Psychiatrist and author Irvin Yalom, MD has been a major figure in the field of psychotherapy since he first wrote The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy in 1970 (now in it’s 5th edition). Other significant contributions have included Existential Psychotherapy, and NY Times Bestseller Loves Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy. He has written four novels on psychotherapy: When Nietzsche Wept, Lying on the Couch, The Schopenhauer Cure, and The Spinoza Problem. His works, translated into over 20 languages, have been widely read by therapists and non-therapists alike. Visit Dr. Yalom’s website.
Benjamin Yalom is a psychotherapist, creative coach, theater maker, and writer. His therapy and coaching focus on understanding and aligning one’s values with one’s living, and unlocking creative approaches to work and life. He is a longtime writing collaborator with his father, Irvin D. Yalom. Prior to his current doctoral studies in Marriage and Family Therapy, Ben was the visionary force behind foolsFURY theater, which helped transform San Francisco’s performing arts scene in the early 2000s. He is also an award-winning fiction writer, and holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He lives with his wife, Dr. Anisa Yalom, and their three children in San Diego.
www.yalomtherapy.com.
Isabella Cassina, MA, TPS, is the Director of Project Management at the International Academy for Play Therapy (INA) based in Switzerland, University Lecturer, Founding Member of the International Consortium of Play Therapy Associations (IC-PTA) and Editor-in-Chief of the Italian Play Therapy Magazine. She is a Social Worker, registered Therapeutic Play Specialist, pursuing a PhD in Expressive Arts Therapy. Isabella has been Head of Social Services for the Swiss Red Cross asylum seekers and refugees sector. She is an expert in International Cooperation and Project Development with over 12 years of international field experience in contexts of crisis and high vulnerability. She is author of books, articles and board games for families and schools.
Claudio Mochi, MA, RPT-S™, is the Director of the University Master’s Program in Play Therapy of the International Academy for Play Therapy (INA) and the European University of Rome, Founder and President of the Association for Play Therapy Italy (APTI). He is a Psychologist and Psychotherapist, a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor™, expert in Emergency Interventions and Disaster Mental Health with 25 years of international field experience. He has worked with major humanitarian organizations in post disaster scenarios in the creation and development of psychosocial programs dedicated to survivors and training of local staff. Claudio has presented on Play Therapy and trauma in 6 Continents totaling over 20 Countries. He has authored books, chapters and numerous articles.
J. Fraser Pierson, PhD is a licensed psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Southern Oregon University where she teaches a variety of undergraduate courses and graduate courses within the Mental Health Counseling program. Her current scholarly interests include psychotherapist preparation and training; women's self-and-world view transformations associated with participation in adventurous sports; and the personal meanings derived from experiences in the natural world. She co-edited (with Kirk Schneider and James Bugental) The Handbook of Humanistic Psychology: Leading Edges in Theory, Research, and Practice and recently contributed a chapter to Awakening to Awe. The humanistic and existential perspectives have long inspired and informed her work as a psychotherapist, educator, and clinical supervisor.
Jacob L. Moreno with his wife, Zerka Moreno, developed the theory and practice of psychodrama. J.L. and Zerka were both adjunct professors at New York University in the 1950's.
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Jacqueline Simon Gunn, Psy.D., is a Manhattan-based clinical psychologist and writer. She has authored two non-fiction books and co-authored two others. She has published many articles, both scholarly and mainstream, and currently works as a freelance writer. With her academic and clinical experience in psychology, Gunn is now writing psychological fiction. Her Close Enough to Kill series, explores the delicate line between passion and obsession, love and hate, and offers readers an elaborate look into the mind of a murderer. You may find an excerpt from her recent book, Bare: Psychotherapy Stripped, on our website.
Jacqueline Simon Gunn, Psy.D., is a Manhattan-based clinical psychologist and writer. She has authored two non-fiction books, and co-authored two others. She has published many articles, both scholarly and mainstream, and currently works as a freelance writer. Gunn is now writing fiction in both the thriller and the romance genre. Always in search of truth and fascinated by human behavior, her fiction writing, like psychology, is a way for her to explore human nature — motivation, emotions, relationships. The volume, "Bare: Psychotherapy Stripped" from which this essay is excerpted is published by University Professors Press.
James R. Bitter, EdD, is a Diplomate in Adlerian Psychology and professor in the Counseling Department at East Tennessee State University. He has authored numerous publications and conducts seminars across the country and internationally.
James F.T. Bugental, PhD (1915-2008) was a leading spokesman for existential-humanistic psychotherapy since the publication of his ground-breaking book The Search for Authenticity. He followed with classics such as Psychotherapy and Process, The Art of the Psychotherapist, and Psychotherapy Isn't What You Think. Recipient of numerous awards, and influential trainer to thousands of psychotherapists, he truly made a substantial and enduring contribution to the field of psychology.
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