Article archive / November 1, 2010
Originally published: . Volume 2, No. 3. Source pages: 9, 10.
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“I have always found human behavior to be fascinating,” said Dr. Marc Zimmerman to the Times, explaining his generalist, comprehensive perspective, and his tendency to add one new credential after another as a regular matter of business. “I always see courses and say to myself, ‘I need to know that.’” Consequently, he continues to add new areas of knowledge to his more than ample list of credentials.
Marc is licensed in Louisiana by the psychology board, and in Louisiana by the medical board as a medical psychologist. He is a Diplomat with the American Academy of Pain Management. He is a Diplomat with the American Academy of Psychologists Treating Addiction. He is also a Diplomat with the American Board of Forensic Examiners and a Diplomat with the American Board of Forensic Medicine. He is board certified with the American Board of Medical Psychology.
Marc holds the Diplomat in Forensic Neuropsychology and also the Diplomat in Forensic Psychology from the American Board of Psychological Specialties.
Additionally Marc serves on the board of the American College of Forensic Psychology and on the board of the American Academy of Psychologists Treating Addiction.
What motivates him appears to be his genuine interest in human behavior. “I most enjoy determining why people do what they do,” he said. “I like to help them understand their motivations, both conscious and subconscious. This is particularly true in the forensic arena where there are more confounding variables.”
Dr. Marc Zimmermann (center) discusses issues at the bylaws revision earlier this year.
Marc has been in private practice for thirty years and forensic work has been a continuing focus of his. He is qualified as an expert witness in the District Courts of Texas, New Jersey, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana. He is also qualified in the Middle and Eastern Louisiana Federal Courts of Louisiana and the Northern Federal District Court of Georgia and in multiple occasions in multiple jurisdictions.
His classical training began with his undergraduate degree in psychology and minor in sociology from North Texas State University. “I was not concerned,” he said, “that my professors kept telling me that with a bachelors in psychology I would be fully trained to sweep a psychologist’s office.” So, he explained, “After I graduated, I saved enough money to get my masters and went back to school.” Following the masters in counseling psychology and working for a short while he discovered something else about himself. “I introspected and decided that I did not have the temperament to work for someone else. So, I went back to school and got my Ph.D.”
Marc received his doctorate from Texas A&M at Commerce, and three masters degrees, one in counseling psychology, one in psychology, and more recently one in clinical psychopharmacology from the California School of Professional Psychology.
Finding out early that he was best suited to work independently, Marc has focused in clinical, medical, business and forensic psychology in his private practice. His emphasis is often in evaluations and psychotherapy, and applied applications in clinical and consulting.
“I like to help people change the behaviors that they decide are uncomfortable or counter productive,” he said, supporting his clinical expertise with competency in pain management, clinical hypnosis, and staying up with science through his membership in Association for Psychological Science.
In his consulting work, he connects his knowledge of the individual with his training and interest in social, community and business psychology. “One of my major professors was from LSU and he was trained in IO,” he explained. Marc has worked with organizations helping assess and deal with problem employees, fitness for duty, critical incident stress debriefing, and also providing supervisor training.
He has consulted with Abbeville Police Department, Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Department, Addis Police Department, and the Baton Rouge City Parish. He has worked with the Baton Rouge City Constable’s Office, Brusly Police Department, Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Department and the Zachary Police Department. He has consulted to Dow, Exxon, Rubicon, Lion, as well as the City Parish of Baton Rouge, and others.
Marc has been a consultant to the Office of Youth Development, Brown and Root, Gulf States Utilities, River Bend Nuclear Facility, and Baton Rouge General Medical Center’s Chemical Dependency Unit. He has also helped the East Baton Rouge District Attorney Pretrial Intervention and Juvenile Diversion programs, East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Stop Rape Crisis Center, the Louisiana Regional Pain Rehabilitation Group, Office of Human Development, and the Baton Rouge General Pain Unit, among others.
Marc developed his broad, generalist style early in his career. “I was doomed to consider the social environment when dealing with individuals,” he said. “Because of my job in a community mental health center in Texas I was able to put these principals into practice.” He continued this work as Chief Psychologist at the Baton Rouge Mental Health Center and before at the Deep East Texas Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services as Director of outpatient services.
When the Times asked Marc if there have been any frustrations he said, “My frustrations are that I never feel that I know enough and constantly strive to get better–thus, all of the Board certifications. This is not bad in and of itself, but graduate school creates somewhat of an inferiority complex. It is difficult to overcome this.”
His advice to younger psychologists? “I have consistently given the same advice for 30 years. Decide what you want to do in psychology and put forth a reasonable amount of effort and you will accomplish your goals.”
He is a member of APA, APS, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, Association of Medical Psychologists, American College of Forensic Psychology, and Louisiana Psychological Association, recently helping with bylaws revision. “And,” he remembered, “I was the founder and first president of the local association BRASP.” (Baton Rouge Area Society of Psychologists.)
Among his other civic contributions is a heartwarming involvement in “Greyhound Pets of America,” Louisiana and Mississippi chapters. Marc explained that these groups “…receive dogs that are being ‘retired’ from the track. They used to be killed,” he said. The group takes the greyhounds, sees to their general health and tests them to make sure they are “other pet friendly.” Marc explained, “The dogs then are often put in a foster home until they can find a permanent home.” Marc and his wife have worked to foster and assist in this effort, rescuing many of these beautiful dogs from being destroyed. Marc explained, “I get much more from the greyhounds than I ever gave to them.”
Sleeping Dogs: Greyhounds, rescued by Dr. Marc Zimmermann, sacked out in the family’s living room.
Dr. Marc Zimmerman is a man who seems to speak out only rarely and when he does, in few words. But once you’ve heard what he has to say, you’ll very likely make it a point to stop and listen carefully from then on.
Left: “Eowyne,” the first of all the racing greyhounds rescued by Marc and his wife.
Eowyne was named after a character from Lord of the Rings.
She lived out her life with their family.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.