Psychoanalytic & Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Who can benefit?
"Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective for a wide range of mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, panic and stress-related physical ailments, and the benefits of the therapy grow after treatment has ended," according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
What is psychoanalysis, specifically?
This brief statement offers an answer to the question, what is psychoanalysis? Although I do not practice psychoanalysis,
I do practice psychotherapy based on a psychoanalytic understanding of the mind and human experience.
Analysis & the Arts
Leon Levin Film Series (Baltimore)
The Washington Baltimore Center for Psychoanalysis offers this series at the Baltimore Museum of Art every spring. Recent films have included Chocolat, Of Gods and Men, The Counselor, and Eighth Grade. Films are followed by lecture and discussion.
Alcohol Use Disorder
www.aa.org
Alcoholics Anonymous offers support groups for people struggling with alcohol use. Groups are based on the "12-Step" model of recovery. While the 12-Steps have their roots in Christian faith and practice, there are groups for people who identify with other faith traditions as well as agnostic and atheist. Groups can also vary in their understanding and use of spirituality and a "higher power."
www.al-anon.org
Al-Anon offers support groups for the loved ones of people struggling with alcohol use.
www.smartrecovery.org
SMART (self-management and recovery training) offers support groups both in-person and online for people struggling with alcohol use. These groups focus on members' helping one another manage and recovery from addiction.
www.kolmac.com
Founded by Dr. George Kolodner, KOLMAC is a global leader in addiction treatment. The website provides lots of educational
help as well as ways to reach-out for help in assessing your use of alcohol and considering options for change.
Located in Towson, Baltimore, and throughout the region.
Anxiety
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23198597
primarypsychiatry.com/psychodynamic-insight-oriented-treatment-of-anxiety/
Cancer Support
www.hopewellcancersupport.org
Hopewell offers programs and support groups for patients with cancer, their families and loved ones. Programs include support groups as well as workshops based in expressive arts, yoga, and meditation. They're a great source for education and support.
Located in Lutherville.
Depression
www.healthline.com/health/depression/psychodynamic-therapy
www.gulfbend.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=13028&cn=5
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/psychodynamic-therapy
Eating Disorders
www.sheppardpratt.org
The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt provides comprehensive eating disorder treatment. Each disorder has its
own unique set of causes, symptoms, and health risks, and every individual may experience the illness and the recovery
process differently. Part of the nationally-recognized Sheppard Pratt health system, the Center is an invaluable local resource.
Located in Towson.
"Evidence-Based" Therapy
shedler-2018-where-is-the-evidence-for-evidence-based-therapy.pdf
In some cases, the term "Evidence-Based" has been co-opted to bias some therapeutic approaches over others. In my experience, therapies like CBT can provide valuable tools and ways of trying to manage behavior, but they are not the only and not always "the best" approaches to finding your way to a better life. This position is shared by the American Psychological Association.
Grief & Mourning
www.centerforloss.org
Not only death, but other transitions and trauma can evoke complex and overwhelming feelings that are difficult to bear. Founded by grief counselor and educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt, the Center for Loss & Life Transition is an organization dedicated to helping people who are grieving the loss of a loved one or adjusting to life in the midst of significant change.
www.gilchristcares.org
Gilchrist is a Baltimore-based, nationally-recognized organization that provides a variety of servies, including support for people who are grieving. From the home page, follow the link from Services to Counseling and Support. Scroll down and find a link to the Grief Support & Workshop Event Calendar. There you'll find information about support groups as well as retreats and wellness days.
www.sharegrief.com
Share Grief is an online resource used internationally by people who are grieving as well as educators, people who've established websites to honor loved ones, and others.
www.whatsyourgrief.com
What's Your Grief is a resource offering concrete, practical, creative, down-to-earth, and relatable grief support education. The co-authors of the site are Baltimore-based mental health professionals Litsa Williams and Eleanor Haley.
www.fhpcc.com/disenfranchised-grief
"Disenfranchised Grief" is a term that describes "grief that is not usually openly acknowledged, socially accepted or publicly mourned." Examples include the grieving that occurs with an inability to conceive a child; existential and functional losses inherent in injury, illness, or trauma; the loss of a partner in a nonconventional relationship; or the loss of economic security. This grief is real.
www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-27-bk-23978-story.html
Necessary Losses is the title of a book by Judith Viorst. As she considers loss through each stage of life. her book gives "fair warning that the cost/benefit equation of the maturing process is complex and often painful: ' . . . our losses and gains are inextricably mixed. There is plenty we have to give up in order to grow. For we cannot love anything without becoming vulnerable to loss.'”
Spirituality
www.sdiworld.org
SDI (Spiritual Directors International) is an inclusive, multi-faith organization that supports the work of spiritual companionship. From the home page, click the "Seek and Find Guide" menu option to learn about spiritual direction and access the SDI Directory.
www.wellforthejourney.org
Well for the Journey is a spiritual resource center offering classes and workshops in Towson. If you are spiritual not religious, not sure what you believe, looking for a safe space to explore questions, wanting to go deeper in your spiritual life, or interested in hearing diverse perspectives, the Well provides opportunities to integrate spirituality and daily life.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00330124.2013.826952
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19364265
Trauma
www.apsa.org/content/psychoanalytic-theory-approaches
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19379231
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychologically-minded/201711/selling-bad-therapy-trauma-victims
Who can benefit?
"Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective for a wide range of mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, panic and stress-related physical ailments, and the benefits of the therapy grow after treatment has ended," according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
What is psychoanalysis, specifically?
This brief statement offers an answer to the question, what is psychoanalysis? Although I do not practice psychoanalysis,
I do practice psychotherapy based on a psychoanalytic understanding of the mind and human experience.
Analysis & the Arts
Leon Levin Film Series (Baltimore)
The Washington Baltimore Center for Psychoanalysis offers this series at the Baltimore Museum of Art every spring. Recent films have included Chocolat, Of Gods and Men, The Counselor, and Eighth Grade. Films are followed by lecture and discussion.
Alcohol Use Disorder
www.aa.org
Alcoholics Anonymous offers support groups for people struggling with alcohol use. Groups are based on the "12-Step" model of recovery. While the 12-Steps have their roots in Christian faith and practice, there are groups for people who identify with other faith traditions as well as agnostic and atheist. Groups can also vary in their understanding and use of spirituality and a "higher power."
www.al-anon.org
Al-Anon offers support groups for the loved ones of people struggling with alcohol use.
www.smartrecovery.org
SMART (self-management and recovery training) offers support groups both in-person and online for people struggling with alcohol use. These groups focus on members' helping one another manage and recovery from addiction.
www.kolmac.com
Founded by Dr. George Kolodner, KOLMAC is a global leader in addiction treatment. The website provides lots of educational
help as well as ways to reach-out for help in assessing your use of alcohol and considering options for change.
Located in Towson, Baltimore, and throughout the region.
Anxiety
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23198597
primarypsychiatry.com/psychodynamic-insight-oriented-treatment-of-anxiety/
Cancer Support
www.hopewellcancersupport.org
Hopewell offers programs and support groups for patients with cancer, their families and loved ones. Programs include support groups as well as workshops based in expressive arts, yoga, and meditation. They're a great source for education and support.
Located in Lutherville.
Depression
www.healthline.com/health/depression/psychodynamic-therapy
www.gulfbend.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=13028&cn=5
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/psychodynamic-therapy
Eating Disorders
www.sheppardpratt.org
The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt provides comprehensive eating disorder treatment. Each disorder has its
own unique set of causes, symptoms, and health risks, and every individual may experience the illness and the recovery
process differently. Part of the nationally-recognized Sheppard Pratt health system, the Center is an invaluable local resource.
Located in Towson.
"Evidence-Based" Therapy
shedler-2018-where-is-the-evidence-for-evidence-based-therapy.pdf
In some cases, the term "Evidence-Based" has been co-opted to bias some therapeutic approaches over others. In my experience, therapies like CBT can provide valuable tools and ways of trying to manage behavior, but they are not the only and not always "the best" approaches to finding your way to a better life. This position is shared by the American Psychological Association.
Grief & Mourning
www.centerforloss.org
Not only death, but other transitions and trauma can evoke complex and overwhelming feelings that are difficult to bear. Founded by grief counselor and educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt, the Center for Loss & Life Transition is an organization dedicated to helping people who are grieving the loss of a loved one or adjusting to life in the midst of significant change.
www.gilchristcares.org
Gilchrist is a Baltimore-based, nationally-recognized organization that provides a variety of servies, including support for people who are grieving. From the home page, follow the link from Services to Counseling and Support. Scroll down and find a link to the Grief Support & Workshop Event Calendar. There you'll find information about support groups as well as retreats and wellness days.
www.sharegrief.com
Share Grief is an online resource used internationally by people who are grieving as well as educators, people who've established websites to honor loved ones, and others.
www.whatsyourgrief.com
What's Your Grief is a resource offering concrete, practical, creative, down-to-earth, and relatable grief support education. The co-authors of the site are Baltimore-based mental health professionals Litsa Williams and Eleanor Haley.
www.fhpcc.com/disenfranchised-grief
"Disenfranchised Grief" is a term that describes "grief that is not usually openly acknowledged, socially accepted or publicly mourned." Examples include the grieving that occurs with an inability to conceive a child; existential and functional losses inherent in injury, illness, or trauma; the loss of a partner in a nonconventional relationship; or the loss of economic security. This grief is real.
www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-27-bk-23978-story.html
Necessary Losses is the title of a book by Judith Viorst. As she considers loss through each stage of life. her book gives "fair warning that the cost/benefit equation of the maturing process is complex and often painful: ' . . . our losses and gains are inextricably mixed. There is plenty we have to give up in order to grow. For we cannot love anything without becoming vulnerable to loss.'”
Spirituality
www.sdiworld.org
SDI (Spiritual Directors International) is an inclusive, multi-faith organization that supports the work of spiritual companionship. From the home page, click the "Seek and Find Guide" menu option to learn about spiritual direction and access the SDI Directory.
www.wellforthejourney.org
Well for the Journey is a spiritual resource center offering classes and workshops in Towson. If you are spiritual not religious, not sure what you believe, looking for a safe space to explore questions, wanting to go deeper in your spiritual life, or interested in hearing diverse perspectives, the Well provides opportunities to integrate spirituality and daily life.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00330124.2013.826952
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19364265
Trauma
www.apsa.org/content/psychoanalytic-theory-approaches
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19379231
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychologically-minded/201711/selling-bad-therapy-trauma-victims