Chapter 3 - "Dr." Grande's Middle Finger to Ethics
How a fake psychiatrist exploits non-patients by reading tabloids on YouTube
TLDR: If you watch this video, you still won’t know.
THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN FOR ME. I really, really, really, detest this man.
Note: I first attempted to have a professional discourse with this man in September but he provided no response at all to my questions regarding his ethics other than promptly blocking me on Twitter. That’s fair.
It’s kind of a long one, but go on this journey with me.
Also - links at the bottom.
Let’s roll.
BACKGROUND
** ”Dr” Todd Lawrence Grande, Ph.D.**
In my analysis, he’s a diet psychologist posing as an a.m. radio talk show host on YouTube. He’s a fuckin’ Halloween costume, at best.
And… why does…. he. speak…. like……… a .. mono.toned.. Paulie..Shore?
Can you…please…just spit it… the fuck… out? Thank …. you…. buuuuuuuuuu-dy.
Depending where you look, you’ll find varying credentials:
-On HealthGrades, he’s listed as a counselor with a patient rating of a whopping 2.7. [1][2]
-On LinkedIn he’s a Self Employed (YouTuber) Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a Ph.D. That’s important, don’t forget that. That’s why we call him “doctor.”
Not a medical doctor though. A doctor of philosophy.
(Hence why I call him a diet psychologist.) [1]
-On YouTube he uploads daily, has posted over 2,000 videos, and as of today has 1.27 million subscribers. Which, you know, I guess is okay..
He lists his credentials there as being a licensed professional counselor of mental health, a licensed chemical dependency professional, and having a Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision.
On his YT about section you’ll find this blurb:
“Description: Dr. Grande's YouTube Channel covers topics related to counselor education and supervision including but not limited to mental health, human behavior, relationship dynamics, psychopathology, personality theory, true crime, pop culture, research, statistics, SPSS, Excel, appraisal, and group counseling. Dr. Grande has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health (LPCMH) and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional (LCDP).
Disclaimer: The channel is for informational purposes only. Nothing on this channel is intended to substitute for the treatment provided by a mental health professional.”
(Were you guys wondering how I found him? It wasn’t because of Bobby. I was legit searching one day for a channel that was the perfect blend of true crime, EXCEL, and pop culture with some, you know, psycho stuff peppered into my Excel workbooks. What a dweeb.)
[Unpopular personal opinion: His videos are painfully boring, dry, TOO full of ads and jump cuts, and.. he has a weird fascination with cacti. They’re everywhere. Like, he lives in fucking Delaware. What is it with the cacti?
Maybe they’re up his ass and that’s why he speaks so softly; careful not to excitedly jostle one while recording. I don’t know.
He pronounces certain words in a way that irritates my inner grammar gestapo. Listen to him say “mayor.”
He tries to insert this underhanded witty snark into his commentary but it falls flat every.single.goddamn.time. because of his obnoxious cadence. I’ve never seen another YouTuber who truly needs that ShureSM7B microphone more than this lackluster, un-polishable turd does.]
Sorry, sorry. My ADHD. So, as I was saying.
Dr. Diet Turd Grande, PH.D., LCDP, LPCMH
(wow, look at all those post nominals. I bet you have so many rules to follow, no?)
- **AND** -
President, Delaware State Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals
WORD.
Education:
BS - Psychology - Excelsior University
2007 (Online only school, no accreditation in this field, rumored “degree mill”)
Masters - Community Counseling - Wilmington University
2010 (actual brick & mortar school, accredited, snaps for Dr. Cactus)
**Ph.D. - Counselor Education and Supervision - Regent University
2013 - ??
(I’ve never heard of this school, BUT WOW. This is an interesting rabbit hole on its own. Founded by tele-evangelist Pat Robertson. Reports of alt right extremist christianity, antisemitism, anti LGBTQ things - but *that’s* for another day…)
Are we still here? Cool.
Let’s continue.
PART A.
On July 8th, 2022 Dr. Turd posted his video, titled,
“Analysis of the Highland Park Shooting | Who is Robert Crimo?”
which has since been viewed 258,543 times at the time of writing this.
The title alone would lead a layperson / average YouTube viewer to assume that this mental health professional with DR. in his name - who never differentiates to the average viewer between a psychiatrist, psychologist, and what he actually is - that he is going to ANALYZE the HIGHLAND PARK SHOOTING and ANALYZE ROBERT CRIMO, because context clues. Can we all agree on that?
