Psychotherapy Behind a Razor Wire Fence - Memories of a Forensic Psychologist

About the Book

    When I started to put this material together I had several reasons in mind. First, I thought that I might be able to get it published since I was fortunate enough to have several technical books published in the past. Also, since my early retirement from th academic world I have felt a loss in my creative skills I used so often in the classroom. I missed many thing; being chairman of the psychology department and making decisions regarding programs and the direction of the University. I miss the spotlight of feeling important. I miss it all.
    The most important reason I sat down to write this book was my need to focus on family and tradition. By writing of my experiences, I hope that my family will read this and get a better understanding of who I am, or who I was. As I get older I realize I have very few memories of who my parents really were; their wants, desires, joys, satisfactions and accomplishments. I recall my mother being valedictorian of her highschool class, but never knew why she didn't go on with her education, or how the direction of her life was shaped, Why did my father stop attending school in the 6th grade? He was bright and capable. What were some of the goals in his life. What about my grandmother's and grandfather's? The sad part of it all is that I don't know and I will never know they all have passed on.
    By writing about some of the things that shaped my life as a person and as a professional, I hope that my family will have a better understanding of me, my successes and failures, my strengths, and shortcomings. A better look, should anyone desire, at the person I am or was.

Reader Comment

     Two words stand out in my mind in reflecting on Dr. Myers book. The first word is "interesting." Of the books that I have read for the course (to date) this by far was the most interesting. That is, it kept my attention throughout the work and many times I found myself not wanting to put it down. I had responsibilities to which I needed to attend when reading the book, but I found myself telling people things like "I'll get to it in a few minutes I want to finish this chapter." Frankly, I was not sure what to expect when I began the first page, but as I got into it, the reading was just purely interesting.
    The second word that comes to my mind is "intriguing." To read about the events that Dr. Myers has experienced in his many decades of psychology service it was fascinating to me. He provided me with a much better understanding of the professor of the course I am taking (whom I have never met). I do, however, feel as though I "know" him now (at least to some degree or at some level). While some people's lives are relatively hum-drum; Dr. Myers professional life has been filled with rich experiences that seems to have made life rewarding and exciting for him.
    Two particular qualities stand out in my mind as I reflect on the book relative to Dr. Myers as a person. First, he seems to be an over-all kind-hearted person. That is, Dr. Myers seems to be a person who genuinely cares for the needs of others and is willing to extend himself in behalf of such people. I highly respect this and it probably is a quality which has made it possible for him to sustain such long-time service in working with such difficult populations of people.
    At the same time, however, I also have the sense that people would be wise not to "push" Dr. Myers or attempt to take advantage of him. That is, he seems to possess a strong "aggressive streak" about him and I believe Dr. Myers is capable of being vehement when necessary. In other words, if you want to be a nice guy, Dr. Myers is a nice guy also. But if you want to go toe-to-toe with him, you'll probably lose. He is sort of like a bear in the woods. My understanding is that bears are relatively docile animals and actually run away from humans in most situations. However, when they are threatened (or you threaten one of their cubs, look out! In other words, that gentle animal will turn on you and is capable of making you wish that you were not intending harm!!
    A second quality about Dr. Myers stands out to me in reading the text is that he is a man of conviction & principle. There were numerous accounts where Dr. Myers was willing to stand up against popular opinion and speak his peace. I highly respect that quality in people. Obviously everything needs to be kept in balance, and people who do this all the time become sources of irritation to those around them. When a person is generally a team player, but willing to stand up for what they believe as the occasion calls for them to do so, even at the risk of being unpopular, that type of person simply commands my respect. Dr. Myers was courageous at various points in the book. In particular, he let his guard down and was willing to show some areas of his life where he was not "perfect." I think this is one of the elements of the book which made it enjoyable to read. That is, I never felt as though I was reading about "superman" who was flawless and did & said everything perfectly. There are ubiquitous human weaknesses experienced by everyone (e.g. being frustrated when you drive five hours to find that a class is cancelled, that ought to be frustrating to anyone!) and Dr. Myers, in a healthy way, showed his human side. The work evoked a wide range of affect in me as I read it. Specifically, at points I wiped tears from my eyes. This was especially strong when reading how Dr. Myers' wife supported him through his college and grad school years. Undoubtedly she is a virtuous woman and I have the highest respect for somebody who has stood by her husband so supportively and made the sacrifices she was willing to make. My own wife has done the same type of thing; reading Dr. Myers' account has given me a fresh appreciation for all Karen has done and who she is. I was also especially touched by the account where Dr. Myers' father indicated that he was proud of him. That was simply touching. My own father dropped out of high school in 8th grade in order to support his mother (his father had left the home). My dad returned to high school (not for a GED but for actual high school classes) and eventually earned a full high school diploma by the time I was in junior high school by taking one class at a time. For me to have obtained the education that I have is a real achievement in my father's eyes and Dr. Myers' account in the textbook stirred a number of healthy emotions in me.
    Not only did I have tears at times when reading the book, I also laughed out loud at various points. For example, Dr. Myers biting the extension cord is just too too funny! The story where he pretended to be in a squad car (which was actually the family car with a decal placed on it) made me laugh and laugh. One of the funniest parts in the book was where Dr. Myers related putting on a "welfare outfit" and going to get social support money while in grad school. That was just so so funny!!
    The concrete examples of reports were very helpful to me. For example, from page 157ff Dr. Myers related reports on a client named Steven. Likewise, on pp. 204ff he shared one relating to a person named Lisa. It is helpful for me to get a glimpse of the kind of report writing that Dr. Myers does. I shall keep this book handy for future reference (with these pages marked) should I do additional report writing for forensic cases.
    The tips that Dr. Myers related regarding testifying in court were also very interesting to me. In fact, I would like to explore these in greater detail via a telephone conversation in the future. Some psychologist frien

About the Author

    I was born and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania. A U.S. Navy veteran who served during the Korean War who later attended college and earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Scranton; a M.A. from the University of Detroit in Clinical Psychology, and a Ed.D., in Counseling Psychology from Lehigh University. I did an internship at Farview state Hospital, the only criminally insane mental hospital in the State of Pennsylvania later moving on to work at civil mental hospitals. I taught three years in the State of Maryland system at Frostburgh State University where I remained for three years. I authored two technical books, the first "The Right-To-Education Child," followed by, "Individual Educational Programming for All Teachers of the Special Needs Learner." I have also written numerous professional journal articles. The current book is my first attempt at bio-technical writing. After twenty seven years as the Chairman of the Department of Psychology at Marywood University I retired early and continue in my thirtieth year as Chief Forensic Psychologist at the Lackawanna County Prison in Scranton, PA. I am a licensed Psychologist in PA and certified School Psychologist in PA and NY States. I belong to numerous professional organizations. I am a Fellow in the American College of Forensic Examiners and a Diplomate in the American Board of Forensic Examiners. I am married for 47 years to Elaine and have five children and nine grandchildren.