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Post by glasschmetterling on Feb 14, 2015 14:17:06 GMT
We all do our research. Research is good. Research is great. Research is important when writing about stuff. But unfortunately, there are also limits to what research can do for you. Google Translator sucks at generating gramatically correct phrases. The pretty pictures you find on the internet will not show you where exactly in that park the damned war memorial is. Going through long lists of foreign-sounding names will not tell you about your character's intense suffering from elementary school onwards, because, "LOL. That's not even a name!" (Yes, I look at you, Gretchen from "Germany"!). Or there might be that tiny but important detail about a place you need, and can't find, and it sucks. And reading tons of coverage about a certain topic or profession will not tell you if action X is appropriate in place Y or not, unless you're very lucky and it's explicitly mentioned.
So, if you've got a reseach question you can't find the answer for, or need a translation for a phrase in (or to) a foreign language, or want to find out if your character name sounds completely and utterly stupid, ask away here.
I'll start with a question for the FSoG fanfic I may be writing soon (please disregard the fact that Dr. Flynn is a sorry excuse for a therapist and should lose his licence asap, at least for the time it takes you to consider my question): Isn't it extremely unprofessional for him to counsel BOTH Leila and Christian? I mean, he's a friend of Christian's family (I think that alone is rather problematic, especially as I think Christian was still a minor when he became a patient of Dr. Flynn's), Christian considers him a friend, and then he's treating Leila, who, at the point he accepts her as a patient, either is or was in an intimate relationship with Christian. Shouldn't that raise, like, a few red flags?
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Post by wonderbink on Feb 14, 2015 18:31:30 GMT
My knowledge of therapy is from the recipient's point of view but I agree that it seems pretty dodgy. I could ask my therapist next time I see her, though that may be a while.
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Post by jessibel on Feb 14, 2015 18:46:18 GMT
Also don't know from a professional point of view, but I know that my grandmother's therapist was a family friend, though not a close one. He would come over for dinner parties, or they would go to his house, ect. This would have been through the 70s and 80s, maybe the early 90s. I always thought it sounded very weird and unprofessional.
(Edited for grammar.)
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Post by blowpop on Feb 14, 2015 20:43:35 GMT
Isn't it extremely unprofessional for him to counsel BOTH Leila and Christian? I mean, he's a friend of Christian's family (I think that alone is rather problematic, especially as I think Christian was still a minor when he became a patient of Dr. Flynn's), Christian considers him a friend, and then he's treating Leila, who, at the point he accepts her as a patient, either is or was in an intimate relationship with Christian. Shouldn't that raise, like, a few red flags? From speaking with my therapist and a friend who also happens to be a therapist (who I don't use precisely because he's a friend), you need to separate yourself from your patients professionally. Which means you can't really be friends with them (you can pretend to but not actually be so). He definitely shouldn't be giving Christian updates on her. Nor should he be treating her. Nor should he have told Ana anything about Christian (without him being there and giving express consent). Because giving him updates on Lelia and telling Ana about Christian should have him losing his license. Not to mention basically telling Ana that even though she's in a bad situation to stay in that situation because she's helping Christian more than he is is terrible advice. But yes. It should raise red flags.
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Post by rhiannon on Feb 14, 2015 21:42:38 GMT
I can't help on this question, but since you mentioned translations...I can help out if someone wants to know the English for something in French, Russian or German
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Post by sortilegio on Feb 14, 2015 22:51:22 GMT
I can also help with german. My french is rather rusty but I would give it a try
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Post by glasschmetterling on Feb 15, 2015 9:04:04 GMT
Thanks for all of your replies I really appreciate your efforts. As for the "Stay with him, Ana, you're helping him so much, even though he's hurt and raped you!"-part... that's not a "Jeez, this guy should lose his license!"-offense. It rather goes along the lines of "There's a special place in hell for people like you, and I do sure hope its hot!" So, for Dr. Flynn to resemble at least a halfway competent, halfway ethical therapist, he should be: - NOT friends with Grace and Carrick (Though I suppose his being at the charity ball at their house with lots of other people would be okay. He could be involved with one of the charities, for example) - NOT friends with Christian (Though he can pretend to be a friend. And that pretending might include being at his birthday party, but certainly not obstruction of justice) - NOT treating any of Christian's subs - NOT be talking to Ana about Christian At least that's the easy part of that stuff. Hard part: Did Dr. Flynn know about Elena abusing Christian as a teenager? If yes, would he legally be required to do something about it (if Christian was an adult when Dr. Flynn found out, not still a minor)? And what about him knowing that Christian abuses/has abused at least some of his previous sexual partners? Would he be required to bring that to the police's attention?
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xebi
Full Member
Posts: 144
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Post by xebi on Feb 15, 2015 10:26:16 GMT
I can't help on this question, but since you mentioned translations...I can help out if someone wants to know the English for something in French, Russian or German I might be able to help with Latin. Latin is cool.