In the video he appears to skim / read directly from two articles via The Daily Mail and CBS News; likely the first two that populated in his Google search. It is blithely apparent that he eschewed any basic fact checking of his own because that’s obviously not a thing they teach at Regent University, because who cares. [1][2]
Some quick video factoids for future reference as we proceed:
1. The video description box provides links to his Podcast, Patreon, a book he wrote about serial killers on Amazon, and his Tee-Spring merch store.[1][2] [3][4]
(the fact that he has shirts, plural, and mugs, plural. Why though? Like? I FOUND OUT I’M SCHIZO AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS THIS TSHIRT WITH GOVERNMENT DEVICES IMPLANTED IN IT.)
2. The entire video is 11:29 in length. It contains three fucking ads, at 1:07, 4:41, and 8:30.
(It’s probs not monetized though. Check out his Patreon and his merch, just in case.)
3. He concedes that he is filming as the “investigation is just starting and more information is likely to come.”
4. He qualifies his opinions with the generic, “I am just speculating, not diagnosing.”
5. He incorrectly identifies the location of the rooftop as having been Gearhead, not Ross. (Again, this was posted on July 8. This is an unforgivable error to make four days after the fact.)
6. He pronounces Crimo correctly several times before suddenly, at the 3:12 mark, changing his pronunciation to “crime-o” - because he couldn’t remember for a full eleven minutes how to say it? Because he bored himself to death along with the rest of us? EH TOMATO TOMAHTO TODD TURD.
PART B.
“MY ANALYSIS” - he says while continuing to read further from the same FUCKING articles. (?) (?!)
1. He references both police interactions from 2019, as reported in the articles.
2. He reads directly from the articles quoting Robert as a “quiet loner, video game enthusiast, negative, lifeless loner; no one tried to become his friend.” - as reported in the articles.
3. He states that “Robert appears to have been some type of aspiring rapper, called Awake the rapper” yet fails to address that the Daily Mail article he’s reading from verbatim cited Robert’s more than 16,000 listeners per month as a verified Spotify artist.
4. He states that “in one video he can be seen wearing tactical gear and carrying out an attack using a rifle,” and “in another a stick figure resembling Robert is shown on the ground in a pool of blood.”
- Again, clearly referencing the Daily Mail article which had the videos embedded, though Dr. Turd inaccurately describes them, indicating his failure to watch them to develop a more thorough understanding of the subject.
Maybe he can find an analysis with both hands and a map. I cannot stand this man.
“HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS” - I’ll bet. I can’t wait to hear what the Daily Mail says your thoughts are. Take it away, Ducktails ~
1. “It is clear that Robert was fascinated with the idea of committing murder.”
[good thing you can’t see me, then.]
2. “Roberts parents hired an attorney who has defended them by insisting there were no red flags to report to the police.”
[do you have one? you might need one.]
3. “The number 47, could reference the AK47, Agent 47, Pomona College in California, Revenge of 47 Ronin, or the P47 Thunderbolt. Robert was yearning for a way to feel special, to identify himself, so he chose the numbers four and seven for no specific reason.”
[I think he picked it because it’s the number of inches between your teeth.]
”JUST A THEORY; MY OPINION.. Robert had difficulty making friends and fitting in. He was socially awkward, isolated, and his repeated rejections in social circles contradicted his own superior sense of self. It didn’t make sense to him why he couldn’t make friends when he felt as though he was incredible and amazing.”
[pssst. are you kind of starting to see where you made a large tactical error right here?]
4. He refers to Awake’s videos as “disturbing and poorly crafted.”
[hold my beer.]
Statement:
”Robert had a number of NARCISSISTIC CHARACTERISTICS: entitlement, grandiosity, fantasies of power.”
”He wanted to make society pay for the way they treated him.”
”He was not good at being prosocial, therefore he turned to antisocial behavior.”
^ ^ Those words, in bold. Keep those in your pocket.
* CRACKS KNUCKLES *
P A R T C.
It is no surprise how this armchair douche canoe appeared on my radar so it should come as no surprise to find him here, now, meeting my skewer and anger.
Where I vastly differ from the majority of his subscribers, at least I would *hope* I do, is that this is an area where I have education, a degree ( from an actual school! ), training, and knowledge in real world practice, not on fucking YouTube in violation of every code of ethics imaginable. But, Big Grande Turd Doctor of Philosophy didn’t want to hear any of that in a polite but stern discussion and promptly gave me the Twitter ban hammer instead. Saaaadge.
