Vic Meyer

Early career

Early in his career as a psychologist (mid 1960s), Meyer created the first successful psychological treatment for obsessive–compulsive motor rituals known as response prevention — which became a well established, scientifically validated treatment method used around the world for children and adults so afflicted. Meyer devised this procedure from his analysis of fear extinguishment in animals via flooding and applied it to human cases in the psychiatric setting that, at the time, were considered intractable. The treatment procedure is currently called exposure and response prevention (ERP) and its success clinically and scientifically has been summarized as "spectacular" by prominent psychology professor, Stanley Rachman decades following Meyer's creation of the method. Meyer was among the first psychologists to show that complex psychiatric problems could indeed be treated successfully by psychological methods.

Boards and program creations

Meyer was the Founding President of the British Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapies (originally known as the British Association of Behavioral Psychotherapy) and served as its first president in 1972. He also created the first behavior therapy training program in the United Kingdom at the Middlesex Hospital.

Recognition

Meyer was known as the top clinical trainer in behavior therapy in the United Kingdom. American psychologist Ira Turkat who worked with Meyer, described Meyer as the most fascinating interviewer he had ever seen, who not only attracted therapists from around the world to London to observe his interviewing and case formulation skills, but Meyer often traveled across the globe interviewing patients in front of audiences of mental health professionals to teach his case formulation approach. Meyer's interview demonstrations in front of mental health professional audiences excited other psychologists' interest.