Robin Deutsch, PhD: The APA “Working Group”

What’s that you say, Dorcy?  Robin Deutsch was put in charge of the official “Working Group” response of the American Psychological Association to the first Petition to the APA from parents?

I never paid much attention to who they assigned to the “death by committee” response they made to the suffering of parents and their desperate plea for help.  I think you’re right, though, I think I heard it was Robin Deutsch they put in charge. The APA refused to ever release the names and vitaes of the “Working Group” members who received the first Petition to the APA written by parents, when was that, 2016?

I’m not sure everyone here knows the story of the Petition to the APA, the whole story.

The one I wrote (Petition to the APA) was the second one, the first one was a home-crafted one by a group of parents. They did immaculate research and made strong argument in that first Petition to the APA. 

Here, gather round the fire and let me tell you the story.  My Petition to the APA is not the first.  No, some intrepid parents were there first, storming the castle walls.  They did good.

Back in 2016, I had no thought for a Petition to the APA, hadn’t even entered my mind.  I had just finished writing Foundations and was turning to crafting the Assessment protocol and supporting booklets.  I had just entered a Facebook presence out of my blog, and my website archive was starting to build.  In 2016 I was beginning to fully enter into the arguments and solutions.

There were a group of parents who understood the paradigm shift.  Unbeknownst to me, they got together and wrote a Petition to the APA and posted it to Change.org. 

That… is a great idea.  And it was well considered in its arguments.  They had listened to my blogs and reasoning, and they put forth solidly grounded professional argument.

They didn’t approach the ethical code violations at all.  They’re not psychologists, they can’t carry that voice and reasoning.  They carried the scientifically grounded evidence voice for consideration and change – Bowlby, Minuchin, Beck.

I knew the pathogen was inhabiting and disabling the response of the American Psychological Association.  How?  Where?

Forensic psychology.  It’s financial, and they have “inside” power.  No one believes your grievances.  They attribute your protests to your just not getting your way in the “custody battle” – it’s not the psychologist’s fault… they’re not ignorant and incompetent… after all, they have those letters after their names.  No one believes you.

They own you.  Forensic psychology owns you and your children.  No one else will work with you. Too dangerous.  Forensic psychology threatens their license if they try to help you.  So they abandon you to forensic psychology, and then forensic psychology feeds on you financially, like piggies at the trough, $20,000 to $40,000 for a worthless “child custody evaluation” that solves nothing, that is not valid prima facie, and that is substantially beneath professional standards of practiced in professional psychology.

They own you.

The first Petition to the APA, the one by this parental alliance, entered into the teeth of the pathogen’s control of the APA.  It was sent to a “Working Group” of forensic psychologists to die.  I knew that, I saw that.

Good job, parents, you’ve drawn down the pathogen’s defense. The APA is exposed now. It’s like drawing down the air cover around a carrier at Midway, no protection left.

We asked that the names of the “Working Group” members and their vitaes be disclosed.  If the lives and suffering of so many parents hangs in the balance of the decisions made by this “Working Group” then these parents have a right to know who’s on the “Working Group” that will have so much impact on their lives and the lives of their children. 

The APA said no. They would not release the names or vitaes of the “Working Group” members.  It’s a secret who they are.

The Petition from these parents claims that the surrounding professional psychology who are involved with their families (i.e., forensic psychology) is not applying the scientifically established knowledge of attachment, family systems therapy, personality disorders, and complex trauma.

Instead of a response, the APA formed a “Working Group” with the mandate given to the “Working Group” to review all the research on attachment, and family systems therapy, and personality disorders, and complex trauma.

Then why not simly appoint members to the “Working Group” who already know this research, so we can skip educating the “Working Group” about pretty much all of the knowledge of professional psychology?

That wasn’t their goal.  Their goal was to silence you, so no one will hear your screams of torment and suffering. They don’t want anyone to hear you.

The first Petition to the APA from these parents was apparently sent to Robin Deutsch.  Let’s see, that was 2016 I think… I wonder how they’re coming along with their “review of the research” in these past… four years.

I wonder if we can get a log from them for how many times this “Working Group” has met in… four years?  Even a list of who’s on it and what their professional background is would be helpful.  Hmm, if Susan Deutsch is heading the “Working Group,” I’m sure she’d be able to give us a progress report for their official APA “Working Group” to develop a response to the… first… Petition to the APA.

