Round Table

Round Table is a discussion night here at Petit Portál. Nothing is off the table, with weekly topics (this week's below!) ranging in theme from spirituality, to kink, to science, to art-- and everything in between; that we explore respectfully through our shared and differing viewpoints. Come, having explored the week's topic, or ready to! This (five-week) season of Round Table is hosted and mediated by Ash Sanders! With event space host, Li Michelle.

This week's topic: The Fish or the Tank

In modern psychiatry land, we are told that mental illness arises out of an imbalance of chemicals in the brain -- and that the solution to mental illness is, well, psychiatry -- medication management and clinical support. But the anthropologist and psychiatry critic Danielle Carr disagrees! She thinks that the state of the world is a big factor in our mental suffering, and that to alleviate mental illness, our first job is to change the conditions of society by engaging in good old political action.

What do you think? Come discuss this piece, along with a piece I wrote about how the climate crisis is creating a new potential category of mental illness known as eco-anxiety, and weigh in on whether the cause of mental suffering is psychological, societal, or both!

Bring friends! Bring lovers! Bring your discussion A-game!

https://jacobin.com/2023/12/psychiatry-history-trauma-politics-medicine-mental-health

https://www.thebeliever.net/climate-grief-anxiety/

About Ash:

Ash Sanders is a journalist, audio producer, and creative who writes about place, environment, religion and mental health. She's also an erstwhile climate organizer and performance artist who creates circles for processing public or political grief. As a young weirdo trapped at BYU and looking for her people, she started a weekly discussion night on art, politics, and psychology that turned how she saw the whole world on its head and introduced her to the fellow seekers and loveable freaks of Provo. Since then, you can find her organizing salons and elaborate theme parties here in Utah or in her other home in Brooklyn. Oh, and rest assured: she'll never miss an opportunity for an around-the-room question. :)