9 MINUTE READ

From Luke’s Journal Nov 2024 | Vol.29 No.3 | Mental Health II

News stories like this are pretty scary. They showcase the worst behaviours that youth around the world have to offer, making readers terrified of being an innocent victim of this “wave of violence”.  The state of young people in Australian youth justice systems has become a topic that dominates our news headlines, is the subject of political discourse, and is a major talking point in the lives of some communities. In all the articles, all the backyard and watercooler discussions, there is an impending sense of helplessness dominated by the story of uncaring and chaotic youth driven towards anarchy… and there seems to be nothing anyone can do to stop it.

“It doesn’t matter anyway, I’m the bad twin so no one really cares…”

“Yeah, but like, it’s just what I do, I have to …it’s like me now…”

“The only person who ever cared about me is dead. So why should I care now?”

“Wait, what do you mean, ‘Be a different kind of man?’”

“I can’t tell when I’m going to get angry… I can’t control myself”

Dialogue within a therapy room may be different to the watercooler talk, but it also has its similarities. These are all quotes from young people within the youth justice system. Self-perspectives like this are pretty disheartening. They showcase a sense of being lost, a lack of perceived options, and a deep loneliness that comes from people deliberately leaving you behind. In all my conversations with affected youth (whether at a residential home, youth justice medical centre, or police watch house) there is an overarching sense of helplessness dominated by stories of being justifiably angry as they’ve been pre-judged by others, then abandoned and left with the inevitable punishment … and there has been nothing they could do to stop it.

As may be evident, I am presenting a comparative narrative here. Within the world of therapy, this is called a parallel process. That is, a phenomenon where the dynamics in a therapeutic relationship mirror those in another relationship. In this case, the relationship between the community and young offenders begins to mirror the relationship that young offenders have with the people from their past traumatic experiences. Unconscious mirroring of problematic patterns can make it difficult for us as therapists to maintain objectivity.  It then increases both parties’ feelings of being overwhelmed, and consequently stalls progress all together.

“Unconscious mirroring of problematic patterns can make it difficult for us as therapists to maintain objectivity.  It then increases both parties’ feelings of being overwhelmed, and consequently stalls progress all together.”

As medical practitioners, it is our job to hold these young people within a delicate dichotomy; one that recognises their actions, the consequences and need for accountability, but also sees them as kids, who are not just our patients, but God-loved, multi-layered individuals, each with their own unique story that underpins their criminogenic action. Although copious amounts of frameworks exist within the world of therapy, I have found Narrative Therapy to be particularly helpful.  This reminds me to see these young people in all their complexity, both good and bad, within the socio-politico-economic landscape in which they reside. 

Complexity of Life Reflects our Complex God

To better understand complex matters, it can be helpful to begin with the source—God. A common question arises when initially comparing the Old and New Testaments: “How can this be the same God?” At first glance, the Old Testament seems to portray God as vengeful, strict, and loving, yet weary of giving second (or third, fourth etc.) chances. By contrast, the New Testament emphasises a God of love, mercy, and forgiveness. This apparent contradiction can be confusing.  However, on deeper inspection, this is not a contradiction but rather a reflection of God’s unchanging, yet multifaceted, nature. God is consistent throughout the revelation in both Testaments, displaying both love and judgment in different ways. God is intricate and not confined to a single characteristic but rather embodies the fullness of both justice and love across all time despite the variety of situations described to us in the Scriptures.

“God is intricate and not confined to a single characteristic but rather embodies the fullness of both justice and love across all time despite the variety of situations described to us in the Scriptures.”

Being made in the image of God means that we, in many ways, reflect His complexity. We are not simple, straightforward creatures.  Rather, we are intricate and multifaceted, with layers of personality, experience, and emotions. However, there is one crucial difference between us and God – our sin. This (not so) ‘special ingredient’ distorts our complexity, adding brokenness to every aspect of our being. Sin doesn’t strip away our complexity; instead, it seeps through each layer, distorting them with brokenness and this makes us even more difficult to understand. We are then not only complex in our God-like nature, but also fractured, with parts of our identity and story marred by sin.

The idea that sin permeates and distorts our complexity is a powerful one. It suggests that our brokenness is not something that can be easily fixed or ignored, it is a fundamental part of who we are. For young people in the Youth Justice system, this brokenness is often manifested in behaviours that society deems unacceptable or criminal. However, these behaviours are often symptoms of deeper issues— issues that are rooted in each complex and broken story.

Complex approaches for complex people

The challenge for those working with these young people is to see beyond the behaviours and understand the underlying narratives. This requires acknowledging the complexity of their stories. One of the greatest dangers in working with any patient, regardless of setting, is the tendency to reduce them to a single story. In Narrative Therapy, a single story refers to a narrow or limited narrative that defines a person’s identity or experience based on a single aspect or event. It often involves viewing oneself or others through a singular, often negative, lens. Narrative Therapy challenges us to reject these single stories and instead embrace the full complexity of each person’s life. This therapeutic approach recognises that our lives are made up of multiple stories, and that the stories we choose to focus on can significantly impact our mental health and well-being.

One way we can combat unhelpful viewpoints in the public domain is by actively recognising the power of single stories; whether they are shown through media or even created by us as well-meaning professionals. We need to strive to sit amongst those with complex stories marred by sin, and listen without judgment, just as Jesus sat and ate meals with tax collectors. Jesus did this not because he ignored unlawful behaviours, and not because he condoned and supported selfish behaviours, but because he saw both sides of people clearly – their sin and their worth. As Christian medical practitioners, we need to approach our work ensuring that we actively balance these seemingly opposing truths; that the young person in front of us is both a vulnerable child who is loved by God, but is also the perpetrator of a violent crime. By doing this, we can work with the perpetrators of heinous sin with the grace of Jesus leading us.

Secondly, we can promote change by looking at ways to actively invest in a better future for these young people. Low socio-economic status, disability, effects of intergenerational trauma, and ongoing racism are everyday facts of life for young offenders. Our role as Christians is to not only hold out hope, but to reflect the hope we have in Jesus rather than reflecting the trauma that a sinful world produces. By actively investing in change, growth, and safety, we can stand apart and truly embody the hope we have in Jesus. This hope can bridge the gap between the devastation of this world, and the offer of forgiveness now and in the world to come.

“This hope can bridge the gap between the devastation of this world, and the offer of forgiveness now and in the world to come.”

Finally, we need to ensure that we are aware that we have our own sin, our own bias and judgements, and that with God’s help we can put them aside to create a safe space for young people to share their stories. We need to work in smart ways to ensure that we are safe while doing this work, both spiritually protected from powers that want us to judge with fear and doubt alone; and safe physically from young people’s behaviours (which may have initially developed to keep them safe from harm, but now may lead to them hurting another). Talking openly with colleagues, supervisors, and leaders about what this looks like means that we can contribute over the long-term in complex areas while remaining safe ourselves.

The mental health challenges of young people in the Youth Justice system are complex and multifaceted, reflecting the brokenness and complexity inherent in all of us. As Christian medical practitioners, we have a unique opportunity to support these young people by embracing their full stories and helping them reframe their narratives. By doing so, we can offer them a path toward healing and wholeness, grounded in the understanding that they are more than the sum of their brokenness—they are complex, multi-layered beings created in the image of a complex and loving God.

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