From 1984-86 Dr. Will Cupchik held the position of Psychologist-in-Charge, Forensic Outpatient Psychological Services at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, a major research psychiatric facility associated with the University of Toronto, where he conducted the first studies and therapeutic programs for Atypical Theft Offenders, beginning three decades ago, in 1974. He was also the senior author of the ground-breaking article titled Shoplifting: An Occasional Crime of the Moral Majority, published in the professional journal, The Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, over 25 ago, in 1983.  

In 1986 Dr. Cupchik went into full-time private practice and has continually developed and refined the programs he offers to the Center's theft offender clients; these individuals are essentially ethical and honest adults who, nevertheless, have shoplifted (perhaps repeatedly) and/or committed other acts of theft, thereby jeopardizing their careers, incomes and/or pensions, personal reputations, home lives, and possibly even their freedom. Our purpose is to assist these 'Atypical Theft Offenders' to: (1) uncover why they have carried out such self-destructive acts; (2) help them to deal with the underlying issues that have precipitated their theft behavior; and (3) assist them in stopping these atypical (for them) illegal theft activities! 

Too often these Atypical Theft Offenders have been misdiagnosed as suffering from 'kleptomania' and as a consequence, have been mistreated, as a result of which they have often committed additional similar offences and are likely to remain at risk for doing so again - and again - until the underlying issues precipitating their self-destructive theft behavior have been correctly identified and appropriately dealt with. 

Dr. Cupchik's more than 36 years working in this clinical area have resulted in his developing numerous focused assessment and therapeutic methodologies that assist him in helping clients to identify and deal with the relevant underlying precipitating issues in such ways as to very considerably reduce the likelihood of their ever acting out again in the future.   

In 1985, Dr. Cupchik and his colleague, senior psychiatrist Dr. Don Atcheson [while both worked on the forensic service at the Clarke Institute] introduced the term 'Atypical Theft Offender' into the professional literature in a chapter they wrote for the book, CLINICAL CRIMINOLOGY: THE ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. 

The term 'Atypical Theft Offender' is now used to refer to those usually honest and ethical individuals who are inclined to shoplift and/ or commit other kinds of theft and seem unable to resist the inclination to do so, even knowing the great risks they are taking in regard to their personal and/or professional reputation, livelihood, and perhaps even their freedom.  

These Atypical Theft Offenders are often hard-working, perhaps highly educated,  successful, and sometimes even deeply religious persons, and yet, regardless of these and their many other positive attributes and abilities, virtually always fail to understand the reasons behind their stealing, and - as important - fail to stop their atypical theft behavior. Furthermore, as long as these individuals  are not correctly clinically assessed and treated, they very frequently remain at serious risk of re-offending. 

Dr. Cupchik's clinical investigations 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 academics, researchers and practicing clinicians (including psychologists, psychiatrists, and clinical social workers) but also by many defense and prosecuting attorneys,  the courts, the media, and understandably, therefore, by most laypersons. [On another webpage on this website you will learn why the term 'kleptomania' virtually doesn't actually exist.]

This frequently erroneously applied diagnostic label 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 1983 in the prestigious, peer-reviewed professional journal, the Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law over 27 years ago! Their clinical findings have since been  corroborated by other clinicians. 

Dr. Cupchik still personally conducts the unique 19-session, 4-Day in-office Intensive Intervention Program that he has continuously developed and refined over the past decades. Since 2008 he has also conducted a 20-session, Skype-enabled, live-video Intervention program he has developed for those clients who prefer to participate from their own home. 

Of course, Dr. Cupchik also continues to conduct weekly single sessions for theft offenders and other clients who live within easy driving distance of Toronto.

To inquire about having Dr. Cupchik speak to your professional group conference or business meeting, contact Kelly MacDonald-Hill, Senior Vice President, Speakers' Spotlight, at 1-800-333-4453, or email her at --> Kelly@speakers.ca 

The Economic And Other Benefits Of The Skype-based Intervention Program:  This program has brought considerable savings to clients in terms of the time, travel and money that they would need to expend in order to obtain Dr. Cupchik's professional assistance. The current fee for the full 20-session long, Skype-enabled, live-video Intervention program is $4485U.S. 

By comparison, the typical costs for attending the in-office 4-day, 19-session program are usually considerably greater, involving Dr. Cupchik's in-office professional fee of $6985 plus the travel, food, and lodging expenses frequently incurred. [Please note that the fees posted on this site may be changed without notice, but would not be changed after a client's retainer is received.]

Over the past two years Dr. Cupchik has found that working via the Internet using the Skype-enabled, live-video Intervention program, works virtually as well as the 4-day, in-office Intensive Intevention Program. Furthermore, the twenty, 45-minute long sessions of the Skpye program can be spaced out over a longer period of time (often by doing a 2- or 3-session segment weekly). Using this lengthier format, the client is able to carry out valuable homework assignments between successive meetings. Of course, a major advantage to all parties is that there is much less disruption required of the parties' individual work and home schedules, as well.

As part of Dr. Cupchik's ongoing clinical investigations, he is  interested in receiving emails from any persons who never shoplifted until after they had been prescribed and began using antidepressants, and from those who have continued to steal even while they were taking antidepressants, even if they had stolen before being prescibed antidepressants. 

If you are willing to share this information, please email Dr. Cupchik [ wcupchik@aol.com ] indicating the following: [You can simply copy and paste the following into your email]:

  (a) your age: _____________

 (b) gender: _____________

 (c) the country in which you live: ____________________  

 (d) which antidepressant (brand and/or generic name) you were using at the time you first began stealing, ______________________________, and its dosage _________.

 (e) how long you had been taking the antidepressant medication before you committed your first theft event: ___________________

 (f) whether you are still using an antidepressant: _______________ and which one:           _________________

 (g) your past and recent theft behavior history:    ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________ .

 (h) when you last stole: ______________________ 

 (i) any other information you may care to provide : ______________________

__________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________ .

Your identifying information will, of course, be kept confidential. 

Thank you.

Please Note: Due to the unfortunate prevalence of of spam and viruses, only emails that have Dr. Cupchik's initials  in brackets - (WC) -  in the subject line, will be opened.