Adaptation to Life by George E. Vaillant, MD

Adaptation to Life is a report on the original Grant Study, which consists of a group of 237 physically and mentally healthy Harvard college sophomores from the classes of 1939-1944. Members of the samples have been evaluated and/or interviewed every two years since then. Longitudinal research (the study of the same people over a period of […]

A Beautiful Mind

The movie is filmed in chronological sequence which brings the viewer along as John Nash (played by Russell Crowe), a brilliant mathematician, develops and  battles schizophrenia.  It provides a very clear portrayal of the subjective experience of a man who is becoming/has become delusional and how difficult it is to tell what is real and […]

Finding the Right Therapist for You

The relationship between client (or patient) and therapist (or counselor) is very important. Counseling is a uniquely personal experience and its effectiveness is highly dependent upon this relationship. The importance of this relationship has often been cited in clinical outcome research. It is very important to feel that you can talk to the therapist you are working with and that you feel understood, cared for, and respected. read more…

Aging Well by George E. Vaillant, MD

Aging Well is a report on the Grant Study, which consists of two samples of white American males.  One is a group of 237 physically and mentally healthy Harvard college sophomores from the classes of 1939-1944.  The second sample is a group of 332 disadvantaged, non-delinquent inner-city youths who grew up in Boston between 1940 […]

As Good As It Gets

This movie is the story of an obsessive-compulsive curmudgeon Melvin (Jack Nicholson) and the development of his relationships with Simon (his neighbor, played by Greg Kinnear) and Carol, (a waitress, played by Helen Hunt).   Although it seems to be a remake of Beauty and the Beast, this movie depicts a person with obsessive compulsive […]

My Approach…

After being in private practice for a number of years, my approach to therapy has evolved considerably to include a diverse range of approaches and techniques. I rely upon developing a good working relationship with clients that is founded upon an understanding of who they are, how they understand things, what they want, and what would benefit them. read more

Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns, MD

This is an encyclopedia of self-help techniques presented in a warm, compassionate, understanding and humorous manner.  Many of the techniques are based on cognitive therapy, an approach to psychotherapy that focuses upon problematic thinking. He also discusses psychiatric medications in a way that is clear and informative. A great resource for people with depression and/or […]

Clean and Sober

Daryl Poynter (played by Michael Keaton) is in a lot of trouble – he is a cocaine addict and an alcoholic, and has stolen $90,000 to make a stock market play that went bad.  He also picks up a girl and she overdoses in his bed.  However, his biggest problem is that he doesn’t know […]

Forgive for Good by Fred Luskin, Ph.D.

Dr. Luskin is a co-founder of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project and this book is a text used in his program.  For him, forgiveness is an active process that begins with a choice that is made to release our past and heal our present. After clarifying what forgiveness is (and is not), a great deal […]

Days of Wine and Roses

Although there are certainly more recently made movies about the ravages of alcoholism (such as the Lost Week-end and Leaving Las Vegas), this film has some of the most powerful portrayals of alcoholism.  Joe Clay (played by Jack Lemon) is in public relations and has a hard time having fun without alcohol.  He meets and […]

Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships by Eric Berne, MD

Dr. Berne was a psychoanalyst who developed Transactional Analysis (TA), a model for understanding human relationships.  For people who don’t have a background in psychology, it might be helpful to first read the Wikipedia article on Transactional Analysis or Thomas Harris’ book, I’m OK, You’re OK. Although the first section of the book is a […]

Hope Springs

Kay (played by Meryl Streep) and Arnold (played by Tommy Lee Jones) have been married for 31 years.  They love each other very much but have not been very affectionate or intimate with each other for years.  They go to see Dr. Fields (played by Steve Carrell) for couples counseling.  The story and acting are […]

Getting the Love You Want (A Guide for Couples) by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D.

This is a good introduction to Imago-Therapy, an approach to relationships pioneered by Harville Hendrix. An important tenet of Imago-Therapy is that we are attracted, often sub-consciously, toward qualities in our parents that we find in others.   As a result, childhood wounds and/or parts of ourselves we have disowned may be triggered. This is […]

On Golden Pond

This movie is about an elderly couple, Norman (played by Henry Fonda) and Ethel (played by Katherine Hepburn), spending their 48th year at their favorite spot, Golden Pond.  They are joined by their estranged daughter, Chelsea (played by Jane Fonda, who had some well publicized issues with her real-life father, Henry), her fiancé  Bill Sr. […]

Helicopters, Drill Sergeants, and Consultants: Parenting Styles and the Messages They Send by Foster Cline, MD and Jim Fay

The Love and Logic approach to parenting was developed by Dr. Foster Cline (a child psychiatrist) and Jim Fay (a school administrator with 35 years of experience).  Their approach is based upon two basic principles: (1) Helping children learn responsibility, the ability to do what they want as long as they don’t create problems for […]

Ordinary People

This story revolves around a family in which the oldest (and arguably favorite) son drowned in a boating accident and could not be rescued by his brother. Beth (played by Mary Tyler Moore) pretty much defines the term, “cold mother.”  Calvin (played by Donald Sutherland) is a caring and conflicted character caught in the middle […]

Hormones & Wheels: Parent Survival Tips for Those Chaotic Teen Years by Foster Cline, MD and Jim Fay

The Love and Logic approach to parenting was developed by Dr. Foster Cline (a child psychiatrist) and Jim Fay (a school administrator with 35 years of experience).  Their approach is based upon two basic principles: (1) helping children learn responsibility, the ability to do what they want as long as they don’t create problems for […]

Rashomon

The movie is based upon a fairly simple but not easy question:  who killed the man whose body was found in the forest?  Witnesses are interviewed and their stories differ a great deal, making it difficult to come to a clear conclusion about what happened.  The viewer is led into a number of unanswered questions, […]

Keeping the Love You Find: A Personal Guide by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D.

This is a good introduction to Imago-Therapy, an approach to relationships pioneered by Harville Hendrix. An important tenet of Imago-Therapy is that we are attracted, often sub-consciously, toward qualities in our parents that we find in others.   As a result, childhood wounds and/or parts of ourselves we have disowned may be triggered. This is […]

The Bucket List

The story begins in a hospital room where two mis-matched strangers (played by Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson) meet as patients with terminal diagnoses.  This film explores some of the issues that arise for these patients and their families, especially the question of what is best of for the patients (and who gets to make […]

Parenting Teens with Love and Logic by Foster Cline, MD and Jim Fay

The Love and Logic approach to parenting was developed by Dr. Foster Cline (a child psychiatrist) and Jim Fay (a school administrator with 35 years of experience).  Their approach is based upon two basic principles: (1) Helping children learn responsibility, the ability to do what they want as long as they don’t create problems for […]

The Notebook

This is a story about a devoted and loving husband telling his wife stories about their past while waiting for his wife to break out of the memory-stealing grip of senile dementia.  Although it is one of the most compassionate and accurate movies about this condition, it is also a very strong portrayal of what […]