Feedback from some previous  participants: 

From a New York participant:  "It has been over four years since I took the Intensive Intervention Program. I would like you to know that I have not shoplifted since, and I am feeling better about myself than I  ever have before. I am doing really well in my working and personal aspects of my life, and have already achieved most all of the positive goals I had set for myself during this period. Dr. Cupchik helped me to realize why I might have been shoplifting, and helped point out stressful situations might tempt me to engage in the behavior again. This watchfulness has helped me avoid such situations, or when they were unavoidable, to handle them differently . I also realize that in order to continue to not steal I  need to deal  with the issues that will emerge in my life by facing them directly, and using the tools I gained during our work together. As a result, while there have been stressful situations that I have had to deal with since our working together, I have not even been tempted to steal."

From a participant from Florida:  " The intensive, which I did with two other members of my family present, has enabled us all to reveal the truths that we had not talked about in decades.  The experience led  me/allowed me/ made me, examine those dark moments in my life in a more fully  connected way ... and to appreciate the roles of the major losses that I had experienced in childhood in my theft behavior... and to more openly share ...my reality with my mother and  sister who had accompanied me and also took part in the Intensive..  Naming it an "Intensive" is very apt. The experience has already led to an incredible improvement in our family dynamics." 

From a participant from South Carolina: "Dr. Will. Having attended your Intensive program last year to deal with my  compulsive spending, accompanied by my wife and 2 two year old daughter, I wanted to give you an update on my progress.  I have not been involved in any compulsive spending since the Intensive. I  have found other, much more productive ways of dealing with my feelings about myself and the situations I have been facing.  I  have also been dealing with my problems with intimacy much better, and have increasingly made my family my priority. I have also defined and redirected my career in a much more focused way.  The Intensive was very helpful in coming to terms with my compulsive shopping, and underlying issues, and the exercises you offered have really helped. My wife and and I both felt we gained a lot of insight in many ways from the time and effort. Thank you." 

From a Texas participant:  "There is not one specific formula for what Dr. Cupchik does that fits all. It is a very  intensive program. But I can not say he will do this and then this and then that. Many of his techniques are described in the book and on his website. Which ones he uses with individual patients I assume would vary. He works mostly with people who steal due to some sense of loss. If anger sets you into a stealing mode, he can probably help you. If you have recently or a long time ago experienced some great loss, he can probably help you. Most of all it is about digging deep within you to discover or better understand what the demon (my term) is that makes you react this way. I found him to be exceptional at his therapeutic approach, and the experience was very beneficial to me and my family. Perhaps the most life altering effect for me was validation and acceptance at a very fundamental level. Something that is difficult to find if it was not instilled in you early in life. 

For those who might simply be looking for some kind of 'report' to get you some kind of leniency from the court, or who do not steal in response to some demon (but rather, you are quite comfortable with --and fully desire and intend to-- continue to steal, and if you have no sense of remorse or shame about your stealing, then you are probably primarily what he calls a Typical Theft Offender, and) his program is definitely not be the one for you.

Dr. Cupchik is:

THE INTENSIVE INTERVENTION PROGRAM IS A ONE-ON-ONE  EXPERIENCE CARRIED OUT WITH DR. CUPCHIK PERSONALLY. 

 THE PROGRAM IS HELD AT A TIME ARRANGED DIRECTLY BETWEEN THE ATTENDEE AND DR. CUPCHIK, WHEN IT WILL BE CONVENIENT TO THEM BOTH, AND TO ANY 'SIGNIFICANT OTHER(S)' (I.E., PARTNERS OR SPOUSES, FAMILY MEMBERS) WHO WILL BE ACCOMPANYING THE PARTICIPANT. THE PROGRAM  INVOLVES BOTH ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT, AND IS CONDUCTED OVER THREE OR FOUR DAYS, AS AGREED UPON BEFOREHAND. 

THIS WEB PAGE, TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER WEB PAGES ON THIS SITE, CONTAIN SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO ASSIST PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS AND THEIR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS TO BE APPRAISED OF THE GOALS, SCOPE, TIMING, AND CONTENT OF THE INTENSIVE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.   THE PROSPECTIVE PARTICIPANT AND HIS OR HER SIGNIFICANT OTHER(S) ARE REQUESTED TO PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION  ON THIS SITE THOROUGHLY BEFORE CONTACTING DR. CUPCHIK TO REQUEST A FREE BRIEF CONSULTATION. 

