Steve Eichel
Encyclopedia
Steve K. D. Eichel is a psychologist
known primarily for his work on destructive cult
s, coercive persuasion, mind control
, brainwashing, and deprogramming
. He is a former President of the Greater Philadelphia Society of Clinical Hypnosis and the 2006-07 President of the American Academy of Counseling Psychology, the national membership academy comprising American Board of Professional Psychology
(ABPP) Board-certified counseling psychologists.
Eichel graduated with his Ph.D.
in 1989, from the University of Pennsylvania
. He has performed research with fellow psychologist Linda Dubrow in the area of procrastination
. Dubrow and Eichel studied cult characteristics of the group Al-Qaeda
after the September 11, 2001 attacks
. Eichel was an expert witness
in the 2003 case of Lee Boyd Malvo
, where he testified that Malvo suffered from a form of dissociative disorder caused by coercive persuasion. He has worked to expose fraudulent practices of credentialing organizations, by obtaining numerous certifications for his pet cat, Zoe, including the National Guild of Hypnotists, the American Board of Hypnotherapy and the International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association. Eichel has practiced clinical psychology
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and Newark, Delaware
. He has lectured on the subject of cults, brainwashing, and terrorism.
. His parents only recounted to him, "anecdotes here and there"; Eichel explained to The Philadelphia Inquirer
, "Most of what I thought I knew about their experiences was my own fantasy that filled in the enormous gaps."
degree from Columbia University
, and M.S.
from University of Pennsylvania
. He obtained his Ph.D.
in 1989, at University of Pennsylvania
. Eichel is a Board Certified Diplomate in Counseling Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology
.
. During the Persian Gulf war, Eichel said that images from the conflict affected his teenage clients, "Those two things really hit my teenage patients hard." He said that bad dreams about the battles were, "little red lights, saying it's time to step back, think about yourself, think about your life, talk to other people, gather information, connect with people who are important to you. It is a warning sign that you should not go on with life as usual." He commented to The Philadelphia Inquirer
in 2000 on the subject of the controversial religious group, the evangelical International Church of Christ; that the methodology behind the group "is that you give yourself over to the person who acts as your 'shepherd' or discipler, and they get tremendous control over you. ... Every minute [of your life] must be Christ-centered, and that when you give yourself over to Jesus, you give yourself over to the ICC." In 2000, Eichel said he had counseled approximately six former members of the group in his psychotherapy practice.
Linda Dubrow and Eichel worked together at the organization Re-Entry Therapy, Information and Referral Network (RETIRN). With Dubrow, Eichel has researched media coverage regarding September 11, 2001, and has determined that the group Al-Qaeda
is a cult
. With Michael Langone
and Arthur Dole, Eichel performed a series of studies researching and defining the concept of "new age"; their research was published in the Cultic Studies Journal. Eichel was an expert witness
in the 2003 criminal trial of Lee Boyd Malvo
; in addition to psychologists Dewey Cornell and Diane Schetky, and psychiatrist Neil Blumberg. Eichel testified that Malvo suffered from a form of dissociative disorder, caused by coercive persuasion.
Eichel exposed the nature of the mail-order-credentialing of organizations giving out credentialing in hypnotherapy in the United States. The Washington Post
reported in 2002: "Zoe has been issued credentials by the National Guild of Hypnotists, the American Board of Hypnotherapy and the International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, and is a Professional Member of the American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists." Eichel commented to BBC News
regarding the motivation for this endeavor, "I felt I'd test my hypothesis and I did that by getting my cat certified by a number of the most prominent lay hypnosis organisations in the United States. It was a frighteningly simple process." The certifications were obtained for his cat, under the full name, "Dr. Zoe D. Katz".
Eichel utilizes hypnosis
in his practice of psychotherapy
. In 2003, Eichel practiced psychology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, and treated victims of sex addiction. He practiced within the arena of clinical psychology
. In 2008, Eichel resided in Newark, Delaware
. He lectured in 2008 on the subject of "Cults, Gangs, Terrorism or Brainwashing, Mind Control and the Law", at a conference on cults held by Creighton University
. Eichel is scheduled to speak on June 19, 2010 at a conference titled: "Understanding Radicalization and De-Radicalization Strategies" in East Hartford, Connecticut
, along with Pakistan
's ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani
, and psychologist Michael Langone.
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
known primarily for his work on destructive cult
Destructive cult
A destructive cult is a religion or other group which has caused or has a high probability of causing harm to its own members or to others. Some researchers define "harm" in this case with a narrow focus, specifically groups which have deliberately physically injured or killed other individuals,...
s, coercive persuasion, mind control
Mind control
Mind control refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator, often to the detriment of the person being manipulated"...
