Psychologist gets in trouble with state licensing board for advice column

[futureapppsy2]

Excerpt:

When John Rosemond answered some parents’ query about how to handle their “highly spoiled underachiever” son in his syndicated parenting advice column, he thought it was fairly routine.

But the column – in which he advised the parents to strip the boy’s room down to essentials, take away electronic devices, and suspend privileges until he could start improving his grades – caused a small firestorm in Kentucky that he didn’t anticipate.

The issue, according to the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology, is that by offering such one-on-one advice, Mr. Rosemond is engaging in the “practice of psychology” – something he is not entitled to do in the state since he lacks a Kentucky license. The board also objected to the newspaper identifying Rosemond as a family psychologist, since his North Carolina credentials don’t apply in Kentucky.

http://news.yahoo.com/kentucky-psychology-board-targets-advice-columnist-free-speech-225232651.html

Thoughts?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

Excerpt:



http://news.yahoo.com/kentucky-psychology-board-targets-advice-columnist-free-speech-225232651.html

Thoughts?

That is beyond ridiculous.

 

[CheetahGirl]

I support the 'cease and desist.' Rosemond's advising days should be numbered - especially since he's been spreading his nonsense for 37-years. And he says "“I am non-psychological in my column, and I think this bothers many psychologists.” “What I’m trying to do is help people not have to see psychologists – to help people solve problems before they become so big that professional help is needed.”

First, you can't be non-psychological in an advice column - Duh!

Second, professional help is sometimes necessary, especially for the parents who call their own son a "highly spoiled underachiever” and say they can't handle him. Uh, how do you think he got that way, parents of said son!?!

 

[Neuropsych2be]

Well the question here is whether writing an advice column constitutes the professional practice of psychology. This man is licensed as a psychological associate in North Carolina not in Kentucky. So is he practicing across state lines by writing a syndicated column. I find this hard to swallow since "advice giving" isn't really part of psychological practice. Yet, he or the sydicated paper is holding him as a psychologist of some sort. a smarter writer would couch the column in more general terms and not have the word psychologist anywhere. This seems to be something of a gray area and is really something that the court system will have to hash out.

 

[cara susanna]

So how come Dr. Phil doesn't get into trouble? He isn't even licensed anywhere at the moment.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

So how come Dr. Phil doesn't get into trouble? He isn't even licensed anywhere at the moment.

Thats what I was thinking about when I answered.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

So how come Dr. Phil doesn't get into trouble? He isn't even licensed anywhere at the moment.

He did, at least it was brought up while he resided in CA...I believe it was during one of the Britney Spears meltdowns, as he was not licensed in CA.

 

[cara susanna]

He still does it like every week though, so I assume it was dropped or he won?

 

[ForHumors]

I thought the issue was that you can't call yourself a psychologist- no matter where you are- if you don't have a PhD/PsyD or work for an academic institution? I believe Dr. Phil at least holds a PhD.

Lol at "I am non-psychological in my column, and I think this bothers many psychologists." though. That's like someone giving nutrition/exercise advice and saying "I am non-biological in my column, and I think this bothers many biologists and physicians."

 

[thewesternsky]

Dr. Phil hasn't been licensed since 2006, and from what I've seen he has been pretty careful not to refer to himself as a psychologist since then. I sincerely hope that if he still had a license to practice, it would be taken away based on the things he has said and done on his show over the last few years.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Interestingly, when he was licensed, Dr. Phil was reprimanded by the state licensing board for hiring a former client as an employee to soon after termination of therapy.The only reality show psychologist who seems not cringe-worthy to me is David Tolin, who has a really clear commitment to EBT (specifically, EXRP for anxiety disorders). He also has a really impressive publication record.

 

[Qwerk]

It seems strange that someone without a degree in psychology can get away with publishing an advice column in which s/he offers quasi-psychological advice -- Dear Prudence and Savage Love come to mind -- but someone who does it with such a degree is practicing psychology without a license. Is he being censured simply because he wrote the column, or because he did it while using the term "psychologist" to lend himself credibility?

 

[CheetahGirl]

He still does it like every week though, so I assume it was dropped or he won?

Dr. Phil operates as an entertainer. From what I read in the past (source unknown right now), he agreed to not practice as a clinical psychologist anymore if he could continue his show as an entertainer. He was actually quite reputable as a psychologist (he comes from a family of psychologists, like dad and maybe brother per Wikipedia???) before he became ridiculous and pumped full of narcissism. His reputation & personable demeanor are what originally caught the attention of Oprah.

However, Dr. Phil has become an unethical disgrace to the field now (like the 'journal,' Psychology Today). All that we learn in graduate school is disregarded as soon as he opens his mouth and begins to dispense his 'advice' and overtly state his 'gut' opinion in public. These issues are private & sometimes confidential, and he retraumatizes and victimizes the people he interacts with for public consumption. That's disgraceful, in my opinion. Sure, people have volition and their own rights, but he is no better than Jerry Springer.

But, hey, here we are now...entertainers. (Kurt Cobain's famous words)

 

[AcronymAllergy]

It seems strange that someone without a degree in psychology can get away with publishing an advice column in which s/he offers quasi-psychological advice -- Dear Prudence and Savage Love come to mind -- but someone who does it with such a degree is practicing psychology without a license. Is he being censured simply because he wrote the column, or because he did it while using the term "psychologist" to lend himself credibility?

I think that's probably the big issue, and according to the article, it's the main (or only) thing to which the board says they're objecting.

 

[Shooter]

Excerpt:



http://news.yahoo.com/kentucky-psychology-board-targets-advice-columnist-free-speech-225232651.html

Thoughts?

Supreme court ruled against the KY Psychology Board on the grounds of free-speech. You can call yourself a "Modern Psychologist" but not a "KY-Licensed Psychologist"

"that the kind of ordinary advice people exchange on a daily basis is fully protected by the First Amendment and it cannot be censored by occupational licensing laws"

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/living/family/article42629730.html#storylink=cpy

 

[cara susanna]

Thanks for the update! I must admit this whole issue taps into my frustrated feelings over holding a PhD but not being able to call myself a psychologist yet.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Thanks for the update! I must admit this whole issue taps into my frustrated feelings over holding a PhD but not being able to call myself a psychologist yet.

According to bit, though, it appears that he might not even have a a PhD/PsyD or be a licensed psychologist anywhere...

Rosemond does not hold a Kentucky license, but he is a licensed psychological associate in North Carolina

That's a masters level credential in NC.
http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac.../chapter 54 - psychology/21 ncac 54 .1802.pdf

 

[Mad Jack]

My god this is ridiculous. It's like saying Dr. Drew from Loveline was illegally practicing across state lines by giving sex advice on his call-in show- he was providing advice and entertainment, not psychiatric counseling.

 

[erg923]

I think to advise to strip the boy'’s room down to essentials, take away electronic devices and suspend privileges is just unprofessional. Is it really can help? In this case I think boy will just start hating his parents and start to rebel.

What would be "professional" advice?

 

[smalltownpsych]

My professional advice is always to limit electronics. My mom used to say that TV rots your brain so go outside and play. These days I tell kids that video games and social media rots your brain and you should go outside and play. We do have a lot of research to back that up although most of it is correlational because we can't randomly assign kids to the "spend 8 hours a day playing Warcraft" group and the other kids to the "play outside with peers" group.
I also refer kids and parents to this key scientific and professional episode of Southpark as further evidence.