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| The Honorable Henry Sibbing |
Imagine a social order that viewed "criminal" behavior as being fundamentally "socially mistaken" behavior requiring our collective attention, support, and guidance? What if each of us met human error with curiosity and consideration for the deeper significance of our own actions.
What would it be like if our justice system took a vested interest in helping wayward citizens resolve the mistaken ways and personal adversities that got them into trouble in the fist place?
To gain a living example of a justice system with a heart, step into the courtroom of Henry Sibbing!
Henry is currently a magistrate in the municipal court of Lake Geneva, where he has found that the judicial bench makes for a great place to promote social betterment and to encourage the best in others.
Henry also happens to be a compelling example of making good on "second chances". The survivor of a midlife heart transplant, Henry experienced the need to reestablish a foothold on life after having already achieved some success in the field of law. By no means deterred by his experience, Henry rebounded from the set back with renewed purpose.
As Henry became more mindful of his health and personal limits, he also came to awareness about the social good his life could impart upon others in his community with further education and training and a new focus. At the age of 50 and still recovering from a humbling surgery, Henry dedicated himself to becoming a greater service to his community, entering and ultimately completing a Masters in counseling.
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| Jon Carlson, Psy.D., Ed.D. |
Through the mentorship and support of his good friend and community member, Jon Carlson, Henry became acquainted with the philosophy and principles of Individual Psychology, which he applied to his understanding of socially deviant behavior, and the role that the community can take in sufficiently understanding redirecting said behavior.
After taking some time to develop his skills as a psychotherapist, Henry was afforded an opportunity to serve as magistrate in a court for minors. With his enriched views on human behavior, Henry's role as a magistrate for youth court has been organized around a principle that we cannot properly "judge" without first "understanding". Henry has become keenly aware of the unique opportunity he is given when juvenile offenders find themselves in his chambers. As it turns out, the pomp and circumstance of the legal proceedings, can have a riveting and compelling affect on youth provided the judge is able to maintain accurate empathy, and is able to ask the right types of questions.
When youth are facing charges of truancy, Henry investigates the underlying reason for the youth missing school. Is the youth having a hard time connecting with peers? Might they be intimidated by the classroom? From his training as a psychotherapist, Henry gains information about the emotional and social experience of the youth, which provides clues for court about what the youth is in need of, and ways to correct behavior by addressing it at its source.
Asking youth "why" they behaved in the manner they did is rarely fruitful. However, when youth are asked by an adult in authority, "what can we do to help you solve this problem", answers and insights appear that were previously occluded.
Whereas a philosophy of punishment serves only to encourage the youth to distort and deny reality, Henry's firm but supportive approach to disruptive behavior enlists the youth's willful cooperation in addressing circumstances that the youth is personally motivated to overcome.
If Henry's brand of justice strikes you as being more "therapeutic" than "disciplinary", this is for good reason. From the standpoint of Individual Psychology, the end goal of the judge and therapist constitute two sides of the same court. Prosocial behavior is the outward expression of mental health and wellness. We cannot correct people socially without also correcting them emotionally!
For those of you interested in learning more about Henry's unique utilization of his skills as a therapist in his role as a magistrate, please join us on Saturday October 24th at Mt. Mary University to see Henry's presentation "With Social Interest as my Gavel". Henry's presentation will be from 3pm to 4pm in room 243, Notre Dame Hall. Free to the public!
Henry's presentation will be a part of the 2015 Social Living Conference. If you are interested in attending the full conference, register here or contact us at MASLCommunity@gmail.com to request a full brochure featuring all the presentations.
For further learning on similar topics, check out:
Beyond the 50 Minute Hour; Therapists Involved in Meaningful Social Action by Jeffery Kottler, Matt Englar-Carlson, & Jon Carlson
...and be sure to read Henry's great chapter on Social Justice!
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| Blog Author, Ben Rader with daughter Olive |
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