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Dear Terry ...

The following are testimonials from the individuals and families that have benefitted from The Shulman Center’s recovery programs. They are inspirational and compelling. Anyone who is considering getting help with managing their addiction should read these moving and motivational accounts.

Shoplifting Testimonials

Terry,

I cannot think of a more profitable way to spend an evening than in writing a letter of praise for Terrence Shulman (I won’t attempt to put all the graduate degree letters after his name). Before meeting with him, the thought of opening up to a stranger was daunting, but Terry has a humble, sincere manner that just invites you to feel at ease from the start. He’s honest, but not judgmental, and you feel like he can relate to you because he went through it himself. Terry is a leader of absolute integrity in his field. He spends every day motivating others and preserving his own addiction dissolution. He is compassionate and really cares about helping and healing people and makes you feel welcome in a world where you felt alone. Upon this one individual I’d gladly stake my trust in understanding where the addiction stemmed from and getting the help and encouragement to close the doors on the addiction and live a peaceful life.
Thank you Terry! –L.R.


Dear Terry,

I’m sincerely grateful for your specialized support during what has been a very challenging period. I’m looking forward to continuing as a member of your groups by email as well as participating when possible in calls and meetings!

I’m approaching retirement age, but won’t be retiring although my career at times placed me in the top 5% of women earners. My inability to quench my appetite for things has robbed me of any chance of a financially secure retirement.

Working with Terry and participating in the groups, in-person, by phone and email has allowed me to leverage others’ experience to change my own.

Although sober for many years, I have found that Terry has shined a spotlight on a growing addiction that has grabbed a hold of me but whose grip is loosening.

Thank you! Terry for your warm and generous support! –Barbara, Boston

 

Dear Terry,

I am so grateful I made the call to seek help after my arrest. My shoplifting behaviors were escalating and I needed help. I am so glad you were there and understood my issues because you had been there yourself. After my arrest a large part of me just wanted to die because of shame, guilt and embarrassment and calling you and having you pick up the phone might have saved me for further self-destruction. Working with you helped me let go of my shame and live in the present and believe that an honest life, free of shoplifting was and is possible. Thank you so much for everything. For the first time in a long time I feel good about the future.

All the best, –L P., California

Overspending / Overshopping Testimonials

Hi Terry,

I wanted you to know that my recovery and my true gratitude began in my sessions with you. I feel like I’m back on track with my work, my family and my creative passions. I’ve started art classes weekly and being featured in an exhibition at my local art museum, I’m currently being vetted for the Alumni Board of Directors for my alma mater, and I was also recently elected to the Board of Directors for my Condo Community.

Thank you for starting down this path with me. It’s been an interesting journey. I still struggle at times with shopping, but have more awareness and working on how to fix it – it’s so much more difficult than I ever imagined and the collateral damage from it is really awful now that I see it. It’s good to know you’re there if I need you and also to be an ongoing member of your private email support group for recovering shopaholics.
–N.S., NYC

 

Hello there!
I want to say THANK YOU for the resources and tools you provide to people like me who are recovering compulsive shoppers. Spending money is my addiction and I’m very proud to claim that. There’s power in naming something.

I am 34. I went bankrupt at 27 because of my destructive pattern of spending money when times got tough. It was so counterintuitive to keep adding to the problem instead of owning the situation head-on, and taking care of my financial responsibilities first. I had no heat, hot water, and eventually no electricity- but years later, I was able to turn that around with your help. I hit “rock bottom” when I had to file that bankruptcy. The biggest hiccup on the road to recovery so far was that my car that I had from 2013 to 2017 was still repossessed in January of 2017 after buying it as part of a bad deal, spending money and time on repairs, lapsing payments, refinancing, and finally losing the car after being upside down for too long. Enough back-story! Here comes the fun part.

I just got off the phone with the lien holder to check progress. NO INTEREST has accrued on my settlement, and with today’s payment included I only owe $2888 left. If I kick butt and pay more each month I can have that mess paid off by Christmas. She confirmed that they have received all my payments on time 100%. Wow. Feels so good.

THIS KIND OF SUCCESS is what keeps me motivated and GRATEFUL for my job. True there’s not a lot leftover for fun stuff, or savings yet, but once that car is paid then it’s time to consider tucking some away for emergency savings.

If someone who experienced financial losses like me at so young, and if I can climb out one day at a time, so can anyone.

Thank you again, I am so grateful for the Shulman Center. Many blessings, –MM, Tucson, AZ

Your guidance and support has been an enormous help to me in the last few months. I am extremely grateful for all of encouragement you’ve given me. You created a safe space for me to reveal my addiction fully to myself and to move into recovery. I still have a long way to go and last week life’s lesson has been a blessing in disguise. It really has shown me the consequences of my lack of responsibility and integrity to my creditors very clearly. I needed it. This growing pain was very necessary. Our work together has been extremely beneficial for me.
Thank you so very much for everything! Blessings, –M.B., Boston, MA

Employee Theft Testimonials

Hi Terry,

I wanted to check in years later and let you know that I’m still recovered and theft free since we worked together in 2010. Thank you for all your help. I’m living on the East Coast with my fiancee. I’m employed and life is good…always challenging. Keep up the good work. There are so many people like me out there. It was helpful to know I wasn’t alone. –All best, D.N


