The mental health community has a sordid history of oppression directed toward Jewish therapists and advocates. So much so that in 2005, as a response to the continuing prevalence of antisemitism, the APA adopted the “Resolution on Anti-Semitic and Anti-Jewish Prejudice” (the “Resolution”), in which it condemned “all anti-Semitic attitudes and actions, both overt and covert” and promoted “fairness, respect, and dignity for all people, regardless of religion or ethnicity, in all arenas in which psychologists work and practice.
Importantly, the Resolution also recognized, among other things, that:
a. Antisemitism or “anti-Jewish hostility” has taken “various forms over the centuries,” and that much of the antisemitism we see today takes the form of “prejudiced attitudes” and “discriminatory statements or acts” perpetrated by those who deny “actual bias against Jews”;
b. Perpetrators of modern antisemitism may find it difficult to identify their anti-Jewish bias, “as their beliefs about themselves may be that they are not biased against Jews”;
c. The antisemitic nature of modern anti-Jewish hostility may be disguised as “discourse regarding the actions of the Government of Israel,” and;
d. “[E]xtreme anti-Israel rhetoric” can lead to “demonization and dehumanization of Jews.
In a research article published by the APA in 2024, a group of Jewish psychologists described the various forms of antisemitism that may exist in psychological settings by categorizing antisemitism into four central themes:
(1) overtly antisemitic behavior;
(2) tropes/stereotypes;
(3) erasure/invisibility of identity, and;
(4) silencing.
The article defines “silencing” as a type of antisemitism that “creates environments where some Jewish people feel excluded and even unsafe to reveal important parts of their identity and assimilate in efforts to avoid negative social, educational, or professional consequences. Some examples of silencing as a form of antisemitism provided in the article include “[d]enying Jewish trauma, suppressing Jewish voices, and refuting the lived experiences of Jewish individuals.”
[The preceding paragraphs are set forth in a lawsuit filed against a counseling center operating in Dallas, Texas.]
Licensed psychologists are required to act in accordance with the rules and guidelines set forth by the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (the “APA Ethics Code”). Notwithstanding such in recent years, the mental health field — which encompasses an array of practitioners, including social workers, licensed counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists and more — chose to ignore the APA Ethics Code and created then embraced a bastardized vision of a practice that relies on a social justice framework.
With no diversity of opinion, with no intelligent debate, with no oversight nor compassion, this radical social justice framework has been allowed to fester and grow. It was ripe for a Krakatoa sized eruption of hate filled, mean-spirited vitriol bordering on the very manifestation of evil.
The nightmarish events of October 7, 2023, provided the catalyst. As Iran’s proxy terrorist organization Hamas invaded Israel and committed unspeakable crimes against humanity including torture, murder, rape, kidnapping and other gruesome genocidal acts, we were justified in thinking this reprehensible event would bring us all together in unified condemnation of this atrocity.
Instead, since the events of October 7th, there has been a dramatic 340% increase in global antisemitism.
Equally concerning, since October 7, 2023, there have been increasing reports of antisemitism specifically within the mental health field. Not only has this rise in antisemitism negatively impacted the quality and accessibility of care available for Jewish individuals seeking psychological help, but it has also negatively impacted the livelihoods and employment prospects of Jewish therapists and mental health professionals.
Nathalie Edmond, a professor and the director of counseling at Villanova University taught her students that the “colonized mind” and Zionism are mental illnesses of the frontal lobe alongside fascism, “rape culture” and “genocidal tendencies.” What a load of crap!
Some research studies indicate that up to 75% of Jewish medical professionals say they have experienced antisemitism at work
In part, that is because we have been confronted with a bizarre, alternate reality. The “Mental Health Mean Girls,” consisting of radical therapists and advocates in the mental health community, fanned the volcanic flames of hatred. And the blatant racism exhibited by these mental health mean girls was both shocking and reprehensible. Predictably, it was directed at the all too familiar target of oppression. That is, Jewish people. In this instance, Jewish therapists and counselors.
Before proceeding, I want to point out I am not Jewish. I am not in an intimate relationship with a Jewish woman. In fact, I am a “Fallen Catholic.” More a spiritual sentient being. Discussions of the multiverse or what constitutes “the soul” appeal to me.
As Jewish mental health professionals opened up about the harassment and abuse perpetrated against them by the Mental Health Mean Girls, I began to listen. And investigated. And researched. And what I found bordered on being beyond belief.
Sally Satel, a psychiatrist and fellow at the American Enterprise Institute noted: “More and more clinicians insist that psychotherapy is, foremost, a political rather than a clinical enterprise.” [Violating APA guidelines.]
