As a close friend and working colleague of Dr. Koocher's for over 30 years, I just have to respond to this thread, which is going off in a most unfair direction, both to Gerry for sure, and IMO to APA. (Stephen--the guy who took time to help you out is exactly how you should remember him! ) Gerry should not be judged by his interest in sharing "all sides of all stories." This is one of his strengths. The recovered memory debate was happening, and one side was receiving far more attention than the other, which is why he had an interest in taking a look at the side that had not received much of a forum within the field while the other side was getting all of the attention despite methodological problems in that research as well. And, that is ALL there is to that.

Also, as a teaching psychologist during my whole career, Gerry has been extremely supportive of us in numerous ways. Please look at all he is and has done.

Dr. Koocher is a scientist, teacher, clinician and administrator (a dean and APA Treasurer)--and well-known for his expertise in all four arenas. He is the perfect balance for the strange bedfellow arrangement APA has attempted
to negotiate among clinicians, experimentalists, and those who think our field should engage in social action since its inception. Please visit
www.ethicsresearch.com to learn more about who he is. APA is very lucky to
have him on board as he understands all of our needs.


I am a proud member of APS as well, and both organizations have a lot to offer. But I
have found that APA has more to offer me as a teaching psychologist and a researcher
(I am not a clinician.) APA also has an ethics code and committee, which APS does not. This
is very important to me as well, as it serves the consumer as well as helping to keep ourselves honorable. (Gerry has served on the APA Ethics Committee as well--he has done it all!)


Patricia Keith-Spiegel

----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Brandon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 7:43 AM
Subject: Re: APA President-elect



There is this split in the APA between those who believe that practice
should be guided by data and those who believe that practice should be
guided by anecdote.
I'll leave it to the list members to decide which group has become
dominant, but I'm letting my membership lapse.

At 5:28 AM -0500 12/3/04, Allen Esterson wrote:
I have no reason to doubt that Gerald Koocher, president-elect of APA, has
many admirable qualities, but a Google search brings out what to my mind
is a worrying association with people who promote some doubtful views
about supposed memories of childhood sexual abuse, including satanic
(ritual) abuse, arising in the course of psychotherapy. I have in mind
particularly
one individual, David L. Calof, a contributor to a special issue of the
APA journal "Ethics and Behavior" (Vol. 8, No. 2, 1998): "The Science and
Politics of Recovered Memory", based on the the proceedings of a symposium
chaired by Gerald Koocher. See http://fmsf.com/ethics.shtml

In relation to this symposium Dr Koocher is quoted as referring to
"skilled, thoughtful, well-trained clinicians" who "are too often tarred
with the same brush that should be reserved for the quacks of
psychotherapy." However, David Calof, a contributor to this very
symposium, has acknowledged that his highest qualification is a High
School diploma. See the transcript of Calof's testimony in the case of:
Robin Avis et al V. John Laughlin et al at King County Superior Court,
State of Washington, given on 2 February 1998:
http://www.stopbadtherapy.com/experts/calof/calof.txt

I suggest TIPSters note particularly Calof's testimony in relation to a
book published in collaboration with Mary Lee Lou, and ask if this is the
kind of psychotherapist that should have participated in the symposium
chaired by Dr Koocher, the proceedings of which were published in the APA
journal "Ethics and Behavior". Judging by his testimony at the King County
Superior Court, Washington State, David Calof seems to be precisely the
kind of therapist who deserves to be "tarred with the same brush that
should be reserved for the quacks of psychotherapy".

See also information about Calof's two videos, "Rage Reduction: Working
with Difficult Alters", available at the bargain price of $295 for the
pair:
http://www.cavalcadeproductions.com/david-calof.html

See also an interesting commentary on the special issue of "Ethics and
Behavior" cited above at:
http://www.geocities.com/therapyletters/science.htm

Some comments on the this publication from the point of view of the False
Memory Syndrome Foundation can be found in a FMSF newsletter:
http://www.fmsfonline.org/fmsf99.127.html

Allen Esterson
Former lecturer, Science Department
Southwark College, London
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

http://www.human-nature.com/esterson/index.html
http://www.butterfliesandwheels.com/articleprint.php?num=10
http://www.butterfliesandwheels.com/articleprint.php?num=57
http://www.butterfliesandwheels.com/articleprint.php?num=58
http://www.psychiatrie-und-ethik.de/infc/1_gesamt_en.html

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--
"No one in this world, so far as I know, has ever lost money by
underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain
eople."  -H. L. Mencken

* PAUL K. BRANDON                    [EMAIL PROTECTED]  *
* Psychology Dept               Minnesota State University  *
* 23 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001     ph 507-389-6217  *
*        http://www.mnsu.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html        *

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----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Black" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 8:43 AM
Subject: Re: APA President-elect



On 3 Dec 2004, Allen Esterson wrote:

I have no reason to doubt that Gerald Koocher, president-elect of APA, has
many admirable qualities, but a Google search brings out what to my mind
is a worrying association with people who promote some doubtful views
about supposed memories of childhood sexual abuse, including satanic
(ritual) abuse, arising in the course of psychotherapy.

I want to thank Allen for bringing this information to light, which I find both surprising and disturbing. Some may recall that prior to the APA election, I posted a comment in support of Dr. Koocher's candidacy, based on my personal experience of his helpfulness when I consulted him on an APA-related problem. But until Allen's post, I was unaware that he might be a supporter of false memory therapy and of those who would denigrate the work of the False Memory Foundation.

As I have mentioned occasionally in the past on TIPS, I believe that
the rise of false memory therapy and the hysteria it generated
represents one of the most regrettable episodes in modern clinical
psychology. This dangerous therapy has caused great harm to both the
patients who underwent it and to the families who suffered from
false accusations of child abuse. I have long admired the False
Memory Foundation which, despite vilification from its opponents,
effectively countered the pseudoscientific claims of this pernicious
therapy, using science and reason.  I am disappointed to learn that
the president-elect of the APA apparently still supports this now-
discredited therapy.

Stephen
___________________________________________________
Stephen L. Black, Ph.D.            tel:  (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology         fax:  (819) 822-9661
Bishop's  University          e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC  J1M 1Z7
Canada

Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at
http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm
_______________________________________________


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