Psychotherapy Malpractice Expert Witness

Expert Witness No.2586

Areas of Specialization:

Record Review
Psychological malpractice
Psychological Treatment Standards of Troubled Adolescents/Attention and Learning Disabilities
Psychological Standards and Methods of Dealing with Adolescents in School Settings
Psychological Treatment Standards in Residential Settings, psychiatric, alcoholism rehabilitation facilities
Child Custody and Visitation
Foster Care
Parental and child trauma
Separation anxiety and long-term effects
Post traumatic stress disorder
Family Therapy/Parenting
Native American Issues
Alcoholism, Addictive Behavior
Personal Injury/Effects of Pain/Post-Traumatic Stress
Trial Competency /Competence of Juveniles
Dangerousness, Violence and Criminality Assessment
Personality Testing
Police Officers and Stress
Developmental Delays, Retardation
Psychological Record Review (Inpatient and Outpatient)
Criminal defense and prosecution
Effects of job loss, sexual, gender discrimination

Firm/Expert Profile:

Expert 2586 is a practicing psychologist with court experience who maintains a clinical practice, offering services in psychological testing, training for professionals, individual therapy, family therapy, brief therapies, and clinical supervision of other therapists.  His wide range of experience includes post-graduate training, teaching and speaking presentations.  Expert 2586 is a panel clinician of the Member Assistance Program for the New York City Patrolman’s Benevolent Association (PBA) for Policemen in Crisis and the Rockland County, New York Critical Incident Stress De-briefing Team for Police, EMT’s and Firemen.
He is the Former Director of Mental Health and Alcoholism Services for the largest Native American tribe in Oklahoma.  He has been qualified as a Psychologist Expert by the N.Y.S. Supreme court.
 

Education/Training:

Ph.D.  1979 University of Wisconsin, Madison (Educational Psychology)
Dissertation Title:  “Criminal Behavior and Arousal: Test of a Theory”

M.A.   1974 St. John’s University, Jamaica, NY (Clinical Psychology)

B.A.    1971 Adelphi University, Garden City, NY (Psychology)

Certifications/Licenses:

Licensed Psychologist (NY, NJ)
Certified School Psychologist (NY, NJ)
National Register of the Council of Health Service Providers in Psychology
Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology (State Reciprocity):
(Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards).
Certificate of Clinical Training in Psychology (NJ)

Employment History

Independent Clinical Practice – (Commencing in January, 1981)
1988-Present.

I am a practicing licensed Psychologist with Court experience and have been qualified by the N.Y.S. court as a Psychologist expert witness. My practice consists of offering a range of psychological services to a broad spectrum of clients.  These services include psychological testing, training for professionals, individual therapy, family therapy, behavior management programs, brief therapies, agency consultation, staff training and clinical supervision of other therapists.  I have trained and served as a consultant to agencies that include: outpatient and inpatient alcoholism and drug abuse treatment centers, schools, as well as a variety of group homes for emotionally handicapped, children with special needs, adolescents, developmentally delayed and dual-diagnosed people.  I also provide services to law enforcement personnel regarding treatment for alcohol and emotional problems they experience. I train colleagues in short-term, intensive therapy modalities (brief therapies) in my role as founder of the Hudson Valley Satir Training Group.  I serve as an Independent Medical Examiner to analyze and assess personal injury related to accidents and trauma and provide forensic evaluations and expert testimony in both civil and criminal courts.   I am an examiner for the New York State Department of Disability Determinations and perform evaluations for mental disability, intellectual disability and organic brain disability associated with the full range of disorders including alcohol and substance abuse problems.  I am a member of the Rockland County De-briefing team for policemen, firemen and emergency medical technicians who have been involved in traumatic situations.  I serve as a clinician for the member assistance program of the New York City Patrolman’s Benevolent Association. I also serve as a Volunteer Supervisor of Counselors for the Volunteer Counseling Service in New City, New York.

Director of Mental Health, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services – (1983-1988.
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Tahlequah, Oklahoma).
In this role I developed and administered an extensive mental health and addiction services program for 80,000 Native Americans in a 9,000 square mile area.  Program administration tasks included the provision of psychological services, the supervision of a variety of other mental health professionals, the development of school-based, outpatient and inpatient programs, and the leadership and development of a number of mental health and alcoholism/substance abuse staff training work-shops for service providers and clients.

Staff Psychologist, St. Vincent’s School and Clinic, Brooklyn, NY – 1979-1983.
I had clinical responsibility for psychological services provided to children and teenagers residing in three group homes and 120 foster homes.  In this role I developed staff training programs and policies and procedures for both organizational guidelines and therapeutic outcomes. 

Consultant: Hamaspik of Orange County, Inc.  2001-Present. Providing positive behavior management plans and staff training in Group Homes for developmentally delayed people.

Consultant: Edwin Gould Academy, Chestnut Ridge, NY – 1995-1996.
I provided psychological evaluations for the Committee for Special Education Team Meetings.

Consulting School Psychologist, New York City Board of Education – 1982-1983.

Private Practice with Children, Adults and Families, Douglaston, NY – 1981-1983.

Clinical Psychology Internship, Ancora Psychiatric Hospital, Hammonton, NJ – 1977.
This was inpatient and outpatient treatment and diagnosis of psychiatric patients.

