Renowned expert, Terrence Shulman, LMSW, JD, was a guest lecturer at Birmingham Maple Clinic today, February 21, 2020, where he presented a 6-hour training seminar for BMC therapists about “Shoplifting, Compulsive Spending, Hoarding and Employee Theft.”
Mr. Shulman shared facts about each of the topics, including etiologic factors, psychological factors, genetic and familial factors and treatment protocols. Shoplifters get caught typically after shoplifting approximately 50 times. Shoplifting is an addiction, and as such, is best treated as other addictions with intensive treatment by a specialist and ongoing support groups. He differentiated between kleptomania and shoplifting, described the seven types of shoplifters and discussed the top ten reasons people shoplift.
Mr. Shulman went on to discuss the seriousness of compulsive spending/shopping and the importance of uncovering early trauma and grief. He described his work with patients suffering with these disorders and discussed his theoretical perspective and treatment approaches.
Hoarding was also covered in great detail. Mr. Shulman has a practice in Southfield and specializes in the treatment of these conditions. He sees patients in his Southfield office as well as telehealth therapy.