Dr. Picchioni .... In Texas (page 3)

MegaDude

Chris got so angry at his session with Dr. P that he let loose with a couple of, um, "choice" words, which prompted the doctor to say, "you're not like any Jehovah's Witness I've ever treated!"

Nina,

I'm sure Chris could tell that Dr. P. was no good for him and he may very well have been right to let a few choice words fly.

I personally got the impression that Dr. Picchioni's methods were sometimes odd, in that he would throw out some pretty far out suggestions as far as advice. This advice was sometimes contradictory to what he had said in the previous week's session. I think he did this to cut through the b.s. or "the front" a lot of people put up in marriage counseling sessions and he wanted to observe our reactions to his odd suggestions so he could guage our reactions and see the real people beneath the surface. Our marriage counseling sessions were basically what do you want, how can I help you get it. With that method of counseling, and my wife's inflexible JW outlook, and my rage at the WT lies, the marriage was doomed.

I know he was very frustrated in trying to help us because the divisive issue in our marriage was religion and not a problem with communication or some such issue. My wife at the time got really, really angry with him too. I think she thought that because Dr. P. was friendly with JW's that he would talk me into seeing that the JW's weren't that bad at all. That's why she picked him as our therapist, and even interned under him for a short while when she was studying psychology in college. Of course he knew what the JW's were about and encouraged me to do what I felt was best for me. That made the wife feel completely betrayed by him.

MegaDude

I'm a weird guy, outside the norm. I do better to keep my big mouth shut. When I speak up, especially around normal people, I inevitably sound stupid and I always regret it. My timing is perfect ... always wrong.

Ah, Chris. If you could only see yourself through others eyes you wouldn't think that at all.

Edited to add. You may be absolutely right about Picchioni's expertise in dealing with child abuse issues. I wouldn't know. And Wednesday's post makes me think you were right to terminate your counseling sessions with him.

wednesday

chris,

u and Nina were not the only ones who felt the way u did. Psychologists have their niche and often prefer to just work with those kind of patients. Based on my experience and another sister who was there at the same time I was, Dr P was not for us. We both had child abuse issues, and we had had previous therapy and recognized good therapy when we saw it. So we spoke up and told others. No regrets.

MegaDude

lol@Pinch-ioni.

Jade

LOL @ Valis

Chris I think you did the right thing if he wasn't for you and its good that you talked about it. It gives two different perspectives. I know if I had read the title of this thread and had a negative experience I would have spoken up for sure.

Wild_Thing

I knew there would be some of you out there that knew him! I don't care if your experience was good or bad, personally, I would like to here them anyway (BigTex and Valis)! I have heard it all too, but it has been a very long time! No psychologist or therapist is good for everyone, so I am glad to hear that he is still helping JWs. They are a very under-served group (of their own doing). I have never heard about the lawsuit. That is very sad! I think I was still around when the program started to fall apart. I heard about the conflicts that were being discussed over patient confidentiality and elder issues, since David was an elder. I think he wanted to respect the confidential relationship, but was feeling pressure not to. I also heard of Dr. Pichionni's high divorce rate of his patients. Personally, if his patients were anything like my parents, I say yeah to him! (He did not counsel them for marriage, though, he told my mother to flat out leave him!)

I was just a kid when I was in the middle of all that "fiasco", as someone called it. (I was 16.) My mom and I ended up calling Grapevine our home. Pichionni dealt more with my mother than me, so I cannot speak much as to how "good" he was, but his program (for better or worse) was instrumental in getting my mother out of a 30 year abusive relationship with my dad (who was an elder for years!) Maybe I can tell the whole story when I am up to it, but I have often wondered about some of the people that I met there and wondered where they are.

Personally, I did get the help I needed, but not from Dr. P. He was just the catalyst that brought us to the facility, I guess. I am sure he was in it for the money (most professionals are, to some extent), but I respect him for trying to work with such a large population of whacked out people. I remember his "Sunday Aftercare Program". Anybody could come, whether you had ever been a patient of his or not. I did learn a lot about family dynamics and the roles in "dysfunctional" families.

I was so young (and admitted pretty traumatized) during part of that time, that I may not remember your name, but who knows! I may have been sitting right next to you!

Did anybody know the Neeces? Amy and Mike? I know they are divorced now, but I would love to get in contact (if they will talk to me!) I was also good friends with Terri, but I can't remember her last name. I think she is still a full blown JW living in Minnesota. :(

Edited to add: It's Wild THING, not Wild FIRE!

bikerchic

Okay just a question. Did Dr. P in his program use any of John Bradshaw's work? I'm beginning to think this was the Dr. in Texas that my "sister" friend saw while she was living in Texas. At any rate she came to California a ball of fire and started talking to a few of us about dysfunctional families systems it made a lot of sense and the work we did really helped many of us deal with our dysfunctional families, most of us really made positive changes.

Oh and did he do Re-Decision Therapy?

frankiespeakin:

Biker,
That would be Bob Cambell, he was an elder in the Mira Mesa Congregation that meet in Poway. I was an elder there years ago. The JW's came from all over to see him

Yes as soon as I read his name it all came back to me thanks for the information frankie!

,,BTW he was all for makeing a convicted childmolester a MS. I was the only elder who fought it and after I left they made the molester a MS. We were talking one day and he said the WT would call him for information in dealing with multiple personalities,,that seemed to be his specialty,, he said that the WT Ok'd the counting time, and bible studies for all the different personalities that were studies with, after I mentioned to him that in CT they DF'd only certain personalities of someone with multibles that committed fornication.

Now that is just sick!

Wild_Thing

Yes, Dr. P was a big John Bradshaw fan. I am sure this is where your friend heard it. He was also very big in educating people about "co-dependent" relationships. This is what I remember of the dysfunctional family roles:

There is the victim, who ironically is the one with the problem (or is the abuser).

The enabler, the one who stays in the situation and allows the victim to continue on with the abuse (or whatever).

The kids roles are typically either the scapegoat, the overachiever, the peacemaker (i think is what they called it), or the lost child.

Any of this sound familiar to anyone?

I do not remember Re-decision Therapy, but it doesn't necessarily mean he didn't use it. Maybe someone else can answer.

bikerchic

Ugg....LOL thanks for the reminder on the family system W_T!

Yeah I bet that is where she got all her information I do remember her saying and stressing to all of us Dubs that the JW's in Texas were doing it and it will catch on all over soon! LOL Sad thing is she died a few years later, smart lady and I bet she would be on JWD today had she not died. She was way to smart to let the Elder's hold her back from helping what she saw as sick and wounded people. I miss her she was one of those rare people who you could briefly meet and she would deeply touch your life forever.

Dr. Picchioni .... In Texas

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