To learn more about my practice, please click on a topic below: Office Location and Directions Professional background My treatment philosophy Areas of specialization Board Certification Proficiency Certifications Forensic Psychology Articles by Dr. Eichel RETIRN Why I don't take insurance. Statement on Dr. Eichel's involvement in the Lee Boyd Malvo "Beltway Sniper" Case
		Thank you for taking the time to visit my website. My name is Dr. Steve Eichel, and I am a psychologist in private practice in Newark, Delaware. I've been licensed for the independent practice of psychology since 1982 (initially in Pennsylvania) and have been providing psychological services since 1977.
		I have a broad and general practice in counseling/clinical and forensic psychology. Over the years, I have developed several specialties. I am Board Certified in Counseling Psychology (click here) and nationally certified in several proficiencies (click here). My areas of specialization include:
		• Children & Adolescents	• Hypnosis	• Psychological Testing
		• Addictions	• Trauma	• Families
		Dr. Eichel	Directions to Dr. Eichel's Newark, Delaware office About Dr. Eichel

RETIRN

The Re-Entry Therapy, Information & Referral Network

RETIRN Staff 2009: Dr. Steve Eichel, Roberta Eisenberg, Drs. Linda & Rod Dubrow-Marshall

409 Nottingham Road, Newark, DE  19711  •  302-368-9136   •  866-538-9048 (fax) 113 E. Greenwood Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050   •  610-622-3109 United Kingdom: 70 Merthyr Road, Pontypridd, Wales CF37 4DD  •  +44 (0) 1443-400456 Welcome to our Web site. We are dedicated to providing individuals, couples, families and groups with the best psychological services available. Please feel free to browse these pages. Your feedback is always welcome.
	Topic (Click on topic)	Description of Topic
	About RETIRN	RETIRN (the Re-Entry Therapy, Information & Referral Network) specializes in delivering services to individuals and families harmed by exploitive, coercive and/or destructive movements and groups (e.g., "cults").
	About our staff	RETIRN consists of psychologists Steve K. D. Eichel (in the U.S.), and Linda and Rod Dubrow-Marshall (in the U.K.), and clinical social worker Roberta Eisenberg. In addition to Steve, Linda, Rod and Roberta, RETIRN consultants include many specialists.
	Directions to our office	Check here for directions (including maps) to Dr. Steve Eichel's office in Newark, DE.
	Some common questions about High Demand Groups (aka "cults").	• What is a "High-Demand Group" (aka "cult")?  • What can families do?  • What is "Pseudo-Identity" in High-Demand Groups?
	More information and links	Check here for more information and links to other resources.
	Articles	Articles by RETIRN staff
		Drs. Linda Dubrow-Marshall & Steve Eichel win 2003 "Psychology in the Media" Award! (For details, click here.) Statement on Dr. Eichel's involvement in the Lee Boyd Malvo "Beltway Sniper" Case

HMO and Managed Care:

We care about your privacy. We care about who controls your treatment. Therefore, we do not participate in any HMO or Managed Care panels.

Documents related to Dr. Steve Eichel's presentation entitled "Brainwashing as a Legal Defense" given on Saturday, October 16, 2004 at the Atlanta AFF/ICSA conference. [Clicking on the link below will download the attached document] Downlad the file "AFF_Atlanta.zip Clicking on the above link will download the file "AFF_Atlanta.zip." This is a compressed file and you will need the utility "Unzip" (Windows) or "StuffIt Expander" (Mac) to decompress this file. These are free untilities readily available to PC or Mac users. To find them, do a Google search for "Unzip" or "StuffIt Expander" or just go to www.simplyzip.com (Windows) or www.stuffit.com (Mac) to download the software. Upon decompressing, you will wind up with a folder entitled "AFF_Atlanta." Inside, you will find two documents. "Malvo.1.ppt" is the powerpoint presentation I created for the defense team in Commonwealth of Virginia v. Lee Boyd Malvo (the "Beltway Sniper"). "MC_evaluation.doc" is a slightly modified copy of the report I submitted on behalf of a former member of the "Beta Dominion Xenophilia" cult. The evaluation was performed at the request of the former member's defense attorney after she was charged with conspiracy to commit murder. (The leader of the cult had also been charged and was in jail awaiting trial.) The report summarizes the results of my evaluation of the former member's individual psychological functioning and includes an analysis of the cult's dynamics. The former member's identity is protected in this copy of the report. Partly as a result of the evaluation, the District Attorney for the state of Maryland decided not to prosecute the former member. The report's format is one I designed to assist attorneys and judges in understanding the unique dynamics in cult-related crimes, and may serve as a template for similar forensic evaluations in the future. [Return to top]

  

Why I don't take insurance. My answer to this question is somewhat complicated. I am not opposed to insurance. I wish everyone had adequate medical coverage with appropriate mental health benefits. Not taking insurance means that I limit my practice to those who can afford to pay on their own, and I am very ambivalent about that. Still, there are three overriding issues that have led me to make this decision. 1. Most insurance plans are "managed care" programs. There is a reason a lot of people call it "mangled care." I object strongly to a case manager in Seattle or Delhi telling me how to treat a client he or she has never and will never meet. In my experience, many decisions made by these plans are not based on client needs, but rather on cutting costs (and making profits for stockholders and extremely well-paid senior executives). 2. Insurance records are NOT confidential. Even when only basic information (like your diagnosis and the number of sessions you attended) is reported, it can be damaging. When you apply for life insurance, a government position, or health insurance, a "psychiatric" diagnosis can be extremely costly. Recently I talked with a woman who was seen for depression several years ago. After she was laid off from her agnecy job, she became an independent contractor and tried to obtain her own health coverage. She was turned down by every plan she applied for. The reason: They didn't want to cover someone who might be suicidal. At no point during her treatment was this woman suicidal, and for the past five years her life has been productive and she has been very content. That did not matter to the health insurance company. Life insurance premiums may also increase significantly (and permanently) if they find a "psychiatric" diagnosis in your medical history. In addition, confidential case records (mandatory in managed care plans) do occasionally find their way into the wrong hands, and there is little or nothing you can do about it if that happens to you. 3. Certain diagnoses are especially potentially harmful to clients. The more "serious" or "unusual" diagnoses, like eating disorders, sexuality concerns or disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, post-traumatic stress, personality disorders (like "borderline" or "narcissistic"), can cause great personal damage if they are known. The people who come to see me are usually very concerned about their privacy. They are typically working on highly personal, painful and difficult material. They need to trust that what they say in session will remain in session. They want a guarantee that nobody outside my office room will know their personal information. By not being involved with insurance, I can provide that guarantee. In most cases, I do not even write down a formal diagnosis.