As noted above, a 'Certificate of Completion' is provided to all participants who are considered to have fully involved themselves in the Intensive process and have completed the entire three or four day program.

The INTENSIVE INTERVENTION  PROGRAM is offered in two formats - 3-DAY AND 4-DAY VERSIONS. 

WHY IS THE INTENSIVE INTERVENTION PROGRAM OFFERED IN THESE TWO FORMATS?

The Three-day [16 clinical sessions: 50 minutes each in length] format is the original basic Intensive program. The three days are often sufficient to cover the aims of the Intensive when only the client and just one 'significant other' (a partner, parent or other important  person in the attendee's life) are taking part.  just one 'significant other' (a partner, parent or other important  person in the attendee's life) are taking part.  just one 'significant other' (a partner, parent or other important  person in the attendee's life) are taking part. 

Experience with this original three-day format has been very positive. At the same time, however, in some instances, the attendee has major issues that are related to other  key persons in his or her life, and where the presence and involvement of these other persons in parts of the program is very highly desirable for optimal outcome. 

Because the programs are indeed intensive, and in order to accommodate and deal with the participation of more than one 'significant other', the additional five clinical sessions that take place during the four-day program allow the time and space in which to help the attendee deal with issues pertaining to him/herself and the additional 'significant others'.  Some clients bring two, three or even four 'significant others' with them. The three-day program simply cannot provide enough time and opportunity to adequately involve, and make therapeutic use of, these important persons in the attendee's  life. Therefore, if more than one 'significant other' is to be involved in the Intensive, only the Four-day program is offered.

WHAT  KINDS OF INTERVENTIONS ARE  INVOLVED IN THE INTENSIVE INTERVENTION PROGRAM?

During the course of the 16 or 21 clinical sessions of a three or four day Intensive program, the theft offender (the official 'client') and every other participant (spouse, friend, adult child, or parent) is seen at least once on  his or her own and, depending upon the material that is uncovered and the nature of the therapeutic work that is deemed desirable to assist the theft offender, sessions involving one or more of the other participants working together with the 'client',  may take place. It should be noted that, in effect and in fact, some of the sessions may involve 'couples',  family, adult-child & parent, siblings, and/or group therapeutic work. 

Dr. Cupchik has been doing counseling and psychotherapy for over 40 years and has been a full member of the American Psychological Association and the American Group Psychotherapy Association, for over two decades.  

He is the developer of Reintrojection Therapy and many other original assessment and therapeutic tools which have turned out to be of great value in working with many atypical theft offenders, including some that allow for the examination and altering of our most important interpersonal relationships. 

He initiated the very first therapy program for Atypical Theft Offenders over two decades ago while working on the forensic service of the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry. 

Most of the various assessment and therapeutic tools and techniques he has developed and refined over the past four decades are brought into use during the course of a  typical Intensive Intervention Program.  

It is Dr. Cupchik's clinical opinion, based upon the better part of three decades work in the field, that truly effective work with individuals who have problems with compulsive stealing and/or shopping involves the use of a variety of dedicated approaches such as the ones mentioned above; anything less may merely offer some temporary 'band-aid' effectiveness. 

The principal aims of all the Intensives that Dr. Cupchik conducts is long-term change and the minimizing or elimination of any further theft behavior.

Are you, your client, or your loved one,  an Atypical Theft Offender [ATO]?  How do you know whether it is appropriate to consider this program? 

Do you: 

1. have trouble stopping shoplifting even though you consciously want to do so?   

2. feel embarrassment or remorse about your theft behavior?

3. feel frightened because, in spite of your efforts to stop the theft behavior, you are still 'out of control'?

4. fear that your livelihood, relationships, or even your freedom are at risk because you don't/won't stop stealing?

5. recognize that, in spite of your 'good  intentions', you are still stealing?

6. suspect that your reasons  for stealing are more complex and difficult to deal with than you have been able to handle on your own, or even with months/years of therapy, or supposedly 'specialized support groups'?

7. think that you may benefit from expert assistance by the most experienced clinician in the field of atypical theft behavior, and the originator of many of the assessment and therapeutic procedures for dealing with these problems, as outlined in his book and articles?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then read carefully the materials on this and the other web pages on this site, and consider the possible usefulness of the Intensive Intervention Program described in detail below. If, after reading these materials, you think that you might be a suitable candidate for the Program, either email Dr. Cupchik at wcupchik@aol.com or phone him at 416-928-2262 to discuss the possibility further.  