Calling this approach “critical social-justice therapy,” she says, “Under a social-justice regime, therapists who have the ‘wrong’ politics — they might, for example, believe that Israel has a right to exist and to defend itself — must be kept away from “vulnerable patients.” If, conversely, it is the patient whose politics are perceived to be misbegotten, revising their viewpoint must become the focus of the treatment. [Violating APA guidelines.]
“Currently, Jewish patients (deemed to be members of a privileged group) are finding themselves subject to attempts by activist-therapists to morally reeducate them; no support of Israel can be condoned as it is declared a ‘settler colonial’ state.” [Violating APA guidelines.]
That mindset worked so well in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. Oh, wait!
Of course, all this nonsense flies in the face of one of the APA’s core competencies, that is cultural competence. The APA defines “cultural competence” as the ability to understand, appreciate, and interact with people from cultures or belief systems different from one’s own.
“When someone posted in a private Facebook group for Chicago therapists in March [2024], asking whether anyone would be willing to work with a Zionist client, several Jewish therapists quickly responded, saying they would be happy to be connected to this person.” Therapists commonly rely on listservs and other online groups for referrals.
“Those who replied, offering their services to this unnamed client soon found themselves added to a list of supposedly Zionist therapists that was shared in a group ironically called ‘Chicago Anti-Racist Therapists’,” Deutch said, adding that the purpose of the list, according to its author, Heba Ibrahim Joudeh, was to prevent referrals to therapists with “Zionist affiliations.” [Violating APA guidelines, federal statutes and most state’s ethical codes.]
According to Deutch, the administrator of the Facebook group, the list was a good way “to be transparent about clinicians who promote and facilitate white supremacy via Zionism.” [Violating APA guidelines.]
“The only trait shared by the 26 therapists on the list,” said Deutch, “is that they are Jewish.” [The information in the preceding paragraphs was set forth in this article.]
https://www.thejewishstar.com/stories/social-justice-shrinks-blacklist-jewish-patients,24134
It gets worse.
According to the aforementioned article and others, anti-Zionism is now the price of admission to the private Facebook group, “Therapists in Private Practice” (TIPP). This group is administered with an iron fist by Namrata Rindani. [Violating APA guidelines, federal statutes and most state’s ethical codes.]
After Oct. 7, prospective members applying for participation in TIPP have been required to respond to the following: “This is an anti-oppression based group. We examine privilege and engage in discourse related to dismantling oppressive systems in the field. We support BLM [Black Lives Matter] and are Pro Palestine. Are you open and willing to support this direction?” Answering the question is not optional. [Violating APA guidelines, federal statutes and most state’s ethical codes.]
Oppressive systems? The horrible irony of this term in its application to that very group would be laughable … if not so tragic.
Since the TIPP supports BLM, let’s briefly review what BLM has become so we understand why it is so deserving of the support of Rindani and her crones.
Ideologically, BLM leans strongly towards radical leftist positions, particularly concerning issues like “defunding the police” and reforming the capitalist system. The idea of redirecting funds from one sector (in this case, the police) to social programs targeting specific communities (Black communities) mirrors principles from Marxist-Leninist textbooks.
The BLM movement (although on life support now) overly emphasizes racial divisions, exacerbating the already polarized nature of American society. Research suggests that BLM overlooks broader issues of violence and crime, reducing everything to racial factors. While the movement is purportedly anti-racist, it exhibits elements of Black racism against white people.
While BLM as a movement is ideologically radically left, its leaders were awash in vice and corruption. BLM’s leaders spent $14 million on purchasing luxury properties in Los Angeles and Toronto. Most of the $90 million donated to BLM did not reach Black communities or improve education, healthcare, or financial conditions—the movement’s stated goals. Instead, the funds were spent on real estate and personal gains for a few leaders.
Back to TIPP, reports indicate it was made clear Jewish therapists and advocates were not safe to voice their opinions or thoughts, or they would be kicked out of TIPP. Multiple people told The Jewish Insider, a daily, journalistic outlet covering policy and politics that they were removed from the TIPP group by Rindani. Their crime? Writing posts supportive of Israel — or even for liking other people’s posts supporting Israel or defending Jewish colleagues who were attacked for their views.
Another Jewish therapist who was kicked out of the TIPP group stated, “The biggest issue is that anyone providing empathy to Jews for any reason is seen as anti-justice, anti-brown, anti-Palestinian, anti-advocacy … If anyone’s having an issue about feeling alone being Jewish, you get spammed in the comments about, ‘Free Palestine.” [Violating APA guidelines, federal statutes and most state’s ethical codes.]
So, the Rindani genocidal (her word, not mine) mob supports criminals, not crime victims and derides the very system which allows them to spew forth their hate messaging while cancelling those who disagree with their views.