I knew what was happening.  They’re hiding you.  After all, no one believes you.  If you scream in pain, no one believes you because the… forensic psychologists… can’t possibly be ignorant and incompetent.  You just didn’t get your way in the custody dispute.  It can’t possibly be the psychologists… after all, their vitaes are so… puffy and look so impressive.  And they have the AFCC endorsing their practice.  It can’t possibly be the psychologists at fault… it must be you.

No one believes you.  I see that.

But what that first Petition did was draw down the pathogen’s defenses, forensic psychology had acted to grab this first Petition.  The APA was vulnerable now to a second.  Good job, parents.  Nicely done.

I waited a year to give the “Working Group” enough rope to do something, or not.  I applied to be on the “Working Group” (not a chance that forensic psychologists would let in – an “outsider” – especially one advocating that we apply knowledge).  I simply wanted to document, it’s not me  who is the problem, it’s your ignorance and sloth.  I also sent them my personal 40-page AB-PA Reference List. That’s the time when I also decided to post my personal AB-PA Reference List to my website.  It was time to activate that for this “Working Group” “study the research” lie.

The mandate of the “Working Group” is to review the research, so then, start with this.

Dr. Childress’ Personal: AB-PA Reference List

I waited year, and then I wrote a second Petition to the APA, entirely separate from the last one. The first one was written entirely by parents without my involvement. This second one was written entirely by me.  The first one focused on Bowlby, Minuchin, Beck.  I focused mine as a psychologist, on the many violations to the APA ethics code.

I did that intentionally, took an entirely different focus; the APA ethics code. The first Petition had drawn the protection, I had a clean shot.  Nice job.  It’s a totally separarate Petition and line of argument.

I asked parents for 10,000 signatures before I would submit it.  I had 10,000 signatures in a day.  Ultimately, we had 19,000 when we hand-delivered it to the offices of the APA in Washington, D.C. in June of 2018.  I was accompanied by two parent representatives, Wendy Perry and Rod McCall.  They nailed their presentations at the National Press Club, we visited our representatives in Congress.

Nothing like seeting Texans schmooze each other, a delightful sight to see.

That Petition is still active, it has yet to receive any response whatsoever from the APA, your voice currently stands at 24,000, that’s a strong voice, it’s up to you how strong you choose to make it. If I were you, I’d use it in news media stories, reference the Petition to the APA as something people can do if they want to support you, the parents and your children. Sign the Petition to the APA.  It can always serve as a closer for your news articles – sign the Petition to the APA.

It asks for three things,

1.) Immediate Press Release: An immediate press release affirming the support of the American Psychological Association for Standard 2.01a Boundaries of Competence.

In the two years since delivering the Petition, the APA has declined to issue a press release affirming its support for Standard 2.01a Boundaries of Competence of their own code of ethics.  Think about that. The APA is refusing to publicly affirm its own ethics code…. think about that.

Forensic psychology. They are in the control of forensic psychology. They don’t want to look, they don’t want to turn over the rock to see what’s underneath.  The APA won’t even affirm their own ethics code, even when 24,000 parents plead with them, simply state your affirmation of your own ethics code.

They won’t do it.  The APA refuses – for two years they have refused – to issue a simple press release affirming the importance of Standard 2.01a of its own ehtics code. The APA has abandoned you to the abuse and exploitation of forensic psychology.  You stand alone, they stand with child abuse and spousal abuse.

APA: Collusion with Child Abuse

Notice the counter on the website, my frontal lobe executive function systems for foresight work just fine.

2.) Revise Position Statement: A review of their official “Position Statement on Parental Alienation Syndrome” since there is now a second, and scientifically grounded description for the pathology.

The American Psychological Association is in violation of its own Standard 2.04 of its own ethics code. They are refusing to apply the “established scientific and professional knowledge of the discipline” – Bowlby, Minuchin, Beck, van der Kolk, Tronick.

I have obligations still pending surrounding Standard 1.05 of the APA ethics code and the APA’s violaton of Standard 2.04 of its own ethics code (and possible failure in their vicarious “duty to protect” by negligent disregard).

