Why would there be a list of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, on an antipsychiatry web site? The answer is: Mental health professionals who oppose involuntary "treatment," probably especially psychiatrists, can be helpful when you are resisting involuntarily imposed "treatment." All involuntary treatment is predicated on having a "mental illness." This is silly, because there is no such thing as "mental illness." Nobody on Earth has a "mental" illness. For there to be an illness or disease, there must be a biological cause. None has ever been found for anything considered a mental illness. It's a semantic impossibility: "Mental" means non-physical. "Mental" refers to some of the activities of the brain - to some of the things the brain does - not the brain itself. (You can have a "brain tumor" or "brain cancer," but you can't have a "mind tumor" or "mind cancer" - or "mental cancer.") As psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey said in 1974 in his book The Death of Psychiatry (which was before he joined those promoting psychiatric oppression): There can no more be a mental disease than there can be a purple idea or a wise space. The words "mental" and "illness" simply do not go together logically. Mental illness cannot be equated with brain disease, because brain diseases involve biological abnormalties, and mental illnesses do not (that anybody can prove). One might similarly point out: There can no more be a "mental" illness than there can be a "moral" illness. If the idea of a "moral illness" sounds strange, even impossible, why is "mental" illness any more logical or possible - because morality is merely one aspect of mentality! If a person were "morally ill," would you call a doctor? Should you call a clergyman? Might it be possible to cure a "moral illness" with a drug? If it doesn't make sense to "treat" a "moral" illness with a drug (or ECT or other biological treatment), why does it make sense to "treat" any other so-called "mental" illness this way? Directory of
Mental Health Professionals
who oppose involuntary psychiatric "treatment"by Douglas A. Smith
If our lawmakers and judges - and psychiatrists - were thinking clearly, they would realize this, and nobody would ever be forced into so-called hospitalization or outpatient treatment because of supposed mental illness. Neither would anybody be absolved of criminal responsibility because of mental illness. The sad truth, however, is that the thinking of most of today's legislators, judges, and mental health professionals is clouded by psychiatric myths - myths widely promoted by psychiatrists and the manufacturers of psychiatric drugs. Many lawmakers accept campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies that make huge profits from selling psychiatric drugs, and these lawmakers are inclined to promote the interests of these contributors with the laws they enact.
The myth persists that only those specially trained can determine if a person has a mental illness. There is no truth to this belief. Nevertheless, you often will find it impossible to persuade a judge or perhaps even a jury to allow you to remain at liberty if you do not have a psychiatrist or someone else considered "expert" to say you do not have a mental illness. Simply obeying the law is not enough! Being rational and seeming "normal" to the average person isn't always enough, either. If you are trying to defend yourself from imprisonment (involuntary psychiatric "hospitalization") or from a court order requiring you to take harmful psychiatric drugs (and they're all harmful), your chances of prevailing are vastly better if you have a psychiatrist, neurologist, or psychologist on your side testifying that you do not have a "mental illness" or that you are no more likely than anyone else to cause injury to yourself or others or that the proposed (so-called) treatment can't possibly benefit you.
You may also want to consult a sympathetic mental health professional if you are afraid you may be forced into involuntary psychiatric "treatment" or hospitalization in the future and want to write an "advance directive" or "Declaration Regarding Mental Health Treatment" (which is authorized by statute in some states and may be respected even where such laws do not exist) stating that if you are ever determined to be incompetent to make treatment decisions for yourself, you do not want psychiatric treatment. For an advance directive or declaration regarding mental health treatment to be valid, you must be mentally competent when you made it. Your chances of having your advance directive or declaration upheld are greater if you see not just a lawyer but also a mental health professional who certifies, in writing, that you were mentally competent and not suffering from a mental illness when you made your declaration or advance directive.
You may also want to consult a mental health professional who opposes involuntary treatment - and who realizes how harmful psychiatric drugs are - if you have been taking psychiatric drugs and want the advice or supervision of a such a person while withdrawing from psychiatric drug use. If you are the victim of an outpatient commitment order, you may be able to get away with disobeying the order and persuade those prosecuting you to back off if you can truthfully say, "I am slowly withdrawing from the drugs I've been ordered to take under the supervision of Doctor _________."
If you need a mental health professional to help you in any of these ways, this list is a place to start looking for help.
If you are a mental health professional who opposes involuntary treatment and wish to be listed here, or if you would like to suggest someone who should be listed here, please write to antipsychiatrycoalition@usa.net.
U.S.A.ALASKA
Douglas C. Smith, M.D. (psychiatrist)
9340 View Drive
Juneau, AK 99801
website: www.skepticalpsych.com
e-mail: webmaster@skepticalpsych.comARIZONA
Sarah Edmonds, Ph.D.
Academic Advisor and Faculty Mentor
Department of Psychology
Northcentral University
505 West Whipple Street
Prescott, AZ 86301
888-327-2877 Ext. 8043CALIFORNIA
Breffni Barrett, Ph.D. (psychologist)
San Diego Family Therapy Institute
3235 4th Ave.