, brainwashing, and deprogramming
Deprogramming
Deprogramming refers to actions that attempt to force a person to abandon allegiance to a religious, political, economic, or social group. Methods and practices may involve kidnapping and coercion...
. He is a former President of the Greater Philadelphia Society of Clinical Hypnosis and the 2006-07 President of the American Academy of Counseling Psychology, the national membership academy comprising American Board of Professional Psychology
American Board of Professional Psychology
The American Board of Professional Psychology was formed in 1947 and was originally known as the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology...
(ABPP) Board-certified counseling psychologists.
Eichel graduated with his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1989, from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. He has performed research with fellow psychologist Linda Dubrow in the area of procrastination
Procrastination
In psychology, procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority actions with tasks of low-priority, and thus putting off important tasks to a later time...
. Dubrow and Eichel studied cult characteristics of the group Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
after the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. Eichel was an expert witness
Expert witness
An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
in the 2003 case of Lee Boyd Malvo
Lee Boyd Malvo
Lee Boyd Malvo , is a spree killer convicted, along with John Allen Muhammad, of murders in connection with the Beltway sniper attacks, which took place in the Washington Metropolitan Area over a three-week period in October 2002...
, where he testified that Malvo suffered from a form of dissociative disorder caused by coercive persuasion. He has worked to expose fraudulent practices of credentialing organizations, by obtaining numerous certifications for his pet cat, Zoe, including the National Guild of Hypnotists, the American Board of Hypnotherapy and the International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association. Eichel has practiced clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and Newark, Delaware
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
. He has lectured on the subject of cults, brainwashing, and terrorism.
Early life and family
Eichel is the child of survivors of the Holocaust; his parents spent time in Nazi concentration campsNazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
. His parents only recounted to him, "anecdotes here and there"; Eichel explained to The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
, "Most of what I thought I knew about their experiences was my own fantasy that filled in the enormous gaps."
Education
Eichel received a B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
from University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. He obtained his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1989, at University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. Eichel is a Board Certified Diplomate in Counseling Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology
American Board of Professional Psychology
The American Board of Professional Psychology was formed in 1947 and was originally known as the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology...
.
Research
In 1988, with fellow psychologist Linda Dubrow Eichel, he performed research in the area of procrastinationProcrastination
In psychology, procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority actions with tasks of low-priority, and thus putting off important tasks to a later time...
. During the Persian Gulf war, Eichel said that images from the conflict affected his teenage clients, "Those two things really hit my teenage patients hard." He said that bad dreams about the battles were, "little red lights, saying it's time to step back, think about yourself, think about your life, talk to other people, gather information, connect with people who are important to you. It is a warning sign that you should not go on with life as usual." He commented to The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
in 2000 on the subject of the controversial religious group, the evangelical International Church of Christ; that the methodology behind the group "is that you give yourself over to the person who acts as your 'shepherd' or discipler, and they get tremendous control over you. ... Every minute [of your life] must be Christ-centered, and that when you give yourself over to Jesus, you give yourself over to the ICC." In 2000, Eichel said he had counseled approximately six former members of the group in his psychotherapy practice.
Linda Dubrow and Eichel worked together at the organization Re-Entry Therapy, Information and Referral Network (RETIRN). With Dubrow, Eichel has researched media coverage regarding September 11, 2001, and has determined that the group Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
is a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
. With Michael Langone
Michael Langone
Michael D. Langone, is an American counseling psychologist who specialises in research about "cultic groups" and alleged psychological manipulation. He is executive director of the International Cultic Studies Association, editor of the journal Cultic Studies Review.Langone is author and co-author...
and Arthur Dole, Eichel performed a series of studies researching and defining the concept of "new age"; their research was published in the Cultic Studies Journal. Eichel was an expert witness
Expert witness
An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
in the 2003 criminal trial of Lee Boyd Malvo
Lee Boyd Malvo
Lee Boyd Malvo , is a spree killer convicted, along with John Allen Muhammad, of murders in connection with the Beltway sniper attacks, which took place in the Washington Metropolitan Area over a three-week period in October 2002...
; in addition to psychologists Dewey Cornell and Diane Schetky, and psychiatrist Neil Blumberg. Eichel testified that Malvo suffered from a form of dissociative disorder, caused by coercive persuasion.
