A psychologist was suspended in Florida for breaching a patient's confidentiality and related issues, and then suspended again (twice) for failing to pay the fines and get the extra continuing education mandated by the state licensing authority in order for him to continue practicing. This psychologist also supports dangerous and discredited reparative therapy/conversion therapy which claims to able to change gay men into heterosexuals. And now Tzedek, the Australian Jewish group formed by Manny Waks and several others to fight child sex abuse, has invited this psychologist to speak. Who is this psychologist?
Above: Dr. Norman Goldwasser
A psychologist was suspended in Florida for breaching a patient's confidentiality and related issues, and then suspended again (twice) for failing to pay the fines and get the extra continuing education mandated by the state licensing authority in order for him to continue practicing.
This psychologist also supports dangerous and discredited reparative therapy/conversion therapy which claims to able to change gay men into heterosexuals.
Reparative therapy is banned in New Jersey and a federal court in the US recently ruled that the Orthodox Jewish group promoting it, JONAH, committed consumer fraud. The psychologist was a supporter of JONAH.
And now Tzedek, the Australian Jewish group formed by Manny Waks and several others to fight child sex abuse has invited this psychologist to speak.
But Waks was forced out of his leadership role in Tzedek (and out of Australia itself) due to withering attacks by Chabad against him and against Tzedek. And even though Chabad's own testimony at Australia's Royal Commission investigating child sex abuse in Chabad institutions was so awful it brought widespread condemnation from Australian Jews, Waks is still out.
And so out of ignorance or malice or disregard, Tzedek has invited this psychologist to speak.
Who is he?
Dr Norman Goldwasser, whose CV lists praises from Agudath Israel of America – an organization that has spent decades covering up child sex abuse – and from Magen, an Israel group similar to Tzedek whose founder recently was compelled to resign due to his verbal mistreatment of a child sex abuse survivor. Goldwasser also serves as a consultant to NCSY on child sex abuse – something NCSY and the OU should be ashamed of.
But the reason Goldwasser was invited is likely his role with Jewish Community Watch, where he serves as Volunteer Director, Clinical Advisor to Victim Services Division.
The common thread among all these organizations is Orthodoxy, and having an Orthodox psychologist on their letterheads is far more important to them than having an honest and capable psychologist on their letterheads.
Should Goldwasser, who is still listed on reparative therapy websites as a supporter offering therapy (this webpage was updated within the past year and still lists him) be on JCW's board or serve as its "Volunteer Director, Clinical Advisor to Victim Services Division"? Absolutely not, unless he publicly and in writing clearly states that reparative therapy is dangerous quackery and that he erred in supporting it.
Of course, if Goldwasser does that, he likely won't be friends with Agudah anymore, and Agudah rabbis likely won't refer clients to him. NCSY would likely drop Goldwasser, as well, also cutting back on client referrals.
At any rate, here are Goldwasser's run-ins with the State of Florida's licensing officials:
Dr. Norman Goldwasser suspension
Dr. Norman Goldwasser suspensions and fines for failure to comply with state orders:
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