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Post by sortilegio on Feb 15, 2015 12:23:28 GMT
I can't help on this question, but since you mentioned translations...I can help out if someone wants to know the English for something in French, Russian or German I might be able to help with Latin. Latin is cool. Shut up! That is so awesome!
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Post by wonderbink on Feb 15, 2015 14:00:31 GMT
I can't help on this question, but since you mentioned translations...I can help out if someone wants to know the English for something in French, Russian or German I might be able to help with Latin. Latin is cool. I need you! ZOMG I need you! I'll be in touch.
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xebi
Full Member
Posts: 144
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Post by xebi on Feb 15, 2015 16:28:33 GMT
I'm not brilliant at it but I know the grammatical basics
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Post by Neurite on Feb 15, 2015 22:39:53 GMT
From my own experience as a patient, I'd say you're spot-on - Dr. Flynn should definitely not treat Chedward and Leila at the same time. Source: my FWB referred me to her therapist, who was otherwise a great fit but stated that, since she's already treating my FWB, it would be a conflict of interest and so she can't treat me. (Luckily she was able to refer me to someone else who is also a good fit.)
From my experience as a therapist's kid, my father would never be personal friends with an active patient! It's crucial for him to be someone *outside* the patient's life, so the patient can speak freely. In fact, he won't accept people as patients if they live in the same neighborhood, so the patient wont ever have to worry about running into his therapist at the store, their kids going to the same school, etc. My father is friends with some ex-patients, but a) never very close friends, b) only after the therapy is well over, and c) always at the patient's initiative.
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Post by blowpop on Feb 15, 2015 23:38:22 GMT
Hard part: Did Dr. Flynn know about Elena abusing Christian as a teenager? If yes, would he legally be required to do something about it (if Christian was an adult when Dr. Flynn found out, not still a minor)? And what about him knowing that Christian abuses/has abused at least some of his previous sexual partners? Would he be required to bring that to the police's attention? As a California state mandated reporter (because I am a caregiver), from what I understand of the law (at least in California can't much speak for other states without doing extensive research) if I were to witness abuse of a child or an adult or was told by the abused of said abuse I would legally be responsible to report it so an investigation could be done. In Christian's case, I believe at the point of the story, the statute of limitations has run out for it but were I in that position I would still report it to the police. And I know there's the Meet Fifty Shades Fiction things and I know at least some of it is based on what ELJ wrote as canon for Christian (which if I recall she included in 50 shades freed or something like that). So he MIGHT have but I'm not sure. However, if he knows that his client is a danger to himself or others he is suppose to be legally required to report that to the authorities. And depending on which branch of therapy he is (since therapy and therapist are very generalised terms) he might also be able to forcibly institutionalise him and/or prescribe medication for him to take. And depending on the state/county laws about things like that as they vary state to state.
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Post by rhiannon on Feb 16, 2015 12:54:17 GMT
Just a thought - I honestly don't know much about fanfic, so correct me if I am wrong - BUT. I am thinking that because EL James wrote that muck originally as fanfic, NOT something she planned to have published, she didn't do any research at all (I'm assuming most fanfic writers don't bother to research stuff, since their fic is not planned to be published?), and then she didn't bother to change anything after it got accepted to be published. And that's why there are so many logistical problems like that, and she makes a lot of mistakes about American life, etc.
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Post by blowpop on Feb 16, 2015 17:41:53 GMT
Just a thought - I honestly don't know much about fanfic, so correct me if I am wrong - BUT. I am thinking that because EL James wrote that muck originally as fanfic, NOT something she planned to have published, she didn't do any research at all (I'm assuming most fanfic writers don't bother to research stuff, since their fic is not planned to be published?), and then she didn't bother to change anything after it got accepted to be published. And that's why there are so many logistical problems like that, and she makes a lot of mistakes about American life, etc. I think it depends on the author. I know a lot of fanfic authors who do a TON of research (half of them are book authors too so that might be why). But you are correct in the assumption that she didn't bother to change anything and her original WCS publishers WEREN'T allowed much editing. And the second publishing (that pretty much everyone else has now) did what they were suppose to do and did a very cursory type of edit which is also why so much is wrong. Personally, I can't speak for every fanfic reader but logistical problems like ELJs bother me and cause me to stop enjoying someone's work. And I'll straight up tell the author exactly what I found that was wrong and give a suggestion on how to fix it so that it still makes sense and doesn't take from the story (but that's for stuff that is based on real world as it exists today and shit). Then again I also don't say it rudely and crassly either. It's more of a "Hi, I am a reader of x fanfic and I was really enjoying it until I got to problem a. Explains problem a and gives a suggestion. I appreciate your reading this and it might just be me that has this problem but I appreciate your time regardless. Keep writing! Blow Pop" kind of thing. I've gotten ignored and really nasty messages back. I read the messages I get back when I do get them but typically don't respond. Because if I'm going to give a suggestion (and clearly state that it's merely a suggestion not that I'm trying to re-write their work because I'm a shit writer) and I'm going to get abuse hurled back at me, they aren't worth my time and I'll stop reading their fic because it's not worth it to my mental health.
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