Posted by jane d on February 4, 2002, at 14:21:40
In reply to Re: This board is better, posted by Dr. Bob on February 1, 2002, at 19:00:30
> > The AOL boards are "monitored," but the monitors are not trained in mental health.
>
> And do you think that makes a difference? If they "just" monitor and don't actually provide the support?I don't think that it does. I think your describing a separate skill that can be found in people who run business meetings well, teachers and, well, moderators. If anything, I would think that mental health training with it's emphasis on intervening would make it harder to just stand back and risk other people messing up..
It sometimes seems to me as though your credentials actually get in the way. They can encourage posters to fall into the passive patient role and assume that because your name is on the site with the magic words "MD" that it's content and value to them personally is somehow guaranteed. On the other hand, those credentials may be necessary to keep at bay the posters who would try to take over with their view of the "truth".
I'd really like to know what you think about this. Do you think your training helps you be effective here? Or that the skills you use here are the same ones you needed to be an effective psychiatrist? How does your being an MD effect the way you handle this site?
Jane
poster:jane d
thread:2808
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20011216/msgs/2840.html