Terry changed and saved my life in a huge way. I still have a long road ahead legally, emotionally and mentally, but I never thought I would be able to stop or realize why I was stealing. I was able to stop for periods of times before based on other reasons (moving, not being the person dealing with the money), but whenever the opportunity to steal was there I would, but now it’s been a good month or so and I have had opportunities to steal and I don’t. That is a HUGE step for me. I’m around money at work and I don’t think about it because I have finally been able to realize I’m going to be okay, that money is not mine, yes, I have a lot of student loan debt, but my husband helps me now because he knows I need help financially whereas before I was embarrassed to ask for help because nobody had ever been able to help me before. I’m still scared what will happen legally, but I am forever grateful, proud and hopeful that my life will be great because of this therapy.
I hope in the future I’m able to tell my story and help others the way Terry has helped me.— Grateful, S. Carolina

en stealing money from my employers on and off for about five years before I finally got caught and knew it was time to seek out help. Terry Shulman not only saved my life in that moment, but he has forever changed my life for the better since the first session I had with him. I am forever grateful for his expertise, compassion and phenomenal gift of helping others in the darkest moments of their lives.

When I started my sessions with Terry, I was scared, lost, and raw. I had no idea what was happening or if I was going to jail the following week. I had nobody to turn to. I felt completely alone. Throughout his intensive counseling program and weekly sessions I have been able to realize where my stealing is rooted from, been able to connect and truly talk about unthinkable family issues that happened to me as a child and realize I can change and live a more honest and respectful life. I had not opened up to anyone about my past as easily and deeply as I have with Terry. He is someone that truly cares about you, never judges you and only wants you to see that your life is not over, but the potential you have for greatest. It’s a rare and special ability that few are able to possess especially when working with individuals who steal, shoplift and lie about it.

Terry has not only helped me come to terms with my stealing behaviors, but he has also helped my marriage, my friendships and relationship with myself. My husband has been part of two sessions with Terry and he has been completely impressed with how helpful and inspiring Terry has been not only to me, but also to my husband. He has been able to counsel us through some extremely upsetting and confusing moments of our lives. My husband was unaware of my stealing and a big part of me thought I was going to lose him forever, but Terry was able to counsel us and not only comfort me, but my husband that this is a disease and it needs to be treated.

My legal situation may still be up in limbo, but Terry has been my biggest advocate and it is because of him I have been able to make as much progress as I have. These counseling sessions have been invaluable to my life. I wish I was able to stop stealing and realize stealing was my outlet to other issues, but it took someone with the professional background who also had his own experiences with theft along with Terry’s empathy and natural ability to help me understand my stealing, depression and feelings of being unappreciated at work made for one nasty combination. The work Terry has done not only for myself, but for others in this community dealing with similar problems is absolutely inspiring and my husband and I will forever be grateful to him. I look forward to continuing working with Terry in the months and even years ahead because I have so much more to learn, reflect and heal that without his guidance, help and assistance I could not do it.

I will never be able to thank you for all you have done. My husband and I both look forward to continuing to work with you. — Faith in Philadelphia

Hoarding Testimonials

I counseled by phone with Terry over a year ago during a very rough time in my marriage. I had been Overshopping and hoarding for nearly a decade and my husband was at his wit’s end! I had tried local counseling but it helped very little. Terry helped me and my husband come together as a team and I finally got the courage to stand up for myself and regain my inner confidence along the way. At the end of our 3-months of therapy, I had not only made a major impact on de-cluttering but also in improving my marriage and in understanding the origins of my Overshopping and hoarding and rebuilding my self-esteem.
Thanks Terry! — Cindy, Pennsylvania

I had been struggling with my demons (shoplifting, Overshopping, and hoarding) for years and it has taken a terrible toll on my physical and emotional health, family, relationships, work and home. I contacted Terry after I had dug myself into a hole yet again and found him to be empathic, knowledgeable, and understanding. At the same time, Terry lay ground rules and never let me minimize or deny the frightening consequences that these addictions, if left unchecked, will inevitably have. I found Terry’s three month program to be of immense value. Thank you, Terry, for helping me to uncover a healthier self and a healthier life.
This is not a battle I could have fought on my own. –Laura from Illinois

Terry, Thanks for working with my parents on their hoarding issues. They seem to finally be working as a team. Never thought I would see that happen.
— E.S., Iowa

Hi Terry, I have been working very hard on my recovery and I am doing well since I successfully completed your course. Things are starting to look up for me and I just want to say thank you again for your wisdom, help and concern for me. I don’t think I would have gotten into recovery without your kindness and understanding of this devastating disease. I just can’t thank you enough for helping me to see how my family-of-origin stuff was keeping me stuck in this addiction. I am so grateful for the support I got from you just when I needed it most. I have found a more peaceful, kind way of living. You have a lot of talent and gifts you have to share with others.
Thank you again! Fondly, — Barbara—Pennsylvania

Dear Terry, I think your particular “gift” may be the ability to make each client feel like they are the only client you have. I think, perhaps, the greatest compliment I can give you is to tell you “I feel like I’m coming back to life.”

Thank you. I know you go above and beyond!” — G.Z, Kentucky

Dear Terry, Thank you so much for helping my brother with his hoarding disorder. I also learned a lot from working with you and him during our weekly Skype sessions. He made great progress in 3 months and I am hopeful he will continue working to de-clutter his home, keep it that way, and move forward with his life.

–P.R. –New York

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