Belleville News-Democrat, January 16, 2009, Friday
Copyright 2009 Belleville News-Democrat
Belleville News-Democrat (Illinois)
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
January 16, 2009, Friday
BYLINE: Carolyn P. Smith, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill.
BODY:
Jan. 16--EAST ST. LOUIS -- -- He grew up in the tough Villa Griffin housing project in East St. Louis and was raised by a single mother on welfare. And if you look at the odds, he should never have made it out.
But, he did.
Today, Jarik Conrad owns his own business -- Conrad Consulting Group in Jacksonville, Fla. He holds a doctorate of education degree from the University of North Florida, and a master's of industrial and labor relations degree and a master's of business administration from Cornell University. Conrad also holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Illinois.
He's also the author of several books.-On Saturday from 1-3 p.m., he will be at the East St. Louis Public Library to host a discussion on his newest book, "The Fragile Mind."
Conrad says many more individuals can make it out of the poverty that grips East St. Louis and other cities like it if educators, elected officials, employers and social service providers acknowledge the existence of what he calls "traumatic stress disorder (TSD)."
"-It must be understood as a legitimate mental health crisis in these communities. Efforts should be devoted toward-reducing the stigma associated with mental health challenges like persistent-TSD," Conrad said.
For Conrad, existing programs aimed at improving the quality of life for individuals in these communities must have significant resources that focus on addressing persistent-TSD, he said.
Conrad said mental health professionals need to be trained on TSD and then they must be mobilized to the communities where they are needed. He said particular focus must be placed on children.
"Many people point to individuals who have overcome dire circumstances and suggest that if those people can make it, anyone can, provided they work hard enough. However, it's doubtful that anyone would suggest that because not all soldiers come home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is not a (widespread) problem. The solution to this issue requires us to redefine the issue in terms of what is probable as opposed to what is possible. It is possible that you can go out today, buy a lottery ticket and win millions of dollars, but the odds are 18 million to one that you will lose," said Conrad.
Conrad opened his consulting firm in 2004 "to help people solve complex people-related issues-through an innovative approach to human dynamics."
St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Milton Wharton has read Conrad's book and says, "Dr. Conrad offers novel and innovative ways to approach race, success and failure. Our entire region is burdened by any segment of it, which is crime-ridden and populated by large numbers of individuals who are not making positive contributions of which they are capable. So,-I believe that his ideas are important to anyone, would be important to any concerned individual regardless of their ethnic, economic, or residential location," Wharton said.
(Contact reporter Carolyn P. Smith at csmith@bnd.com)
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LOAD-DATE: January 16, 2009
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