L. Michael Holanker, Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer/Deputy CEO
American Psychological Association
Executive Office
Email: mhonaker@apa.org
It should be noted that by the time the email campaign was
initiated, Social Therapy was already on the APA convention
program. It may have been difficult for the APA to completely
remove them the program; thus, the presentations were allowed
to go forward.
I personally attended Dr. Holzman’s first presentation
on Saturday morning, August 9, 2003 (session #3079), entitled
“Symposium: Impact of Participatory Youth Programs on
Youth and Communities.” In addition to Dr. Holzman, in
attendance were Barbara Silverman, who spoke on the broad subject
of crises in education; Diann Eley, who spoke on the use of
sports to aid “disaffected young people,” and Gloria
Strickland, who spoke on the All Stars Project in New Jersey,
wherein she uses theatre and the performing arts to “aid
hundreds of inner city young people.” There were no APA
staff or board members in attendance at this presentation.
The presence of APA board members at this session would have
done a great deal to see the subtle nature of Social Therapy
in action. Much of the presentation was geared toward mutual
admiration of the panel’s “contributions to society,”
with little opportunity for scholarly interaction with psychologists
and others in the audience. An APA board member should have
been there to document the one-sided nature of the presentation,
and the impression that Dr. Holzman and company were merely
pushing an agenda.
Arriving just as the presentation was to begin was Columbia
University professor, Dr. Edmund Gordon, who quickly and adroitly
turned the discussion into a left-right political debate complete
with comments on the “social causes” of racism and
poverty. Dr. Gordon was ostensibly inducted to be the discussant
of the presentation.
However, Dr. Holzman spoke first with some interesting opening
comments. She acknowledged that she had “been recently
informed that complaints have been made about this presentation.”
She asked if any “complainers” were in the audience,
which may seem an odd question as there were a range of 12 to
16 people in the audience at various times in the presentation.
Dr. Holzman nobly stated, “I encourage challenges and
debates. I want to create together our psychology. I am from
a passionate group of individuals with new approaches to community
development.” She also stated that she had been presenting
at APA conferences for “over 20 years” and “had
heard no complaints before.” This is not a true statement,
or Dr. Holzman and the APA have an exceedingly short memory.
At the APA conference in Chicago last year, I also attended
one of Dr. Holzman’s presentations on the legacy of Fred
Newman, among other topics. When she asked for questions of
the audience, I asked her, “There have been newspaper
reports and ex-member accounts that you operate a psychotherapeutic
cult. Could you please respond to this allegation including
your definition of what a cult is and what it is not?”
Dr. Holzman refused to answer the question, and either would
not or could not tell me what a cult was, but she was certain
her group was not one. She refused to address the issue of ex-member
complaints, and sat silently as I asked her the same question
three times. I did bring this to the attention of then-APA president,
Dr. Philip Zimbardo, but I don’t know if any action was
ever initiated.
After 70 minutes of a 90-minute presentation, Dr. Holzman
acknowledged my raised hand in pursuit of a question. I asked
her a simple question; a question that every member of APA,
and certainly every presenter at an APA conference, should be
able and willing to answer. I asked Dr. Holzman, “As an
APA member, do you ascribe to and uphold the APA Ethical Principles
for Psychologists at your East Side Institute for Social Therapy?”
Dr. Holzman replied, “That is not relevant to this discussion
here.” I responded back. “You are speaking at a
professional conference. You represent several organizations.
You show yourself as the representative of these organizations
in order to obtain permission to speak here today. Again, I
ask you, do you ascribe to and uphold the APA Ethical Principles
for Psychologists at your East Side Institute for Social Therapy?”
Dr. Holzman again replied, “The question is not relevant.”
I replied, “Do you refuse to answer?” Dr. Holzman
replied, “The question is not relevant.”
Then, quick as a flash, Dr. Gordon jumped to Dr. Holzman’s
rescue. He stated that the controversy with Social Therapy came
from the “old Freudian thinking at APA” and from
the “political right.” I responded by informing
him that he knew nothing of the extent of the lie and the extent
of the controversy. I asked permission from Dr. Gordon to leave
a flyer so members of the audience could consider another side
of Social Therapy (see http://www.ex-iwp.org
). While Dr. Holzman sat silent, Dr. Gordon provided permission
for me to leave the flyer. Presenting alternative views is the
essence of critical thinking (at least that’s what they
taught us in graduate school). Dr. Holzman’s refusal is
not keeping with the best pursuits of science. I and some of
my colleagues have been concerned that some destructive cults
may use professional and scientific platforms to gain credibility
and respectability. I don’t want to see this happen to
the APA.
It is appalling that Dr. Holzman cannot identify herself and
her organizations as subscribing to the APA Ethical Standards
for Psychologists regardless of her designated “agenda”
and “topic.” I think the APA should take note of
this refusal, and place it in context of the desire of psychology
to have open debate, not refusal at an APA annual conference.
If the APA is concerned about these questions, perhaps a deeper
investigation should be made before Social Therapy and its various
offshoots are again allowed to present at another APA conference.
It is vital that the premier organization of psychology, the
APA, look more closely at this matters in order to assure its
membership that convention presenters have committed themselves
to the highest standards of science, scholarship, openness,
and respectful dialogue with other professionals.
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The author is an APA member and maintains a private consulting
practice in Colorado. She can be reached at purplepeakgroup@aol.com.
