AMHA: Karen Shore, Ph.D.
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ABOUT DR. SHORE'S WORK
Individual, Group, and Couples Therapy, Psychoanalysis, Case Consultation, Dream Groups
COMMITMENT TO ADVANCED TRAINING AND BEING THE BEST THERAPIST I CAN BE
Individual psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, couples therapy, and group therapy are all very enjoyable specialties of mine. I have taken advantage of some of the best available advanced training - training that goes well beyond the Ph.D. training and is probably more than that obtained by most therapists.
Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapists generally have two years of full-time study, leading to a Master's Degree. Some take formal advanced training beyond their master's degrees.
Psychologists generally have either 3 years of full-time study plus one year of full-time internship plus a written project leading to a Psy.D. degree, a form of Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology) or 4 years of full-time study plus one year of full-time internship plus a dissertation/original research project, leading to a Ph.D. or Ed.D., Doctoral Degrees in Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, or Counseling Psychology. Some take formal advanced training beyond their doctoral degrees.
All these degrees involve class work, practical experience doing therapy, and supervision of their work, in which the trainee discusses their cases with experienced therapists.
My own Ph.D. Degree involved 3 years of full-time study including coursework, practical experience and supervision, one year of full-time internship, plus a dissertation/original research project.
POST-DOCTORAL TRAINING:
Beyond my Ph.D. in clinical psychology, I completed three Post-Doctoral programs - Intensive Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, Group Psychotherapy, and Marriage & Couples Therapy.
This training included 4 years of weekly classes and 6 years of weekly supervision in intensive psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. I then completed 2 years of weekly classes and 3 years of weekly supervision in group therapy. This was followed by 2 years of weekly classes and 2 years of weekly supervision in marriage and couples therapy. Thus, in addition to continuing education (seminars, lectures, conferences), my formal training beyond my Ph.D. included 8 years of weekly classes and 11 years of weekly supervision.
More recently, in January, 2007, I completed a Four-Day Intensive Externship in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, and will be continuing this training on more advanced levels.
While this advanced training, which is far beyond the requirements of licensure, does not mean I am the "best" therapist in the area nor necessarily the best therapist for you, it does mean that I strive to be the best therapist I can be, and I have felt that the training has had tremendous importance and influence in my work. It does mean that I might be a very good choice for you or for you and your spouse/partner. I might be able to provide a more involved, more complete treatment than most others could provide. If I am not able to help you, I will try to help you find someone who would be better able to help.
Whether you choose a master's-level or doctoral-level therapist, choose one who shows an interest in advanced training, choose someone who seems intelligent enough for you, choose someone who seems to have the ability to understand you and who shows it is important to understand you, someone who seems to have the ability to help you, and someone whose personality seems to be a good fit for you. Choosing a therapist is a very personal thing. A really good therapy can make a tremendous difference in your life. If needed, allow yourself the time to find the therapist that seems right for you.
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOANALYSIS:
I provide individuals, couples, and groups with the freedom to explore their thoughts, feelings, and relationships in an atmosphere of privacy, safety, and trust. Understanding people as a whole and helping them understand themselves and their relationships in order to increase satisfaction in living, relationships, and work are of prime importance. Also important to me is helping people identify and articulate their feelings. While I encourage thoughtful exploration and understanding, I also am active in session so that people feel they are receiving guidance and feedback. Exploration and understanding are best when they are used to make changes that will lead to more satisfaction.
In Psychoanalysis, a person generally comes in more than once/week and allows for a deeper process of exploration than weekly psychotherapy allows.
COUPLES THERAPY:
In Couples Therapy, we work to discover and identify the distressing, repeating interactions that make a couple feel stuck in a very unproductive and unhappy cycle. We seek to look at how much they are hurt and how much they are hurt because of how much the spouses or partners mean to each other. Once we can identify repeating, negative cycles and understand the feelings that underlie them, we can begin to make changes in the couple's interactions, to help them build more positive, constructive cycels of interactions. Couples often begin to hear each other in a new way and start to build a new interest in a safe and secure closeness.
GROUP THERAPY:
Currently, I lead a weekly Therapy Group for Therapists and Graduate Students (in the mental health professions). This is a psychodynamic/interpersonal therapy group. This group meets on Tuesday nights at 7 pm. I have on space available for someone in this group and do have several people waiting for another group to form at a different day and time. Once I have four or five people who can meet at the same time, I will start the second group for therapists and grad students.
I am also interested in starting a general therapy group for non-therapists. This would be a group in which men and women can work on personal problems, relationships, family problems, etc. In addition, I am interested in forming a Women's Therapy Group as well.
If you are interested in any of these groups, call to see which groups are operating and which groups may have people waiting to form a group.
CASE CONSULTATION, TEACHING AND SUPERVISION:
Currently, I lead a monthly Case Consultation Group for psychodynamic therapists and also provide individual case consultation. I have 20 years of experience supervising trainees and therapists in their clinical work. I am a Supervisor for the Wright Institute Los Angeles, and am a Supervisor and Instructor at the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, where I teach a course in "Using Dreams in Psychoanalysis."
DREAM APPRECIATION GROUPS:
Dream Groups are a special part of my practice. I lead occasional Dream Groups throughout the year in my private practice, and have offered Dream Groups at conventions and conferences, such as the American Group Psychotherapy Association and the California Psychological Association. These groups are for anyone with a strong interest in using dreams to better understand themselves and others.
