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Dr. Jerry Bergman holds seven college/university degrees, including two Ph.D.s -- in Human Biology and in Evaluation & Research. He is working on a third Ph.D. in Molecular Biology. Bergman has earned two Masters degrees; one in Psychology and one in Sociology. His undergraduate degrees are in Psychology. Dr. Bergman is now a Professor of Science at Northwest College in Ohio.

Dr. Bergman has authored or co-authored over forty books and textbooks, monographs, and book chapters, and he has published over 400 articles in professional journals and other publications. He has served as a consultant for over 20 science textbooks. His work has been published in six languages.

Dr. Bergman has presented over 100 scientific papers at professional and other meetings in the United States, Canada and Europe. He has been a featured speaker on many college campuses throughout the United States and Europe, and his research has made the front page in newspapers throughout the country. Bergman has appeared on radio and television programs, and he has even been featured on the Paul Harvey Show, and his work has been discussed by David Brinkley and other nationally known commentators on national television.

Dr. Bergman's other work experience includes over 10 years experience at various Mental Health/Psychology clinics as a licensed professional clinical counselor and three years full time corrections research for a large county circuit court in Michigan and inside the walls of Jackson Prison, the largest walled prison in the world. He has also served as a consultant for CBS News, ABC News, Reader's Digest, Amnesty International, several government agencies and for two Nobel Prize winners.

Dr. Bergman has consulted or has testified as an expert witness or consultant in approximately 100 court cases.

Dr. Bergman is a Fellow of the American Scientific Association, a member of The National Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of many other professional associations. He is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the Midwest and in Who's Who in Science and Religion, and is a MENSA member.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND THE PROBLEM OF MENTAL ILLNESS is one of the MOST INFORMATIVE BOOKS AVAILABLE ABOUT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY. This book is full of WatchTower history, trivia, and anecdotes, some of which are not that well known.

The following is excerpted from the PREFACE, which itself was authored by Dr. Carl Thornton, Ph.D. (Doctor of Psychology), who, like Dr. Bergman, was also reared in the Jehovah's Witnesses faith:

"I have observed among J[ehovah's] W[itnesse]s a relentless striving to reach an impossible, "perfect" standard of performance. This often leads to a sense of lowered self-worth ... It also can lead to psychosomatic illness, a breakdown of the body's resistance to illness, and even premature death. The sense of guilt, ..., the threat of eminent doom ..., result in continual pushing of oneself beyond normal limits. These factors all combine to produce illnesses such as ulcers, migraine headaches, heart attacks, and various and sundry other health problems. ...

"Another problem that I believe may be very significant among J[ehovah's] W[itnesse]s is that of chronic depression and suicide. ... J[ehovah's] W[itnesse]s have a strong inclination, too, towards self-doubt and self-blame, the basic ingredients for depression. When one takes a rather fragile ego structure and adds the devastating effects of J[ehovah's] W[itness] disfellowshipping, which includes a total shunning by all friends and relatives, the results are often more than most people can withstand. I suspect that the incidence of suicide is very high among J[ehovah's] W[itnesse]s. Hopefully, Dr. Bergman's book will create an awareness of this significant social problem. ...

"He (Bergman) stresses more the environmental impact of the J[ehovah's] W[itnesse]s culture in precipitating mental problems. ...

"Dr. Bergman and I share the hope that his extensive research, analysis, and recommendations can serve several useful purposes. It can provide the helping profession with an improved understanding of their J[ehovah's] W[itnesse]s and ex- (former) J[ehovah's] W[itnesse]s clients, and therefore allow them to develop a better treatment program. ... ."

Some of the 16 Chapters include:

 

"The Rate of Mental Illness Among Jehovah's Witnesses"

"Factors Influencing the High Mental Illness Rate"

"The Disfellowshipping Problem and the Elders"

"Elders as Therapists"

"Life As a Witness"

"The Problem of Suicide"

"The Witness Family"

"Witnesses and Crime"

"Do Watchtower Beliefs Attract People with Psychological Problems?"