2.) Conferences & White Papers: To convene a conference of expertise in attachment, family systems therapy, personality disorders, complex trauma, and child development to produce a white paper on court-involved attachment pathology. Then to convene a second conference of expertise in psychometrics, ethics, cultural psychology, clinical psychology, attachment, and family systems therapy to examine the appropriate role of professional psychology in the family courts and to produce a white paper on that.

Two years.  No response.  I take that back, do you know what the response of the APA is to this second Petition to the APA from an entirely different group, with entirely different arguments based on APA ethics code violations, with an entirely different set of sought for remedies… do you know what the response of the APA is?

We have a “Working Group” who is “studying the research.”  The “Working Group” response to the first Petiton is not relevant. That’s somebody else. What is your response to THIS Petition?

Silence.  No response.

We’ll wait.  But please hurry, the lives of these parents and their children are being destroyed daily. There is urgency here. Please hurry.

Four years of a “Working Group” to “study the research” on attachment, and family systems therapy, and complex trauma, and personaltiy disorders, and child development.

Why not just appoint people to the “Working Group” who ALREADY know the research?  Oh… because they want to appoint ignorance… they want to give you to forensic psychologists… the very people who are exploiting and traumatizing you.

I’m not accepting that. And I’m tenacious.

As long as they are going to try to use that lie, then let me ask you, how are things coming with that secret “Working Group” of forensic psychologists in the last… four years?

What’s that you say, Dorcy?  Susan Deutsch, the co-author of that article on Overcoming Barriers in 2010 with Matthew Sullivan, the President of the AFCC, is leading that “Working Group” for the APA?

Well then, let’s ask her about how much “progress” they’re making in their self-education… and when they anticipate being done getting educated.

I’m sure the APA “Working Group” is on her vitae, right? That’s a pretty impressive professional accomplishment, to lead an APA “Working Group” to “study the research” on… something… they still won’t release a list of the research they’ve been reviewing… for four years now.

Why didn’t the APA just appoint people who already knew the research? Why appoint ignorance to a “Working Group”? That seems a really odd thing to do.

Google ignorance: lack of knowledge or information.

So the “Working Group” members (secret members; hidden vitaes, they won’t tell us who and what their background is) is spending 4 years educating themselves… to answer the question from parents, why isn’t professional psychology applying Bowlby, Minuchin, Beck, van der Kolk, and Tronick?

Does that make sense to you?

Or does something smell rotten?  Four years spent educating themselves. So… are you educated yet? Or do you still need more time, is your ignorance that profound that four years of study is to no avail?

So, Dr. Deutsch, how’s the secret “Working Group” coming along?  Maybe it’s time for the APA to ask for a “Progress Report” from the secret “Working Group.” Especially since the response from the APA to a second, entirely unrelated Petition to the APA signed by a separate 24,000 parents is being made contingent on the outcome of the “Working Group”… for four years.

I think it’s time for a Progress Report from the “Working Group.” I certainly hope it’s not some sort of scam.  I certainly hope the American Psychological Association is not lying to parents, running some sort of scam cover-up for the rampant ethics violations and sloth in forensic psychology.

I certainly hope that’s not happening.  I think it’s time the APA asked for a Progress Report from it’s official “Working Group.”  Four years of “work” – how much have you accomplished?  It is an official APA “Working Group.”  So?  What did you find?

Don’t tell me you need MORE time?  Four years is not enough? Then at least tell us your progress to date, after… four years.  Oh, and please… how many times did your “Working Group” meet?  Do you have agendas and minutes from your meetings? Who is on this “Working Group”?  What are their professional qualifications for the task? Can you provide us with a list of the research you have reviewed in the last 4 years of your “Working Group.”

This is an official “Working Group” of the APA.  Or perhaps… it’s a scam.  Pehaps… it’s a cover-up.  Hmm, how can we find out?  Let’s get a Progress Report from the Official “Working Group” of the APA, where do things stand after FOUR years of educating yourself because you started off so proundly ignorant.

Are you educated yet?

So… what’s the progress?  Or are you all done?  Or did you never start?

What’s that you say, Dorcy? Robin Deutsch is in charge of the “Working Group.” Well good, then let’s ask her.  How’s it coming, Robin?  Four years, now… kind of a long time.  Any chance of wrapping up your “Working Group” anytime soon?

What did you find?

Craig Childress, Psy.D.
Clinical Psychologist, PSY 18857