On my mind

The blog includes articles I have written over the last few years, as well as a weekly post where I share what’s on my mind, even if it’s an undeveloped idea that popped up when I was stirring a vat of cheese!

The Journey of 1,000 Miles: Hallucinogen-Assisted Psychotherapy for Trauma

In 2006 I made my personal discovery of local treasure Michael Pollan, courtesy of Terry Gross, the voice and brains behind National Public Radio’s iconic program “Fresh Air.” The dean of UC

Trauma and Addiction: Reflections On My 38 Years

On June 15, 2021 I marked my 38th year of recovery from alcoholism. As is often the case I am stunned by the passing of the years, and also shocked to be

The Shape of Shame: Trauma, Posture and Coming to Tall

Way back when I was first training to work with couples, I studied with the renowned relationship expert and researcher, John Gottman. By now Gottman is about as familiar to the mainstream

A Refugee Olympic Team

Regulation and Affiliation for the “Diaspora” For some reason I have long had a fascination with athlete biographies, autobiographies and memoirs. Willie Mays, Arthur Ashe, Andre Agasse, even tennis star Alice Marble,

Life, Love and Healing: The Wonders of Oxytocin

When I was young and first learning about sexuality, an older, mentor-like friend, taught me “Don’t have sex with someone you don’t like, because you will secrete oxytocin, which then bonds you

Wisdom from the Vat: The Making of American Beauty

I have always loved cheese, enjoyed making my own wild yeast French Bread, and had a distant and vague interest in cheese making.

George Floyd – Restitution, Apology and Forgiveness Copy

When I was barely more than a toddler, living in Manhattan, I learned a very big word: restitution. My parents, both survivors of the Nazi Holocaust, had not lived in this country

Unlocking – What the Pandemic Evokes About Neglect

It was March 16th, 2020 when the San Francisco Bay Area went into lockdown. That was the last time I was in my psychotherapy office. At the time, the mayor said it

The Best of 2019

As a perennial bookworm each year approaches its end, I peruse the stacks and contemplate, what was the best book I read this year? It is like my own little Nobel Prize

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