San Diego, California 92103
(619) 297-7181
Dr. Fred A. Baughman suggested Dr. Barrett be included, saying he is "a gifted, humane psychologist/healer" who opposes involuntary treatment. Dr. Barrett has also assured the webmaster of this website, Douglas A. Smith, that he opposes involuntary treatment.Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD (neurologist)
1303 Hidden Mountain Drive
El Cajon, CA 92019
(619) 440-8236
website: http://home.att.net/~fred-alden/
Dr. Baughman says he no longer practices neurology but is available for med-legal consult and testimony, speaking, etc.Thomas Greening, Ph.D.
1314 Westwood Blvd. Suite 205
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Phone (weekdays): 310-474-0064
Phone (home office): 818-784-2895
Fax: 818-784-8715
Email: tgreening@saybrook.edu
Website: www.tom.greening.com
When asked for assurance he opposes all involuntary psychiatric treatment, Dr. Greening replied: "I do oppose all involuntary treatment. (except of Fuller Torrey and NAMI Board.)" Dr. Torrey and the National Alliance "for" the Mentally Ill (NAMI) argue that "The legal standard for assisted [i.e., forced] treatment should be the need for medical care, not dangerousness..." A prediction of future conduct ("dangerousness") is the standard for incarceration (involuntary "hospitalization") in most states today. In other words, Fuller Torrey and the NAMI Board of Directors are advocating making it easier to lock up and "treat" people against their will.MARYLAND
Peter R. Breggin, M.D. (psychiatrist)
Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology
4628 Chestnut Street
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
Telephone: (301) 652-5580
Fax: (301) 652-5924
e-mail: breggin@tmn
website: Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology (www.breggin.com)
NEW JERSEY
Jeffrey C. Danco, PsyD
psychologist
Greenbrook, N.J.
(732) 752-9500 X115
e-mail: jdanco@cnonline.net
NEW YORK
Seth Farber, Ph.D.
Network Against Coercive Psychiatry
172 West 79 St., Apt 2E
New York, N.Y. 10024
(212) 560-7288
website: www.sethfarber.comRon Leifer, M.D. (psychiatrist)
e-mail: RonLeifer@aol.com
PENNSYLVANIA
Adina Lambert, M.A.
psychologist
5 Adele Drive
Richboro, PA 18954
(near philadelphia)
215-968-0736
e-mail: alamb910@aol.com
Jean G. Hantman, Ph.D.
Internet Office
www.therapyathome.org/
8025 Wetherill Road
Cheltenham PA 19012
215 635-4586
e-mail: DrHantman@aol.com
UTAH
Sarah Thompson, M.D.
PO Box 1185
Sandy, UT 84091-1185
righter@therighter.com
Specialties: Psychiatry, emergency medicine
Dr. Thompson is retired but says she opposes forced psychiatric treatment and will do what she can to help us resist it.
TENNESSEE
Cliff Heegel, Ph.D.
7141 Corsica Dr
Memphis, TN 38138
telephone: (901) 726-9100
e-mail: cheegel@midsouth.rr.com
On October 30, 2000, Dr. Heegel wrote: "Hi. I am glad your website exists. I read it and I refer my clients to it for their own education. Sometimes I feel like the lone ranger in my town regarding involuntary treatment. I oppose involuntary psychiatric treatment. I have worked with many persons over the years who have been seriously damaged by their involuntary psychiatric incarceration If you deem it appropriate, I'd be honored to be included in your mental health professionals list. I am a licensed psychologist practicing in Tennessee."
TEXAS
John Breeding, Ph.D.
Austin, Texas
(512) 326-8326
e-mail: wildcolt@flash.net
website: www.wildestcolts.com
____________________________________________
AUSTRALIA
Maureen B. Roberts, Ph.D.
Jungian Therapist
Founder & Co-ordinator: Schizophrenia Crisis Centre & Drug-free Helpline [Australia]
2/48 Fifth Ave, St Peters, SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5069
e-mail: nathair@camtech.net.au
Website: http://members.xoom.com/jungcircle
Dr. Roberts writes: "Dear Antipsychiatry Coalition: I am a mental health professional who opposes involuntary treatment and I would be happy to be listed on your site. Thanks & good wishes."
India
Dr. Joseph Isaac
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Medical College Hospital
Kottayam, Kerala
INDIA
website: www.josephisaac.com
e-mail::psychotreat@josephisaac.com
IRELAND
Asta Ghee, B.A., M.A. Psych.
PathWays,
Clonminch,
Tullamore,
Co. Offaly,
Ireland
Tel: 00 353 506 41252
e-mail: asta@iol.ie
NEW ZEALAND
Emma Burns, M.Sc. (Hons) Psychology (with NZ registration)
P O Box 253
Hastings
New Zealand
phone (NZ) 06 8760525
e-mail: emma.jason@paradise.net.nz
