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Cherry Blossom Community – After exposure: Cherry blossom was released immediately – News

16 February 2022

contents

While a clinic in Münsingen tolerated the connection of a psychologist, another clinic in Bern acted immediately.

Sex with patients, therapy under the influence of drugs, incest – these are not taboos in the so-called cherry blossom community. The fact that the psychiatric center in Münsingen PZM still employed three supporters of this community made headlines a few days ago. The PZM knew about the private associations of their employees, but was not bothered by it.

The Cherry Blossom Community was founded in 1996. According to their own statements, around 200 people who consider themselves part of the community live in the Solothurn community of Lüsslingen-Nennigkofen. This is around a fifth of the village population.

In the village, the community is not without controversy. For sect experts like Susanne Schaaf from Infosekta, the Lüsslingen community is considered a “sectarian group”.

The founder of the cherry blossom community was the psychiatrist Samuel Widmer, who died in 2017. The group lives by its own rules. According to the community, it is about self-knowledge about the questions of how each individual person really wants to live and about “the subject of sex, which is responsible for many mental illnesses, being addressed and de-tabooed, for example with tantric therapy. »

For example, the community propagates free love and practices therapies involving sex and drugs. The late founder Samuel Widmer had two wives and eleven children, and wrote in his books, among other things, against the taboo of incest. The cherry blossom community also kept authorities busy. Psychiatrist Samuel Widmer was investigated for allegedly using illegal substances in therapy sessions.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Jean-Marc Lüthi told Radio SRF: “On the one hand, we clearly reject the ideology. On the other hand, we live a non-discriminatory employment practice. In addition, there is currently a pronounced shortage of skilled workers, which is particularly noticeable in psychiatry. That severely limits our recruitment in each case.”

The connection was already disclosed at the time of employment and discussed by us.

Clear agreements were made to which the employees had to adhere. “As soon as misconduct had occurred, it would have resulted in immediate termination without notice.” But there was no wrongdoing. Nevertheless, this case is now also occupying the canton of Bern – a corresponding complaint has been received.

Other employer acted immediately

Research by the “Regionaljournal Bern Freiburg Valais” now shows: Another institution, the University Psychiatric Services Bern (UPD), also employed a woman who belonged to the cherry blossom community. She switched from PZM to UPD. There they only found out about her connection by chance, but then reacted quickly: The psychologist was immediately dismissed.

The central building of the University Psychiatric Services Bern UPD in Bern.

The head of the clinic, Michael Kaess, explains the decision: “In child and adolescent psychiatry we are dealing with people who are particularly worthy of protection.” Especially when it comes to the dependency relationship between therapist and patient. “There is no equal there. And we consider this unclear separation of sexuality and psychotherapy, as well as substance use and psychotherapy, to be extremely questionable.” One cannot work with employees who take such an attitude. The woman had to leave the clinic in the first week of work.

In this case, private and professional life cannot be separated.

What is special about the cherry blossom community is that it not only affects personal beliefs and basic attitudes, but directly the professional field of psychiatry. Other institutions besides the UPD also share this understanding.

As research by the “Regionaljournal Bern Freiburg Valais” shows, other institutions have already employed people from the cherry blossom community – and then fired them when they found out about the connection.

For example, there was a case at the Südhang addiction clinic in Kirchlindach in which two specialists were made redundant.

The umbrella organization for psychiatric clinics and services, Swiss Mental Healthcare (SMHC), clearly distances itself from the group: “The treatment methods are unacceptable. Incestuous acts and sexual contacts between therapists and patients are not excluded,” says SMHC President Erich Seifritz. The incidents go to the core of psychiatric treatment, which could adversely affect patients.

Background check when hiring?

According to Michael Kaess, anyone who applies to the UPD clinic is carefully examined. For example, an extract from the criminal record must be submitted. Due to the most recent case, however, they are now examining whether to also conduct Internet research about the person’s background. “As a result of this incident, we are reviewing internally whether we are making changes to our recruitment process,” said the medical director.