Clancy D. McKenzie M.D.
DISTINGUISHED AWARDS
1986 Nominated by Bob Rodale, founder of Prevention Magazine, for the Dana Award for pioneering achievements in health.
1996 Nominated by Gordon and Breach Publishers for a Pulitzer Prize for the book: Delayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder From Infancy: The Two Trauma Mechanism
2001 Awarded Temple University’s Nelsen and Winnie Mandela’s Humanitarian Award for his outstanding devotion to patients suffering from the effects of schizophrenia
CITATIONS
Mayor John F. Street, Philadelphia:
"Dr. McKenzie has gone beyond the current thinking...his findings represent one of the greatest breakthroughs..."
Governor Tom Ridge:
"This well deserved honor celebrates your prominent contributions and dedicated service to the field of psychiatry"
Mayor John F. Street, Philadelphia:
"Congratulations upon receiving Temple University’s auspicious Nelson and Winnie Mandela Humanitarian Award." City Council, City of Philadelphia Citation: "Dr. McKenzie has...made profound contributions…."
City Council, City of Philadelphia Citation:
"Prof. McKenzie ...groundbreaking work in treatments for schizophrenia and depression."
Congresswoman Constance A. Morella:
"I want to commend Prof. McKenzie."
Senator Rick Santorum:
"Dr. English and Dr. McKenzie recognized that people are not destined to develop schizophrenia, depression or other serious disorders..."
Congressman Curt Weldon:
"Dr. Clancy McKenzie...has made significant advances in the understanding of mental illness, and most importantly its prevention.
Dr. O. Spurgeon English:
credited Dr. McKenzie with the discovery of a traumatic origin for mental illness....
Prof. Dr. Lance S. Wright:
hailed the findings as "the most significant in the field of psychiatry in the second half of the 20th Century."
Former First Lady Betty Ford writes:
"I applaud your compassion and outstanding efforts in helping families who are in need."
PUBLICATIONS
In 1996 Published: Delayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder From Infancy: The Two Trauma Mechanism (Harwood Academic Publishers)
with co-author Dr. Lance Wright
In 2010 Published: "Babies Need Mothers" – How Mothers Can Prevent Mental Illness in their Children
Reviews of textbook:
Delayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder From Infancy: The Two Trauma Mechanism reviewed in May 1998 Journal of American Psychiatry, Winter 1998 Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, and February 1998 Clinical Psychiatry News. Read reviews here.
Endorsements for textbook:
This book breaks with traditional thinking from the first paragraph . . . offers an alternative to viewing, treating, managing and preventing serious emotional disorders . . . breaks ground in suggesting the role of early trauma in accounting for mental disorders throughout the life cycle, in identifying the two trauma mechanism, and in the conceptualization of early traumatic events relating to the development of Borderlines, Schizophrenia, PTSD, Autism, Symbiosis and other disorders—forcing academics to reevaluate our thinking. The research is respectable, adds to their arguments and is in support of their model.
—Charles F. Figley, Founding Editor-In-Chief, Journal of Traumatic Stress
I was very skeptical about Dr. McKenzie’s findings, but the Finnish database on 6,000 schizophrenic patients revealed a very high level of statistical significance. We confirmed a substantially higher rate of schizophrenia among those with siblings less than two years younger.
—Sarnoff Mednick, Social Science Research Institute University of Southern California
The concepts presented are based on sound psychodynamic principles supported by findings in the literature. Theory is a marriage between psychological and biological, spanning the neuroses and psychoses, from infancy to old age. It identifies mental illness as one mechanism, and psychology and biology as one process. As such, it is the beginning of a new unification theory of mental illness.
—O. Spurgeon English, formerly of Temple University
Through literature review and their own research, Drs. McKenzie and Wright demonstrate the profound relationship between early infant trauma and the later development of serious emotional disorders. Evidence of early traumatic origin may soon be recognized as one of the most important research findings in recent decades. This model goes beyond prevalent thinking to show that biological research only measures the results of the disease process and does not address the origins of mental illness. This book identifies primary prevention and offers new treatment methods based on the recognition of the two trauma mechanism.
—Gordon and Breach
Endorsements for "Babies Need Mothers"
Dr. McKenzie’s new book is a rare example of careful conceptual reasoning about basic categories in medicine. Ultimately this is what is sorely needed in rational thinking about the mysteries of mental illness. This book is a fascinating contribution and well worth reading, precisely because it upsets the applecart. I recommend it to anyone who wants to get beyond rigid categorization in psychiatry and look at enduring problems of the mind in new ways.