Rindani removed a number of members who voiced support for Israel. In one comment on a post from a Jewish member, Rindani made clear there is no room for dissent in her racist group of oppression:
“We are not open to debate about this in particular … I will be direct abt tbis [sic.] and then you can make your choice from there. We as Admin [sic.] call this is a Genocide.” [emphasis added]
A genocide! A genocide? What the hell? Rindani, here is what a genocide looks like you vacuous, insensitive reprobate:
Rational, sane, open minded, compassionate, intelligent people could classify Rindani’s misconduct as racist, hypocritical, and unethical which is not only sanctionable but actionable in courts and before administrative boards.
Since Rindani is in San Diego, the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (“BBS”) may have issues with Rindani and others of her ilk.
The BBS’s mandate is to protect the public, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 4990.16. Conduct doesn’t have to occur inside a therapy session to be actionable. If discriminatory behavior shows a lack of fitness to practice or undermines the trustworthiness of the therapist, the BBS can discipline.
Online harassment, bullying, or antisemitic speech toward colleagues can be viewed as:
(1). Unprofessional conduct (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 4982(n)), or
(2). Dishonest/corrupt acts substantially related to the duties of a therapist (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 4982(v)).
The BBS can also charge Rindani with violations of:
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 4982(n): Unprofessional conduct — This catch-all allows the Board to discipline for conduct that, even outside clinical work, calls into question the therapist’s professional judgment, integrity, or ability to serve clients;
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 4982(v): Dishonest, corrupt, or fraudulent act — If the online conduct includes defamation, harassment, or coordinated discrimination campaigns, this section could apply;
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 4982(b): Gross negligence/incompetence — If online antisemitism reflects an inability to practice therapy in a culturally competent, nondiscriminatory way, it can be framed as incompetence.
But that is far from the problems which could be encountered by reckless, unprofessional, racist therapists like Rindani.
The specter of litigation is very much in play. And no, a presumed first amendment right to free speech does not protect people like Rindani.
The TIPP is a professional referral and marketing forum. Exclusion affects economic and business opportunities. And liability under federal and state statutes is a huge problem.
California has some of the broadest protections in the country. It’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, Cal.Civ. Code § 51, applies to all business establishments of every kind whatsoever and prohibits discrimination based on religion, ancestry, ethnicity, and political beliefs. Courts have interpreted business establishments broadly and a referral marketing group with professional impact qualifies.
Rindani’s conduct could also violate California’s Unfair Competition Law since exclusionary discriminatory practices in a business context are unlawful and unfair.
Exclusion of Jewish counselors arguably violates the federal civil rights statute, 42 USC § 1981 which protects against discrimination and business relationships based on race and ethnic ancestries. Courts have recognized Jews as a protected racial/ethnic group under § 1981. If exclusion blocks access to referrals and marketing (which are effectively business opportunities) § 1981 would arguably apply.
If other Moderators or Administrators are working with Rindani to exclude Jewish counselors, then they could be liable through a civil conspiracy to deprive equal protection which violates the Civil Rights Act, 42 USC § 1985.
There are various other state and common law violations perpetrated by Rindani and her crones as well.
The very frightening aspect for Rindani and her crones is that … this type of lawsuit is already pending … right here, in Dallas, Texas.
The lawsuit alleges that plaintiffs Yocheved Junger and Jacqueline Katz–two Jewish therapists–were wrongfully terminated in retaliation for exercising their protected right to oppose workplace discrimination, after their employer, a counseling center prevented them from assisting a colleague treating a Jewish client experiencing trauma related to antisemitism. (Sound familiar, TIPP?)
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are being represented by Winston & Strawn. This is a powerful, international law firm with at last count, 975 attorneys. With offices throughout the United States, Europe and other locations, that law firm represents wealthy clients. And is financially structured to fight anyone. It employs the brightest and the best.
This very well could be, and should be the future for Rindani and others like her.
There are obvious violations of the APA’s Code of Ethics. There are obvious violations of administrative agency’s codes of ethics. There are obvious violations of federal and state civil rights laws. There are obvious violations of the common laws of numerous states. There are obvious violations of the very laws of human decency.
And … there are obvious ways of retribution against the Mental Health Mean Girls like Rindani.
The harassment, oppression and abuse of Jewish counselors one way or another will come to an end. Through apologies, reformed and enlightened conduct and overall inclusion. Or …
Through administrative complaints to various state and federal agencies (which I am presently working on.) Through class-based litigation filed against Rindani and all those who conspire with her to harass and attempt to cancel Jewish therapists and counselors.
Powerful forces have arrived to right the wrongs wrought by the Mental Health Mean Girls. From this point on, THEY are now the hunted … not the hunter. THEY should be concerned about their future employment. THEY now will know they will no longer will be able to warp the minds of their patients and clients. THEY have every right to be afraid.
For the storm is coming. And it is coming for them.
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