Dispute Between Peter Breggin and the former International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology (ICSPP)

Update:

Bottom line: 

For the brand new web site for the group formerly known as ICSPP, and now called ISEPP, click here:

Background about dispute that led to change of group's name:

In a dispute between activists, it's important for someone to focus on the facts, which we've tried to do here.

ICSPP (International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology) has changed its name to International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry (ISEPP). 

What happened?

A statement from ICSPP updates the situation in Nov. 2010:

"A recent decision by an arbitrator has given control over the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology's (ICSPP) former url - www.icspp.org - to Peter Breggin, ICSPP's founder. Individuals who want to access ICSPP's website may go to www.icspponline.org. 

"At its October 8, 2010 meeting the ICSPP Board of Directors decided to change the name of the organization. 

"A committee is working on that process which is expected to be completed within the next six months."

 The board also selected psychologist Al Galves of New Mexico to become the next director of ICSPP. Dr. Galves also serves on the board of MFI.

Origins of the dispute 

The reason ICSPP has given for creating a new web site, is that their founder and former board member Dr. Peter Breggin was the one to obtain the original web address years ago, and he redirected their web address to his own project.

Since at least 2009, Dr. Breggin has had a significant dispute with the ICSPP board.

According to several reports by ICSPP leaders, the dispute may have originated when Dr. Breggin made statements on an October 2009 radio show Savage Nation in which he categorized the political belief of "progressivism" as inherently linked to "tyranny and immorality." 

ICSPP board of directors maintained that because Dr. Breggin's name was so intertwined with ICSPP, they felt a need to issue a statement distancing themselves from Dr. Breggin's statement on progressivism. When ICSPP issued this statement, Dr. Breggin strongly objected, and voiced other concerns about ICSPP, including its then-director Toby Watson.

Whatever the origins, the dispute escalated, and in April 2010 Dr. Breggin redirected ICSPP's web address to his own new web site. A binding arbitration between ICSPP and Dr. Breggin reaffirmed Dr. Breggin's ownership of the URL. 

Dr. Breggin's web site does not provide the new link to ICSPP (now ISEPP).

After this dispute, both Dr. Breggin and his wife Ginger contacted the MindFreedom director David Oaks requesting that news about this dispute, including previous versions of this summary, be removed from the MindFreedom web site. 

Dr. Breggin has also contacted an MFI board member with this same request. 

Said David Oaks, director of MindFreedom: 

"We at MindFreedom International have zero involvement in this dispute, though ICSPP - now ISEPP - is a long-time great sponsor group in MindFreedom International's Support Coalition. We are focusing on just covering the basic undisputed facts, especially for those who are trying to reach ICSPP (ISEPP) and may be confused about these confusing web address changes. Therefore we are leaving this news item up on the MFI web site."

Oaks added, "If anyone finds an error in our news coverage, let us know. So far, no one has. In the meantime, the people we serve are survivors of abuse in the psychiatric system. It's in their public interest to have transparency and full news information, such as how to reach the very-important advocacy group ICSPP (now ISEPP), and why that may now be more difficult for the public. On a personal note, Dr. Breggin has been a hero of mine, and a long time friend. I can only hope he understands our decision to publish the facts, because we both have a dedication to the truth, especially when that truth impacts our constituency, survivors of psychiatric abuse."

Those interested in more details, can go through the updates and two ICSPP public statements below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

• Update5 - 21 August 2011 - An earlier alert was modified to reflect the name change for ICSPP, and its new web site.
• Update 4 - 6 November 2010: The above update was added, minor changes made 4 Jan 2011.
  
• Update3 - 10 September 2010. Dr. Breggin's wife Ginger has e-mailed MindFreedom International that they have won their binding arbitration with ICSPP about ownership of the icspp.org web address. To read Ginger's statement, click here.
• Update2 - 4 September 2010: Dr. Breggin has held on to the ICSPP's web address, which was originally obtained by him for use by ICSPP according to their own corporate minutes. In addition, Dr. Breggin's new web site has no link to ICSPP on it, and he's created new words for their acronym. ICSPP has issued it's own statement, copied below.
  
• For a period during the dispute, the web site was frozen by the Internet Service Provider, and an 'automatic' web site was up as mandated by the ISP, which included "on the fly" links to traditional 'schizophrenic' treatments such as Zyprexa.
  
• Update1 - 15 June 2010: The new organization founded by Peter and Ginger Breggin, Empathic Therapy, issued this statement regarding his decision to no longer associate with International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology (ICSPP), and to re-direct the ICSPP web address (now to a different site).

To read a blog entry on 1 May 2010 by David W. Oaks, Director of MindFreedom International, about the ICSPP dispute, click here. 

Statement from ICSPP Board of Directors

Regarding the ICSPP Website

April 22, 2010

 
This statement is being issued to explain what has happened to the ICSPP website, which has been redirected to Dr. Breggin's new organization.  By way of background, in 2002, after founding ICSPP and running it for many years with his wife, Ginger, looking towards the future, the Breggins handed complete authority and control to new leadership and removed themselves from the board of directors.  However, they continued to be active in supporting the organization in many different ways, including Dr. Breggin being featured at all of ICSPP's annual conferences.

Dr. Dominick Riccio became Executive Director in 2002 and held that position, until last year, when Dr. Toby Watson was elected to the position.  A few weeks ago, Dr. Breggin expressed great dissatisfaction with Dr. Watson and lobbied the Board of directors to remove him.  A Board meeting was held by teleconference, and after much discussion and consideration of the facts there was very broad Board support for keeping Dr. Watson. 

Once informed of the Board's decision, Dr. Breggin decided to break all association with ICSPP, urged the Board to dissolve ICSPP and start a new organization.  Dr. Breggin now claims ownership of the ICSPP.org Internet domain, and has the password controlling it.  He changed the Internet address so that people wanting and expecting to go to ICSPP's website instead find themselves at Dr. Breggin's new organization's website.  It is ICSPP's position ICSPP is the owner of the ICSPP.org domain. 

The board of directors' responsibility is to the organization and its mission of bringing the truth out about psychiatric practice, and at a special meeting held last night has decided to work diligently to resolve the matter.  In the interim, the website is now available at ICSPPOnline.org.

The Board admires Dr. Breggin's work and is saddened and disappointed by Dr. Breggin's reaction to the Board's decision to retain Dr. Watson as Executive Director.  Every member of the Board is also committed to ICSPP's mission and determined to make the organization an even greater success.  We hope you will join us October 8-9, 2010 in Syracuse, New York as we enter our exciting new phase.