Eichel exposed the nature of the mail-order-credentialing of organizations giving out credentialing in hypnotherapy in the United States. The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported in 2002: "Zoe has been issued credentials by the National Guild of Hypnotists, the American Board of Hypnotherapy and the International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association, and is a Professional Member of the American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists." Eichel commented to BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
regarding the motivation for this endeavor, "I felt I'd test my hypothesis and I did that by getting my cat certified by a number of the most prominent lay hypnosis organisations in the United States. It was a frighteningly simple process." The certifications were obtained for his cat, under the full name, "Dr. Zoe D. Katz".
Eichel utilizes hypnosis
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
in his practice of psychotherapy
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
. In 2003, Eichel practiced psychology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and treated victims of sex addiction. He practiced within the arena of clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
. In 2008, Eichel resided in Newark, Delaware
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
. He lectured in 2008 on the subject of "Cults, Gangs, Terrorism or Brainwashing, Mind Control and the Law", at a conference on cults held by Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
. Eichel is scheduled to speak on June 19, 2010 at a conference titled: "Understanding Radicalization and De-Radicalization Strategies" in East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, along with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani
Husain Haqqani
Husain Haqqani or Hussain Haqqani is the former Pakistan Ambassador to the United States, appointed by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani in April 2008 and was resigned on November 22, 2011...
, and psychologist Michael Langone.
Awards, honors
- Fellow and President (2006–2007), American Academy of Counseling Psychology, American Board of Professional PsychologyAmerican Board of Professional PsychologyThe American Board of Professional Psychology was formed in 1947 and was originally known as the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology...
. - Fellow, Pennsylvania Psychological Association.
- Board Member (2003–2005), American Psychotherapy & Medical Hypnosis Association.
- President (1998–2000), Greater Philadelphia Society of Clinical Hypnosis.
- John G. Clark Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Cultic Studies, 1990 (with John HochmanJohn HochmanJohn Ira Hochman is an American forensic psychiatrist and surgeon who has written about the psychology of "cults", abuse and false memory syndrome.-Education:*Secondary Specialty, Forensic Psychiatry...
, M.D.Doctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
)
Books
- All You Need to Know about Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Lorman Education Services 2005
Articles
- "Credentialing: It May Not Be the Cat's Meow", 2002
- "Building Resistance: Tactics for Counteracting Manipulation and Unethical Hypnosis in Totalistic Groups"
- "Moon over academe", Journal of Religion and HealthJournal of Religion and HealthThe Journal of Religion and Health is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed academic journal published by Springer Science+Business Media. It publishes original articles that deal with mental and physical health in relation to religion and spirituality of all kinds...
, Arthur A. DoleArthur A. DoleArthur A. Dole is a professor of psychology and education, at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education, Division of Psychology and Education...
, Ph.D., and Steve K. Dubrow Eichel, Ph.D., Division of Psychology in Education, Graduate School of Education, University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Pennsylvania, USAPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Volume 20, Number 1, March, 1981 - "Mental Health Interventions in Cult-Related Cases: Preliminary Investigation of Outcomes", Cultic Studies JournalCultic Studies ReviewInternational Journal of Cultic Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Cultic Studies Association.- External links :* , Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle, Religion Writer, February 13, 2001...
, Vol. 1, No. 2 - "Some New Religions Are Dangerous" , Cultic Studies JournalCultic Studies ReviewInternational Journal of Cultic Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Cultic Studies Association.- External links :* , Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle, Religion Writer, February 13, 2001...
, Vol. 2, No. 1 - "Trouble in Paradise: Some Observations on Psychotherapy with New Agers", Cultic Studies JournalCultic Studies ReviewInternational Journal of Cultic Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Cultic Studies Association.- External links :* , Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle, Religion Writer, February 13, 2001...
, Vol. 5, No. 2 - "Deprogramming: A Case Study.", Cultic Studies JournalCultic Studies ReviewInternational Journal of Cultic Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Cultic Studies Association.- External links :* , Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle, Religion Writer, February 13, 2001...
, Vol. 6, No. 2 - "Deprogramming: A Case Study - Part II: Conversation Analysis", Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2
- "Is the New Age Movement Harmless?", Critics vs. Experts, Cultic Studies JournalCultic Studies ReviewInternational Journal of Cultic Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Cultic Studies Association.- External links :* , Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle, Religion Writer, February 13, 2001...
, Vol. 10, No. 1
See also
External links
- Bio, curriculum vitae, Personal Website
- Profile in Therapy Directory, Psychology TodayPsychology TodayPsychology Today is a bi-monthly magazine published in the United States. It is a psychology-based magazine about relationships, health, and related topics written for a mass audience of non-psychologists. Psychology Today was founded in 1967 and features articles on such topics as love,...
- Profile, American Academy of Counseling Psychology
- From Steve Eichel, AACoP President, American Academy of Counseling Psychology, January 15, 2006