Raymond Moody MD, PsyD, PhD philosophy
Author, Life After Life
Psychiatry has become, in my opinion, too much of the idea of merely "drugs and observations," and of course this pattern can be considered in relation to the profits made by the companies developing and selling the drugs. I endorse broader considerations in psychiatry, such as Dr. McKenzie proposes.
John F. Nash, Jr.
Nobel Laureate
Dr. McKenzie’s book is revolutionary. Some long sought answers to causes of psychosis and other severe mental illnesses are explained in clear and understandable language. He not only describes cause and effect, but also provides remedies for healing that are unique and long lasting. He shows clearly and unmistakably the way to recover health, and his findings could change the prevailing way of treating chronic mental difficulties.
Harold Stern, PhD, Psychoanalyst
Old theories of modern science literally melt away before the riveting and crystal clear logic that erases any thought of current hypotheses.
Dr. Stephen Levine, Scientist, Author
This book is rich in new ideas that are a further development of the enlightening, stimulative and provocative ideas described in his earlier book with Lance S. Wright, MD: Delayed Posttraumatic Stress Disorders from Infancy: The Two Trauma Mechanism. I have used this latter book in my courses at Georgetown University and I plan to continue to use the ideas of Dr. McKenzie in my classes. No one will regret reading this book.
Wilfried Ver Eecke, Professor in Philosophy
Adjunct Professor in Psychology
Georgetown University
It is more effective to teach people how to drive safely than to repair smashed cars. Likewise, it is more effective to teach parents how to prevent mental illness in their children than to repair their damaged lives. Modern psychiatry is concerned with the treatment of mental diseases and disorders. Now, in his breakthrough research, Dr. McKenzie has identified the origin of serious mental and emotional disorders, and has discovered how mothers, through a loving and caring approach, can actually prevent these illnesses from ever occurring. Just as Albert Einstein’s contributions were a quantum leap beyond Newtonian physics, so Dr. McKenzie’s contribution to understanding cause is a quantum leap beyond present theories. This allows for true prevention for the first time.
Dr. Orest Bedrij, Author of
‘1’: The Foundation and Mathematization of Physics
My research for a movie brought my attention to Dr. McKenzie. Like many persons ahead of their time, Dr. McKenzie is sometimes viewed as a threat to others in his field. This is unfortunate because clearly his means of prevention could eliminate a very large portion of mental illness in this country and worldwide. His work is readily understood by professionals and laypersons alike. He has received high endorsements from members of the US Senate and Congress. A number of top professionals, who thoroughly reviewed his work, consider his findings to represent one of the greatest breakthroughs in psychiatry in the second half of the 20th Century.
Meg Switzgable
Independent Director/Producer
Documentaries on 60 Minutes and PBS Frontline
What is schizophrenia? Is it one thing or a combination of important issues beginning at the earliest part of life? Dr. McKenzie pulls together in a brilliant manner the issues comprising schizophrenia and gives us a greater understanding of the condition. I have been treating this condition for 54 years, and Dr. McKenzie has offered me a better understanding of the issues. I think this book is a must for the profession. Rarely mentioned elsewhere, is the importance of caring (loving) by the psychotherapist. I thought this was the basic issue, and Dr. McKenzie makes a special point of it.
Jack Rosberg, PsyD
Director, Anne Sippi Clinic and Foundation
This book is a ‘tour de force’ in its originality, basic scientific and biological approach, and its potential for preventive treatment of psychosis.
Kurt N. Langston, MD
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Since 1966, Dr. McKenzie has studied the relationship between trauma and schizophrenia. Through the years he has dedicated himself to the evaluation and analysis of trauma and its immediate long-range effects on behavior and mental health.
Professor and Department Chair Emeritus of Integrative Psychiatry at Capital University of Integrative Medicine in Washington DC, with teaching focus on developmental aspects of neurobiological disorders, and the integration of psychological and biological factors as they pertain to serious mental and emotional disorders.
Identified unsuspected separation traumas in the first two years of life, which correlate with the later development of Schizophrenia. Discovered that the identical traumas in the next year of life correlate with the later development of non-psychotic Major Depression.
Confirmed through statistical analysis of hard data on 6,000 patients in Finnish database and 2,700 in Danish cohort on schizophrenia, plus hundreds more in smaller surveys
Developed the Unification Theory of Mental Illness, identifying the mechanism by which emotional trauma produces change in brain chemistry and structure. The Unification Theory brings together all disciplines and demonstrates how each participates in the cause of serious disorders. Two articles were published in peer-reviewed journals in 1998 regarding the Unification Theory.
