The Cupchik Assessment and Treatment Center 

for Atypical Theft Offenders

Psychologist Dr. Will Cupchik is the original clinician who, over 30 years ago,  first identified, investigated and determined many of the root causes behind the atypical (and ultimately self-destructive) theft behavior of usually honest, ethical, often financially well off, and responsible members of society. These 'atypical theft offenders' are very often erroneously labeled as suffering from 'kleptomania'.

In 1983, Dr. Cupchik and his colleague, senior psychiatrist Dr. Don Atcheson [while both were on the forensic staff of the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto, Ontario, Canada] introduced the term 'Atypical Theft Offender' into the professional literature. This term was used to refer to those usually honest and ethical individuals who find that they are sometimes inclined to shoplift or commit other kinds of theft.  These frequently hard-working, often highly educated,  very successful (and sometimes even genuinely religious) persons are virtually always unable to understand and - perhaps even more importantly - stop their atypical theft behavior. Unfortunately, as long as these individuals  are not correctly clinically assessed and treated, they may remain at serious risk of re-offending. 

Dr. Cupchik's clinical investigations over the past three decades clearly indicate that the label of 'kleptomania'  is almost always erroneously applied to these theft offenders. This serious mistake is not only made by many clinicians (including psychologists, psychiatrists, and clinical social workers) but also by most defense and prosecuting attorneys,  the courts and, of course, laypersons. This frequent erroneously applied diagnosis continues in spite of the fact that Drs. Cupchik and Atcheson's ground-breaking article, entitled "Shoplifting: An Occasional Crime Of The Moral Majority", was published in the prominent, peer-reviewed professional journal, the Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law over 25 years ago! Cupchik's and Atcheson's findings have since been  corroborated by other clinicians, as well. 

Dr. Cupchik still personally conducts the unique 4-Day  Intensive Intervention Program that he initially developed and has continuously refined over the past several years. He also personally conducts weekly sessions as well as the latest, Skype-enabled, live-video Intervention program he has developed for those clients who prefer to participate from their own home.

Dr. Cupchik has been granted a Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) in Psychology by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). Currently, the psychology boards of all fifty states of the United States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and all ten provinces of Canada are members of ASPPB.   The Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology (CPQ) is a program by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) to promote mobility for licensed doctoral psychologists in the United States and Canada.  The CPQ documents that the individual holding the certificate has met specific requirements in licensure, education, examination and training and has never had disciplinary actions taken against his or her license.

Optimally, all clients would attend a 4-Day, in-office- Intensive, followed by additional follow-up sessions  with either a local therapist, and/ or with Dr. Cupchik ( via Skype live-video or in person). However, time pressures, matters of convenience, and the additional (air fare, hotel, and meals, etc...) costs involved in traveling to Dr. Cupchik's office may make his new, Skype-based program the preferable option for some clients.