The field of psychotherapy and analysis is a dynamic space that constantly evolves, and we are all determined to embrace these changes authentically. Over the past 31 years, Gloria Myers Beller and I have been sharing genuine, profoundly authentic conversations. The depth and breadth of our discussions as colleagues and true friends is a big part of what has inspired me to create The Art of Listening.
As a seasoned psychotherapist, Gloria has spent over 50 years amassing wisdom in the field. As she cared for patients in a range of settings – and ultimately in her independent practice – she came to understand how pain constitutes the heart of the human experience.
In this episode of The Art of Listening, Gloria guides us through her own history of therapeutic practice. She illuminates the pivotal role authenticity plays in the therapeutic setting and the healing ability of truth. Drawing from her rich experiences and her own background as an African American woman from the segregated South, Gloria has cultivated a deep understanding of suffering as a universal point of contact among human beings. It is through this understanding that she has found the path to empathy, allowing her to connect with her patients on a profound level across decades and ‘meet them where their suffering lies’.
Chapters
1 - Gloria’s early work in the emerging field of social work and psychotherapy
2 - The evolution of the psychoanalytic work and moving into private practice
3 - Understanding the benefits and limitations of private practice for psychoanalytic treatments
4 - Using suffering as the universal point of contact in psychoanalysis
5 - Gloria’s personal background and its influence on her approach to her work
6 - Developing a practice grounded in authenticity and connection
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