| |  "A request to all those helped by CBT therapy"
, Mon 13 Mar 17:36:
An unfortunate situation that has arisen at the Albert Ellis Institute which endangers both the welfare of Dr. Albert Ellis and the future of REBT. In short, the AEI institute is a public, non-profit agency, which is run by a Board of Directors or trustees. Dr. Ellis has been the President of the Board for many years. Within the past year Dr. Ellis has been persuaded to step down as director to the position of President Emeritus.
The AEI board, which suggested that Dr. Ellis' healthcare costs are excessive, is itself a very costly entity -- unusual for a not for profit organization. In addition, their expenses are defrayed which include hotel stays, travel, and meals. Despite this, the board has not performed any meaningful fundraising. The prior executive director Dr. Michael Broder, who held the dual position of board member and head of AEI is expected to be paid, for his part-time position, between $300,000 and $400,000 in 2005.
Dr. Ellis has celebrated his 92nd birthday recently. He is physically weak, with multiple medical conditions, requiring round the clock medical care. HOWEVER, Dr. Ellis is lucid as ever, still very much productive in his writings, and very much able to conduct individual and group therapy, as well as his traditional Friday Night workshops.
Disagreements have arisen between Dr. Ellis and the Board’s new president and several members of the board. This and some personal issues which ought to have no place in the running of an Institute have led to Dr. Broder and the Board to restricting Dr. Ellis’s activities at the Institute, and finally, on September 16, to vote him off the Board.
Dr. Ellis, the founder of REBT, the man whose name the AEI Institute bears, has worked tirelessly all of his life to promote this very effective form of therapy; has worked with thousands of grateful clients; has led innumerable groups ad workshops; and has taught hundreds of interns how to help themselves and others overcome emotional difficulties. Dr Ellis effectively invented modern CBT therapy back in 1955.
Dr. Ellis was carrying out these activities as usual, and was told that he could no longer do so at the Institute. The very popular Friday Night Workshops were discontinued, with no explanation. The management of the institute has implied that Dr. Ellis is no longer fit to have public contact. This is in spite of a large number of licensed psychologists who have met with him and found him to be of sound mind. Now Dr. Ellis may only see clients in his studio on the sixth floor of the building, and the Institute refuses to provide any receptionist, secretarial or billing services. His ability to receive mail, documents, and any support services has been limited to cut off. In effect, Dr. Ellis is being treated as a virtual hostage in his own institute.
Dr. Ellis has always directed that all royalties from his many publications, talks, and professional services benefit the Institute directly, and he has only drawn a moderate salary for himself. So despite creating tremendous assets, Dr. Ellis is left with only minimal personal wealth. Recently, since Dr. Ellis has required extensive nursing care. The Institute was paying for these services, as part of his compensation, and to allow him to carry on his work. As of the Board Meeting on September 16, the Institute will no longer pay for these medical services, and Dr. Ellis, who has had little concern for his own financial well-being in the past, now finds himself with limited resources to pay for his own care! The Board is also no longer paying for Dr. Ellis’s legal counsel, nor for his assistant’s services.
Recently, publisher Lyle Stuart, the father of musician and board president was elected to the board. The appointment was made to add legitimacy to the board as Mr. Stuart is the former publisher and friend of Dr. Ellis. However, Mr. Stuart reported that the came on the board to support his son Rory who was instrumental in the removal of Dr. Ellis. This leaves the Institute's founder and intellectual icon isolated, and banned from professional activities.
Dr. Ellis – Al – true to form is applying all the principles of REBT to not upset himself over his predicament. He showed himself to be lucid and reasonable, still with a sense of humor, at a recent meeting he held with some of his supporters. However, it is unlikely that the stress of seeing what is happening to the Institute is not affecting his fragile health. Moreover, to disenfranchise the man who made the Institute what it is today, to show so little respect and humanity to ANY 92-year-old colleague, is abhorrent!
If you feel that you want to show your support to a man who has changed so many of our lives to the better; If you want to help give the AEI Institute a fighting chance to continue to be an Institute that practices and teachers REBT;
please have a look at www.albertellis.info/crisis.html
[this message was edited by papuanewguinea on Tue 14 Mar 08:51]
Posts: 19 | | Registered: Thu 3 Nov 2005 13:54 |
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