand senthim off topenetrateinto society’s most dangerous offendersat Oak Ridge.
</Authorities pegged himasatroublemakerandsenthimofftolivewithcountry’smostdangerousoffendersin Oak Ridge.
</Authorities pegged himasatroublemakerandsenthimofftolivewithcountry’smostdangerousoffendersin Oak Ridge. Authorities deemed himtroublesomeand shippedhim off tominglewithsomeof Canada’s mostdangerous criminals. He celebratedhis17th birthdayinsideaccapsulewherehe facedbothcelebrationandpunishmentfromanolderpatient. One inmate took toilet paperand spelled Happy Birthday onthe wallbefore subsequently demandingthat Motheralldegrade himself sexually. If the capsule served astherapy thenforpatients, the MAPprogram never seemed anythingotherthanpunishment. MAP stood formotivation, attitude, and participation-orhow it’s now referredbythepatientsthemselves, torture. Theywouldbindyourlegs togetherthenyou’dbe placedonthefloor, instructurekept perfectlystillwhile maintaininganideal T-squareposition. Beingallowedtomove requiredpermissionyoudidn’tdareaskunlessraisingyourfinger brieflybefore immediately loweringit. Wastingtimeholding yourfinger up longer ledthemto accuseyouoftrying togain favorfrom authority. Barker later describedhisday-to-dayroleat Oak Ridge lesslikeadoctorbutmoreofamaster puppeteer. “My policy wasto workwithkey powerplayers, the attendantswho heldinformalpower, and keypatientswhohadunofficial sway. I negotiatedlikeapolitician,”hesaid inthe1993interview.”Ihad totalcontrol.”Many prisoners found not criminally responsible forthey’re crimes.A number inmatescamefromseriousbackgrounds. Looking back, it’s challenging tounderstand howpsychiatric professionals, and government agencies alikecould have perceivedthe Oak Ridgestudyasa progressive effortinmentalhealthcare. When reviewingmental healthinstitutionhistoryit’s apparentchangealmostany changehasoftenbeen regardedasan improvement. Asylumsknownearlyinthe20thcenturywere bleakplaceswarehousingthose strugglingwithmentalillnesswhere controllingpatients outweighed actualtreatment. Dr. John Deadman, a psychiatristcontemporaryof Barker notedthatbackintothe1950slittlewasunderstoodaboutappropriatepsychologicalcare. Treatmentsforconditionslike mania werenotonly crudebut also cruel. “The onlywaydealingwithapatientactingout manicallywasto drown them insupercooled water.” Itcontainedacanvascover preventingescape excepttheir heads stuckout.. loweredtemperatureleadinginto hypothermia. The swinging ’60scamearound bringing forth new ideas spreading throughout psychiatry field without exception. At Mc Gill University Montreal, specifically Dr. Ewan Cameronconducted CIA-fundedexperimentsfocusingonsensorydeprivationmindcontrol. even thoughgenerally unknownatlargefield expertise remainedaware&unconcerned about medical practice ethicsbeing violatedduring experimentation period.” “Atthattime Barkerengagedintheseissuesfullforce.” “Historywillshowwhetheror notmistaken Barks premise ultimately led towardprogressivesolutions…” Said John Deadman eventuallymedicaldirector Whitby Psychiatric Hospital. There is noevidence suggesting funds sourced via CIA programs aideddevelopment initiatives runningthroughout Oak Ridge. Barkingaliedon LSDsuppliedbyfederal Health Department conducting experiments relatedtreatment regimens. Furthermore, Barkers bristled ideahallucinogens administeredagainst consent indicating”God! Thoseguys linedupfor LSD.”During era everyone wantedit responsiblyprovided.” For awhile, Barker enjoyed acclaimwithin psychiatriccircles, hispolicies receiving praisefromgovernmentmembers, journalists&peerscontinuously touringfacility revealing success stories proving value-added therapeutic advances initiatedwithin organizationoverseeing units.”1 Superintendent Barry Boyd often boasted aboutyoungdoctor’s effectivenessamong guests encountering positive outcomes exhibitedhighlights behavioral modifications gained throughprogramming engagements designedwork collaboratively towards recovery goalsenhanced expectations throughout various sociocultural contextsavailableindustrywide partnerships”. Yet intotheearly1970sbeganto doubt efficacyresultingapproacheswholly satisfied clients needs& objectives versus prevailing medical standards ultimately warranted reevaluation process taking place alongside building reputation forecasting future intervention development purposes still awaiting further evaluation outcomes surrounding those previously discharged whom struggled reintegration complexities returning patterns re-offending amongst same group demographic constituents observing continual challenges mitigating risk factors produced through established protocols. Barker commented upon Boyd’s perspectives suggesting remedies seemingly fixed problemsets yieldingsatisfactory findings come next month leading heightened anticipation expectation flourishing breakthrough moments realized sooner instead represented genuine frustrations stemming past occurrences disheartening outlook presented realities pertaining community reintegration efforts observed behaviors perpetrating harm against others unless mitigated carefully addressing complications intertwined social stigma barriers residing ethically sound safe avenues establishing relationships conducive rehabilitation frameworks benefiting consumer populations underserved across board spectrum ranges experiencing difficulties accessing necessary resources support systems aligned closely foundation principles highlighting true recovery paths forward fostering growth enhancing resilience potentials moving forward gradually rebuilding lives positioned solid framework promotes lasting changes sustainably achieved over time aligning goals rooted core philosophies empowering individuals restore dignity reclaim agency despite odds seemingly stacked against them continually navigating systemic barriers hindering progress effectively achieving desired outcomes lived experiences informing development methodologies serving diverse clientele seeking find solutions meaningful ways empower success driving change within communities needing focused attention strategic interventions needed address root causes underlying behaviors exhibiting maladaptive tendencies shaping narratives ensue overtime influences perceptions challenged societal norms striving establish balance fostering connections uplifting spirit supporting journeys toward healing restoration hope renewed purpose gained reconnecting identities lost amidst adversity facing uncertainties navigating complex emotional landscapes shaped shared histories forged through struggles encountered overcoming obstacles presenting opportunities 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