The first article, entitled Delayed Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Model for Schizophrenia and Depression, appeared in the summer issue of Trauma Response, and the second, entitled the Unification Theory of Mental Illness, appeared in the Fall 1998 issue of Frontier Perspectives.
Reviewed all neurobiological Schizophrenia research studies presented at the San Diego American Psychiatric Association Meetings, plus the 1998 Davos Schizophrenia Conference, and published explanations of why each biological change more likely was the result and not the cause of the disease process. Republished in Appendix of "Babies Need Mothers."
Trained the Turkish psychologists, at the request of the Turkish Psychological Association, to work in the 1999 earthquake disaster area – where 50,000 were killed, 50,000 hospitalized, and 200,000 were living in tents. A primary focus was preventing mental disorders in infants who had lost their mothers. The power therapies also were taught, to help victims overcome their terrifying experiences.
In 2002 wrote in Trauma Response, Vol 3, #1, "Protecting the Infant in Times of Disaster," which describes the vulnerability of infants when disaster strikes and mothers are lost. That article outlines specific instructions for three levels of prevention.
Identified prevention of mental illness at three levels:
1) Prevention of origin, very early in life.
2) Prevention of a first breakdown later in life.
3) Prevention of a recurrence, based on new understanding of origin and mechanism.
Developed highly effective treatment methods for serious mental and emotional disorders, based on the new understanding.
Published a set of audio-cassette tapes entitled SCHIZOPHRENIA AND THE McKENZIE METHOD --which describes the radically different understanding and treatment methods. This was reviewed by the Medical Tribune August 3, 1983. Among patients who listened to the tapes and completed the questionnaire, two-thirds reported gaining more understanding, than from all previous years of treatment.
In 1999, published Self-Help Master Therapy Sessions for Schizophrenia, Depression and other serious disorders, which can be heard online through RealAudio.
Developed the Programmed Dream technique for arriving at enlightened answers during sleep.
Published set of audio recordings entitled PROGRAMMED DREAMS: A BREAKTHROUGH IN MEDICAL ANDPSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, and a DVD entitled PROGRAMMED DREAMS.
Developed a method for smoking cessation and published a set of audio cassette tapes entitled THE TOBACCO TAPE - which utilizes advanced habit control techniques, including an altered state of consciousness, and utilizes analytic knowledge and techniques for countering resistance to smoking cessation. Tested in schools and found to have a 50% quit rate in the first half-hour among those with no prior thought of stopping.
Surgeon General Koop loved the recordings. The tapes were reviewed by the Medical Tribune October 16, 1985 and again April 16, 1986.
POSITIONS
The Psychiatric Consultant to the Silva Method International, 1971 - 1999.
Consultant to Speiser, Krauss & Madole since 1992, to conduct medical, psychiatric and neuropsychiatric evaluations of airline disaster victims in Europe, North America, South America and Central America.
Chief Neuropsychiatrist for the Pennsylvania Dental Society's Impaired Dentist Program, 1989.
Level IV Psychiatric Consultant to Veterans Administration, for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, since 1990.
Medical Director, Biofeedback Resource Center, Philadelphia 1975-1976.
TRAINING
University of Michigan 1954-1957; B.S. Degree from University of Michigan in 1960.
University of Vienna, Allgemeines Krankenhaus, Vienna Child Clinic, Academy for Music, 1957-1958.
University of Michigan Medical School 1958-1962, with M.D. degree in 1962.
E.W. Sparrow Hospital, Lansing Michigan, Rotating Internship 1962-1963.
Menninger School of Psychiatry and Philadelphia Psychiatric Center, three years of adult and two years of child psychiatry residency training, 1963 1968.
Philadelphia Psychoanalytic Institute, five years of adult psychoanalytic and two years of child psychoanalytic training, 1964-1969.
Countless review courses in psychiatry and neurology, and special training in trauma desensitization, leading to AMA Physician's Recognition Award with Special Commendation for Self Directed training.
BOARD CERTIFICATIONS
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
American Board of Forensic Examiners
American Board of Forensic Medical Examiners
American Psychotherapy Association
American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress
Board Certified in Traumatic Stress
Board Certified in Bereavement Trauma
Board Certified in Emergency Crisis Response
Board Certified in Forensic Traumatology
Board Certified in School Crisis Response