First of all, the verbal CYA [cover your ass] he inserts into the beginning of his videos where he ….barely….audibly….can….finish a sentence…. to inform us that he is not “diagnosing, just speculating,” is 100% nothing more than a dog whistle to people such a myself to alert us that he’s totally not about to break any really real rules and it’s all totally cool and fine.
You know, he’s like Darrel Brooks with the Lawful Law and shit.
I have very serious doubts as to whether or not the average viewer catches that dog whistle, knows why the claim is even important, or even gives a single iota of a shit at all, because outside of the profession why would they? There’s no reason to. He puts it there to protect himself from being sued for defamation. *fingies crossed*
No one is there to see Dr. Turd follow the ethical rules of conduct and scope of practice. They are there to find out why this criminal that just made the national news is a raging psychopath, why, how, and all the what if’s in this mental health “doctor” [who never distinguishes himself otherwise]’s opinion.
Then, later, when Robert Crimo does something innocent like flash a peace sign at his public defender as he is leaving the court room, the viewers can comment on TikTok and Reddit about what an Antisocial little shit he really is. Great job, Dr.
You aided in that narrative. AND YOU KNOW YOU DID.
Such is the case with a title like “Analysis of the Highland Park Shooting. Who is Robert Crimo?”
Does Dr. Grande honestly believe that opening his eleven minute video with “yo fam just speculating” before reading from some mid articles and then inserting three ads, before finally closing with the meat and potatoes - things like “narcissistic” and “antisocial behavior” and “fascinated with the idea of committing a murder” - isn’t going to seriously manipulate anyone’s opinion of the subject?
Does he think that? Yes or no? I’ll wait.
How about his acknowledgement that the investigation is just starting and more will come out later?
Are we influenced yet?
Out of the say, 200k people who watched the full video, how many would you guess came away believing that Robert Crimo is most likely a narcissist with antisocial personality disorder? How many of them believed he hated society and was hellbent on making everyone pay? How many of them believed Robert so desperately wanted to be special and unique that he adopted the number 47 FOR NO FUCKING REASON? How many of them, along with subscribing to this man’s disinformation, sensationalized, gossip content channel also subscribe to the bullshit that ..sort of.. comes out of his mouth?
The irresponsibility behind this content is so enormous it literally enrages me. This isn’t an average commentary channel. This is a person with just enough credentials to slip through the cracks and give the illusion of professional.
He is a real life snap chat “pretty” filter doing real world “ugly” commentary.
This is why Dr. Grande and exploitative fraudsters like him are predatory, unethical fucks and utter failures and disgraces to the profession as a whole. It is embarrassing.
Regardless who disagrees and will argue that he is harmless, informative entertainment, he IS, in fact, dancing on some serious ethical boundaries.
To assert he is not diagnosing is nowhere near enough of a disclaimer. It is the very least he can do because it is legally accurate.
To be clear: as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Delaware, where he resides and practices, he is legally and ethically bound by a code of conduct and scope of practice equal to the RCW.18.19.200 for the State of Washington, which means he cannot ever even provide sole treatment for a patient whose functioning score is <50.
What that means is that he is limited by the treatment he can give patients. He is a counselor. Period.
He is a counselor *and* a Doctor of Philosophy, but he is not a mental health doctor.
This matters.
Psychology and psychiatry are highly specialized, very nuanced fields of study and practice. If you’ve ever received mental health services, you already probably that know that. Assessment and diagnosis are incredibly complex, and signs and symptoms that present can often overlap diagnoses making distinguishing one from another far, far more difficult than just simply reading a Daily Mail article and forming a baseless opinion from what may be sensationalized reporting or may be accurate.
It’s what causes things like anxiety, depression, and ADHD to present similarly in individuals and can be misdiagnosed if treated capriciously.
It’s why ethical rules in Psychiatry exist such as the Goldwater Rule, preventing medical professionals from publicly speculating on the mental health of a person they have NEVER MET NOR TREATED.
Counselors are not required, per se, to abide by the Goldwater Rule legally. But they are ethically required to do other things.
**Looking at 22 DE Reg. 78 (07/01/18), a few things stick out to me [1] :
(National Board for Certified Counselors)
Rule #43: SHALL PROVIDE ACCURATE REPORTS WHICH ARE BASED ON DIRECT EXPERIENCES WITH INDIVIDUALS OR DOCUMENTATION FROM OTHER PROFESSIONALS WHEN PROVIDING OPINIONS. LIMIT OPINIONS TO AREAS WITHIN THEIR EXPERTISE.