Clinical Psychology Internship, Psychology Department, Johnstone Training and
Research Center, Bordentown, NJ – 1976-1977.  I was trained in assessment and psychotherapy with patients who had organic brain syndrome, retardation and personality problems.

Faculty Experience

Rockland County (NY) Council on Alcoholism, Certified Alcohol Counselor Training Program – 1995-1997.  I taught several courses on alcoholism issues related to Native American and Jewish populations as well as on intervention techniques.

Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, NY – 1988-1992.  Professional Development Faculty (Concurrent with Practice).

Northeastern Oklahoma State University, Tahlequah, OK – 1986-1990.  Adjunct Associate Professor. Conducted classes in clinical techniques in the Department of Social Work.  I commuted back to Oklahoma several times to teach these week-end mini-courses.

Agency Experience

Clinical Psychologist (part-time), Rockland County (NY) Highview School – 1991.

Clinical Supervisor, Clinic for the Multi-disabled, Dutchess County Department of Mental Hygiene, Poughkeepsie, NY - 1988-1991.  Clinical Director of a mobile team to supervise and provide services for dual-diagnosed patients (MR/EH) and to provide advanced training for professional personnel.  Provided assessments of patients (children and adults) with organic brain syndrome, retardation, and psychosis, as well as ongoing direct and supervised treatment.

Clinical Supervisor, The Volunteer Counseling Service, Rockland County, NY - 1996-present.

Post-Graduate Training

Apprenticeship in Family Therapy and Empowering Leadership with Virginia Satir – 1986

Residential Training and Performance Development Program, Satir Institute of the Southeast - 1998-1999

Advanced Professional Education

Survey of Forensic Psychology Practice: Issues and Applications, American Academy of Forensic Psychology, Tampa, FL.

Satir System Residential Training Program, Chapel Hill, NC. 

Continuing Education Series on Providing Psychotherapy with Batterers, presented by the Volunteer Counseling Service, New City, NY.

“Police Officers in Psychotherapy,” Adelphi University,  Garden City, N.Y.

Conference on Orthodox Judaism and Mental Health, Miami Beach, FL.

“Suggestibility, Trauma and Memory,” Rockland County Family Shelter.

Update on AIDS/HIV and Chemical Dependency, Recovery Center at Nyack Hospital,  Nyack, N.Y.

“Out of the Darkness: Treatment of Paranoid Schizophrenia,” sponsored by the Rockland County Psychological Society,  (NY).

Basic Training in Critical Incident Stress De-briefing, presented by the Rockland County (NY) Stress De-briefing Team.

“The Family and Beyond, “ with Virginia Satir, Seattle, WA.

“Solution-Focused Therapy: A Time Effective Approach,  Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Self-Esteem and Peak Performance, presented by Dr. Jack Canfield at Berkeley College, White Plains, NY.

Child abuse mandatory reporter training, Pomona, N.Y.

Family Therapy and Empowering Leadership, personal apprenticeship to Virginia Satir Crested Butte, CO.

Participant in Avanta Network Summer Training Institute and Process Community (Module 2), Crested Butte, CO. (Avanta Network is an active educational organization founded by Virginia Satir in 1977, whose members have been trained by Satir in systems analysis, organizational intervention and training to facilitate human growth and community empowerment.)

Participant in Avanta Network Summer Training Institute and Process Community (Module 1), Crested Butte, CO.

Training in Life, Death and Transition, The Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Center, Headwaters, VA.

Training program for alcoholism, compulsive over-eating and other substance abuse rehabilitation, Certificate of Instruction for Visiting Professionals in Residence, United States Naval Hospital, Long Beach, CA.

On-site training in inpatient Alcohol Rehabilitation.  Minnesota Indian Primary Residential Treatment Center, Duluth, Minnesota

Tiyospaye (A Sioux name for family) Seminars (seminars specifically designed to focus on ethnic and cultural issues, mental health perspectives, and building bridges of understanding between Indian and non-Indian cultures), conducted by Virginia Satir as Residential Training.  Rapid City, SD.

Cross-cultural counseling training conducted by Dr. Paul Pederson, American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Anaheim, CA.

Workshop on Eating Disorders, Hillcrest Hospital, Tulsa, OK.

“Two Days with Virginia Satir,” sponsored by the Hillcrest Health Care System, Pastoral Care Department, Tulsa, OK (This was training in family systems and health issues).

Workshop on “Love and Violence: Directive Therapy”, presented by Jay Haley and Cloe Madanes, sponsored by the Family Therapy Institute Washington, DC.

Tiyospaye Network Training in Virginia Satir’s Concepts of the Extended Family, Rapid City, SD.

Professional Speeches & Presentations

Available upon request.

Professional Memberships

American Psychological Association
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Clinical Member
The Virginia Satir Avanta Network
The Rockland County (NY) Psychological Society
Leadership Rockland, Class of 2001-2002.

Certificates Of Appreciation

“Exceptional Contribution to Our Community as a Volunteer Clinical Supervisor,” presented by the Volunteer Counseling Service of Rockland County, NY, 2000.

“Outstanding Services to the Cherokee People,” presented by Wilma Mankiller, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, 1988.