Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Joel, A Patient of Dr. Ayres at Judge Baker in 1962, Speaks Out

Now that we've brought you a dozen or so of Ayres' medical colleagues from Judge Baker Guidance Center in Boston who say that his old story about being trained to give physicals is a load of crock, today we'd like to share a conversation we had with Joel, one of Ayres' former patients at Judge Baker. Joel grew up in Massachusetts and he saw Ayres at Judge Baker when he was 17 years old in 1962 . Today he is 64 years old and lives in Florida.

Joel gave us permission to go ahead and publish our conversation-- "any way I can assist to put that sociopath behind bars," he said. Here's Joel's memory of his "therapy" with Dr. Ayres:

"When I was 17, I didn't want to go to college. My parents wanted to find out why I didn't like school, so they sought out the best place around, which was Judge Baker. Well, a very simple, #1 question from Dr. Ayres should have been, 'Tell me why you don't like school." I saw him for many sessions and that question was NEVER asked. Not once.

The very first session I had with Dr. Ayres, he said, "Do you know what a blow job is?"

As a 17 year old, I was not too street smart, and I tried to rationalize that odd question that maybe he was trying to figure out how mature I was. He asked me if I masturbated.

I saw him many times. He always asked about sexual things. Everything was of a sexual nature.
In all those sessions he never asked me once why I didn't want to go to school, or about my parents, or my feelings. All of his questions were of a sexual nature.

When he wasn't asking me sexual things, he would sit behind his desk and smoke a pipe and look bored. Sometimes 15 minutes would go by before he said a word. Finally one day I asked
him, "Why don't you ask me why I don't like school?." He hardly ever talked but the things he did say were always sexual . I couldn't wait til the 55 minutes was up.

I remember he left Judge Baker abruptly. He told me he was going to San Mateo in California and gave me his number and address if I ever needed his help. But he never helped me at all.

He didn't molest me [editor's note: At 17, Joel was well past Ayres' target age] If he had tried to touch me I would have killed him.

The whole experience was very strange and I never understood it.... 'til now. Recently I was going through some old papers I had from Boston and I found Ayres' name and address that he had given me when he left Judge Baker. I decided to look him up on the internet to find out what happened to him. After reading all the articles about the molestation I now understand why all of his questions and treatment were of a sexual nature.

I guess the only effect it ever had (not being aware of this til now) was to never seek out a psychiatrist or a psychologist for any problems I've had in my 64 years. Nothing ever major but at times I could have used some private professional help in figuring out some of life's boondoggles."

Finally, Joel urged those at the William Ayres blog and its followers to "Keep on keepin' on... Bring some justice to those whose lives he's ruined. "
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Post script: After our conversation with Joel, we conducted an informal survey among other child psychiatrists, some of them Judge Baker-trained, as to whether they'd ever used Ayres' line "Do you know what a blow job is? " line with their young male patients in the very first session. The answer was a horrified, universal NO. Said one child psychiatrist who'd trained at Judge Baker, " I bet Ayres' supervisors had no idea he was saying that. That sort of thing was not acceptable."

We also had the opportunity to recount Joel's story to the esteemed Dr. Paul Fink, a past President of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Fink knew Ayres professionally. Upon hearing Joel's story, Dr. Fink just shook his head sadly and said that it pained him that Ayres had never conducted any therapy with his patients. We could tell that Fink was upset that he'd been duped by Ayres all these years.

9 comments:

  1. Thank you Joel for coming forward. There's no question in my mind that Ayres molested the younger boys at Judge Baker. Perhaps a social worker caught him and reported him.. So just why did Ayres leave Judge Baker so abruptly?

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  2. Well thank you to Joel for sharing his story. It just further exposes that Ayres did not conduct any "therapy", his mind was on one thing only.

    With the Ayres case plastered all over the internet I am sure there are other former patients who also realize that the "therapy" conducted by Ayres was clearly not the standard.

    It is a shame it has driven some individuals from ever seeking valid therapy, if there is such a thing.

    At least it answers some lingering questions Joel may have had.

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  3. It was good to see Roman Polanski- who is only a year younger than Ayres- finally arrested. I don't care how old these criminals are- bring em to justice.

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  4. A former teaching assistant who was employed by Wynonna Judd to home-school her two kids has been charged in Tennessee with distribution of child pornography after investigators allegedly found more than 3,000 files on his computer featuring minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

    Scott Z. Myers, 27, also admitted in an online chatroom that he engaged in sexual activity with four boys who lived nearby, authorities told the Tennessean. When federal agents showed up at his home last Wednesday to execute a search warrant, he was observed leaving his apartment with two boys.

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  5. Anonymous at September 29, 2009 4:18 PM:

    I was glad to hear about Polanski's arrest too, and over the last few days I've been very sad to hear the number of Hollywood supporters who have come out of the woodwork in his defense.

    How absolutely horrible the message that they're sending is:

    If you are raped by one of their friends, you will have the whole of Hollywood speaking out against you if you open your mouth, so you'd better just shut up and take it!

    Another job well done Hollywood! Get all those kids primed for sex with adults!

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  6. Anon on September 29 @4:18—I wonder if Polanski will start using a walker to gain the court's (or a jury's) sympathy?

    It hadn't occurred to me the two were that closer in age. Living life on the run for justice has agreed with Polanski, hasn't it?

    Imagine the potential of having Phil Spector, Roman Polanski and Ayres in the same prison facility? They could reminisce about the 1960s and far more swingin' times!

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  7. It was very courageous of Joel to speak out. I am crossing my fingers that Boston victims will come foward. Thanks to the interest of Sgt. John Donovan of the Crimes Against Children Unit at the Boston PD, I think they will.

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  8. I am Joel's son. He has told me this story before as well as my brother. Crazy.

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  9. From Joel: A very sad state of affairs that Ayres hasn't been prosecuted for the horrid crimes he has commited, causing many of his victims to become alcoholics, drug users and even some commiting suicide! Ayrs belongs IN JAIL! He's faking his incompetence, it's obvious and there is proof by the video's taken by a private detective filming Ayres out to eat w/his friends and joking, laughing and conversing with them! I really must thank Victoria Balfour for her never ending battle to bring forth the truth and looking for justice for ALL the victims , over 50 yrs worth!, of Ayres molestations and ruining so many lives of innocent youths really needing some help, which may have made thier lives A-OK, if they had recieved some help when needed. And COURT appointed young kids w/minor problems, ordered to get treatment and sent to Ayres for it. All the mishandeling by prosecuters and judges in San Mateo amaze me! Are they friends of Ayres? Are they trying to protect him? Are they trying to protect themselves? for their own mishandeling of all the kids they sent to him?..even after accusations were made? Even some payoffs to keep victims from coming forward. Even after police finding tons of child pornography in Ayres shed? AND his own wife and his own kids HAVING to know what was goling on? What the heck is wrong w/there people? They ALL think that child molestatation is OK? Unbelievable! I'm VERY thankful for all of Victoria Balfour's hard work, uncoutable hours, days, YEARS of trying to bring Ayres to JUSTICE and helping me understand my very bad experience w/him. Answering questions I have had all my life. Thanx Victoria...keep on keepin' on! We love you!...joel

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