“There's a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.” Welcome to the Winter edition of Westside Notes. They say that life accelerates the older we get, and I would have to agree with that theory as time really does seem to be moving faster. Yet, one of my intentions this year is to “underschedule” myself and cultivate more down time along with more balance. For those of you who know me well, this is not an easy feat, but I’m determined to spend more time with loved ones and less time on “busy-ness.” A fun example of blending business with pleasure is upcoming in March as I head back east to spend time with my dad in Philly, visit with some of my childhood friends and hang out with my group therapist colleagues at the AGPA (American Group Psychotherapy Association) conference in New York.
Introducing New Associate: I’ve been incredibly fortunate to supervise some very capable, talented associates in my practice, and I’m very pleased to introduce you to my newest intern, Annabel Raymond, M.A. Annabel graduated from USC with her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and began her clinical training at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center. In private practice she sees a wide variety of clients—both adults and adolescents—and Annabel also has a special interest in perinatal mental health. In addition to private practice, Annabel also works with teens and families at The Maple Center in Beverly Hills. Please visit our website for more details, and keep in mind that both Annabel and Eddie have evening and Saturday availability as well as a sliding scale.
Conference in Review: Not only did I have the opportunity to give a presentation at this conference, but I also attended a few outstanding sessions given by colleagues I respect quite a bit. Rawland (“Rawly”) Glass, LCSW, clinical director of The Bridge to Recovery gave two powerful presentations—Addressing the Elusive “Ism” and Process Addictions: Clarified and Demystified. Mel Pohl, MD clinical director of Las Vegas Recovery Center gave an informative presentation entitled Pain and Addiction: A Challenging Co-Occurring Disorder. Both presentations were full of relevant, helpful clinical information and the presenters were passionate, grounded and engaging. If you ever have a chance to hear them in the future, don’t miss it.
GPALA Annual Conference: On Friday April 27th and Saturday April 28th the Group Psychotherapy Association of Los Angeles (GPALA) will be hosting its annual conference entitled Emotional Availability in Group: Expanding the Capacity for Intimacy in Group Members and Leaders. The conference will be facilitated by Jeffrey Hudson, M.Ed., LPC, CGP, FAGPA, who facilitated a highly successful one-day workshop here in Los Angeles a few years ago. Not only is Jeff one of the leaders in the group therapy field, but he’s also a clear and organized teacher who I admire. For more information, please visit www.gpala.org.
Current Group Openings Co-ed Psychotherapy Group
Book Review: Nurture Shock As a new parent, I’m constantly on the lookout for what’s going to make me a better mother to my daughter. To this end, I read a lot of parenting books, some more helpful than others. After reading Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, I recommend that parents and clinicians alike take time to read it. Nurture Shock was born of Bronson and Merryman’s collaborative story, “The Inverse Power of Praise,” which ran on the cover of New York Magazine in February of 2007 and blew the lid off of contemporary thinking about praising children. The article revealed, using a solid body of research, that telling kids they’re smart has the opposite intended effect and undercuts their self-esteem. Kids who are told how smart they are eventually find themselves unable to perform up to everyone’s expectations and ultimately give up trying. Nurture Shock builds on this initial body of evidence to reveal important and sometimes uncomfortable truths about a number of facets of childhood, ranging from how we perpetuate racism through our children to the surprising reasons why kids lie. The book delivers a thought-provoking body of research in a clear and digestible format and will ultimately cause both clinicians and parents to think completely differently about children.
If you prefer not to receive future mailings, simply unsubscribe below. In the meantime, I wish you less “busy-ness” and more fun time in 2012 and beyond.
Warmly, |
Winter 2012
In This Issue:
About Andrew Susskind
Community Resources Visit Andrew’s website for a comprehensive list of resources in the Los Angeles and Southern California area. Click here . . .
Instant Connection!
Read more about Andrew’s psychotherapy
Read more about Somatic Experiencing
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2550 Overland Avenue · Suite 100 · Los Angeles, CA 90064 · 310.281.8681 |
andrew@andrewsusskind.com · andrew@westsidetherapist.com |
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