Rule #61: Shall not misuse their professional influence to meet their own needs at clients expense or welfare INCLUDING PROMOTION OF PRODUCTS.
Rule #89: SHALL MAKE CLEAR WHEN MAKING ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS THAT THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE CODE OF ETHICS.
**The following is from the ACA’s website:
AMERICAN COUNSELING ASSOCIATION STATEMENT ON PUBLICLY DIAGNOSING THE MENTAL STATE OF AN INDIVIDUAL [1]
The American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics, Section E, requires counselors to take special care in providing the proper diagnosis of mental disorders in the proper manner.
The public association of any individual with any term contained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD)—without having interviewed and conducted a thorough assessment of the individual and having written permission for such a disclosure—is a violation of the ACA Code of Ethics.
When publicly discussing public figures and others, professional counselors should avoid DSM- and ICD-related terms, especially diagnosis and disorder. Counselors should not attach a specific DSM or ICD diagnosis to any individual through messaging or statements in media outlets or social media.
Avoiding public statements that label an individual with a mental disorder is in the best interest of the public. This approach aligns with one of the counseling profession’s core professional values, as stated in the preamble of the ACA Code of Ethics: Practicing in a competent and ethical manner.
The ACA Code of Ethics is available online at counseling.org/ethics.
PART D.
SUMMATION
So, how do you think Dr. Grande did?
Do you think any of the “speculative” words he used to analyze Robert Crimo in a monetized video on YouTube could be found in the DSM-5 or the ICD-10 (the diagnostic manuals used in mental health practice?)
How often do you think he repeats this same mistake, skirting ethics and throwing up the middle finger to scope of practice for his own benefit?
Playing doctor on the internet if not in actual practice?
In his roughly 2000+ uploads in which he does exactly what he is ethically required to refrain from doing?
I have questions.
First: How is this allowed? How is this content allowed on YouTube?
How has he kept his license to practice in spite of this?
Does it perhaps have something to do with sitting on the Delaware State Board? As President?
Second: How is this eleven minute video about Robert Crimo not only monetized, but monetized with THREE ads? I have a non monetized channel in which my SHORTS were removed within the span of 12 hours and earned me strikes and a trip to the Gulag for violating some policy against incitement of violence because you are.not.allowed.to.say.Robert.Crimo.on.YouTube.I.Guess?
There was nothing violent or TOS in them at all, other than saying a name.
Seriously what is with the fucking cactus obsession?
I have insults.
The fact that this man postures himself in a false and shinier light and alludes to being an elevated, more accomplished, more capable, and more credentialed version of who he really is - on YouTube - while delivering a soliloquy - on YouTube - passive aggressively opining that Robert Crimo was “some sort of aspiring rapper” with “poorly crafted videos” and “feelings of entitlement and grandiosity” is not lost upon me as an exercise in BITCH YOU ABSOLUTELY ARE TROLLING YOURSELF.
Sir. Sir..
Are you good?
WHOSE VIDEOS ARE POORLY CRAFTED??
WHO IS ENTITLED AND GRANDIOSE?
I can’t tell if you are legitimate troll or if you truly are so goddamn stupid you were genuinely dumped out of a degree mill and onto our doorstep like a dumpster baby and should be wearing a protective helmet and having an in-home nurse wipe your ass for you before sitting you down in front of your camera and 37 cacti to Pawnee Public Radio us to hell. Because if you believe your own bullshit then you legitimately need to stick to selling little t-shirts and staying far, far away from ACTUAL patients because holy fucking wow.
The number 47 could reference Pomona College in California?
A MILLION SUBSCRIBERS, YALL. A MILLION.
Ph.D. YALL. Anyone can do it.
Irrespective of the language used to church up what was said, the facts are the facts. Robert’s mental health was dissected by an incompetent sham LARPing as a doctor with a million+ followers at risk of buying into this man’s complete DISinformation, sensationalized gossip, and that is dangerous. No self respecting mental health professional - of real value - would ever approve of this as valuable and legitimate information, as entertainment, or as educational.
It is the equivalent of the National Inquirer’s Alien Encounters.
Wipe your ass with it.
If you would like to file a complaint you can do so here:
File a complaint against a professional:
https://sos.delaware.gov/consumer-complaints/
ACA Complaints:
ethics@counseling.org
YouTube Legal Complaints:
https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/policies/legal-removals/