GOALS of the Intensive Intervention Program: The goals for this program are the clinical assessment and treatment of the individual having difficulty with atypical theft behavior, including compulsive stealing (frequently, shoplifting) and/or compulsive shopping, with the aim of assisting the attendee to cease such behavior. 

Previous participants have included a very large proportion of folks from the United States, including those from Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Some attendees have found that participation in this program was sufficient for them to cease their compulsive or out-of-control stealing or shopping entirely.

Full and open involvement in the Intensive Intervention Program process has helped most participants resolve many of the underlying issues that have been precipitating their acting out via atypical theft or shopping behavior. Findings made during the program assist Dr. Cupchik in offering specific suggestions and direction for follow-up work with local therapists, if such is deemed desirable.

WHAT: The Atypical Theft Offender (ATO) Intensive Intervention Programs are the latest development of over 29 years of clinical investigations by registered psychologist Dr. Will Cupchik who, in 1981, developed the first individual and group therapy programs for essentially honest persons who had stolen. 

In 1985 Dr. Cupchik and his co-investigator psychiatrist Dr. D.J. Atcheson coined the term Atypical Theft Offenders to refer to these individuals. 

WHO: Dr. Cupchik personally conducts the programs, which consist of  

• either three days with sixteen (16) clinical sessions (each 50 minutes long), carried out over three days, 

• or four days with twenty-one (21) clinical sessions (each 50 minutes long), carried out over a period of four days,

as agreed upon beforehand. The theft offender is strongly encouraged to bring along, when possible, at least one of the key persons in his or her life, including perhaps the individual(s) with whom the offender still has major unresolved issues. Frequently these 'significant other' persons will include the attendee's partner, parent(s), grown children, or close friends. These 'significant others' must be willing to become involved in one or more of the sessions, as required and requested. 

WHEN: Sessions are usually conducted on Sunday through Tuesday (or Wednesday in the case of the four-day format), unless otherwise arranged; this minimizes time away from work and home for most attendees, and also allows them to perhaps save on air fares by staying over on Saturday night.  Each day's sessions begin at 10am, and usually finish before 5pm, with an extended lunch break. Sessions are 45 minutes long; often Dr. Cupchik will work for longer periods at one stretch; the total amount of time over the number of days agreed upon will be the same, however. {16 [45-minute] sessions for the three-day intensive; 21 [45-minute] sessions for the four-day Intensive.}

WHERE: Currently the Intensive Intervention Programs are offered in four different locations. 

•   Toronto, Ontario at Dr. Cupchik's office

• Guelph, Ontario ( a smaller city less than a 45-minute drive from Toronto International Airport

• Niagara Falls, Ontario (a thirty minute car ride from the Buffalo, New York airport (which is serviced by Southwest Airlines, as well as several other major U.S. air carriers), and 
• Windsor, Ontario, just across the river from Detroit, and the Detroit International Airport.

(Currently $1U.S. is worth about $1.45Cdn; of course, rates vary from time to time and may vary somewhat from establishment to establishment.)   

May An Attendee Opt For The Longer Program To Deal With Other Matters As Well? 

Q- Can an attendee who believes that he or she has a relatively considerable amount of therapeutic work to do, perhaps although not necessarily all related only his/her theft behavior, and who will be attending alone or with only one so-called 'significant other', register for the Four-Day Intensive Program? 

A- Possibly, yes. If you would prefer to register for a Four-Day  -rather than for the Three-Day-  Program, discuss your preference with Dr. Cupchik during the free brief consult, or when you are arranging to attend the program . 

Dr. Cupchik has been conducting psychotherapy sessions for nearly forty years,  has developed a number of unique approaches to working with unresolved relationship issues, including The Cupchik Relationship Questionnaire,  the Cupchik Relationship Imagery Exercise, and Reintrojection Therapy (which you may read about in his book), and has worked with individual adults, couples, groups, and parent&adult child  clients for decades. If you want to take the opportunity of dealing with a variety of issues, not necessarily related only to your theft behavior, or, if you have a large number of major issues that may indeed influence your theft behavior, then the Four-Day Intensive may be particularly suitable for you.