MONTHLY DREAM APPRECIATION GROUP
Do you love Dreams? Would you like to stay in touch with your less-conscious mind?
DREAM APPRECIATION GROUPS are a fascinating way to explore your less conscious thoughts and feelings. Come each month - OR - come once to see what it is like - OR - just come when you can!
The Dream Appreciation Group is held one Saturday morning each month from 9:15 – 11:30 a.m.
The dates for the remainder of 2007 are:
September 8, October 6, November 3, and December 1.
Why a Dream Group?
Dream work brings us deeply in touch with ourselves and our emotional world, helping us understand ourselves and others better. When a group works with a dream, the myriad of feelings, reactions, and associations creates a deep and powerful experience for everyone in the room. Two minds are better than one – but many are even better than two!
How does this Dream Group work?
Group members voluntarily offer their dreams to the group. One dream is chosen at each session, and a method is taught that will guide each member to work with that dream in a unique way. The group provides support as well as many more ideas, associations, and feelings about a dream than any one person alone or any two people working together can do. A person presenting his/her dream gains from the work of many, and it is surprising how much the other group members gain from working creatively with someone else’s dream. The structure used by Dr. Shore is based on the work of Montague Ullman, whose method maximizes safety and discovery. To ensure safety: a) disclosure of personal information is strictly voluntary, b) each group member will be asked to sign an agreement of confidentiality, and c) group members focus on their own reactions to the presented dreams; if they offer help to the person who offered the dream, they are guided to stay only with the information the Dreamer has voluntarily presented. Dr. Shore is vigilant about protecting members from feeling coerced into disclosure and making sure no one makes interpretations about or probes into anyone else’s psyche. The Dream Group is not therapy, though people usually experience it as meaningful, helpful and powerful. One written comment from an attendee at Dr. Shore’s Dream Group at a recent convention: “Beyond amazing!”
Who would enjoy attending?
Therapists and others who have a sophisticated interest in dreams enjoy Dream Groups. It is for anyone who wishes to use dreams as a tool to deepen their awareness of self and others and to connect with others in a meaningful and interesting way. Because it can be a very personal experience, if there is someone you are considering asking to join you, consider your level of trust in that person and only invite someone who is fully supportive of you. Patient-therapist pairs may not attend together.
What is the cost?
$60/meeting; $25/meeting for graduate students; $30/meeting for post-degree/pre-licensed professionals. Consideration given to those with income limits.
RSVP’s a must; space is limited. Free pre-workshop phone or in-person interview available to discuss any questions. 310-917-3320.
Case Consultation Group for Psychodynamic Therapists
Dr. Shore has recently begun leading a monthly Case Consultation Group for Psychodynamic Therapists. The perspectives she brings to Case Conferences are object relations, relational, intersubjective, interpersonal, self psychology, systems theory, and group dynamics. In addition, she helps therapists access and utilize the conscious and less-conscious thoughts and images that fleetingly appear to them during their work with patients. Often, therapists try to dismiss these fleeting thoughts and images. Believing that these often hold important information about the patient and/or themselves, Dr. Shore helps therapists learn to focus on them and use them to inform their work.
This is a wonderful opportunity for therapists who want to learn more about psychodynamic/psychoanalytic work in a group setting under the guidance of an experienced psychoanalyst.
The group meets monthly on the second Friday of each month, from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. There are still a few places left in the group.
Therapy Group for Therapists and Grad Students Only
THERAPY GROUP FOR THERAPISTS ONLY
A Psychoanalytic/Interpersonal Group
Many therapists feel that group therapy would provide an excellent growth experience for them. Group therapy is an excellent addition to or alternative for individual therapy. In addition to the support a group offers, group therapy provides an in-vivo experience in which people can work on interpersonal relationships. A psychoanalytic/interpersonal group is also a wonderful place to work on issues of boundaries, self-esteem, family of origin issues, relationship and marital/family problems, and intrapsychic dynamics.
For those in individual psychotherapy or psychoanalysis, people find that group therapy enhances their individual work and their individual work enhances their group work. There is no better way to get the most power out of therapy than to be in an individual and group therapy. For many people who no longer feel the need for intensive individual work but wish to continue their growth and development, a therapy group is the perfect place to continue their work.
Dr. Shore is offering an open-ended weekly psychoanalytic/psychodynamic therapy group whose members are all therapists and graduate students in the mental health professions. Her clinical orientations include object relations, interpersonal, intersubjective, self-psychological, relational, group dynamics, and systems theory perspectives.
Her training includes a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Post-Doctoral certificates in Psychoanalysis, Group Therapy, and Marriage and Couples Therapy, all from Adelphi University’s (Long Island, NY) Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies.
The group meets on Tuesday nights from 7 pm - 8:30 pm. A second group for therapists will begin as soon as there are 4 or 5 members who can meet at the same day and time. Fee: $65, with sliding scale available where needed.
Volunteer Organizational Involvement
It is my strong belief that having a mentally healthy nation is of prime importance. Involvement in a variety of organizations has provided me with the opportunity to have some effect on public policy and professional organizations.
From 1980 - 1984, I was a volunteer counselor at the Middle Earth Switchboard, which was later renamed The Long Island Crisis Center (LICC). From 1982 - 1992, I served on LICC's Board of Directors, and was President of the Board from 1990-1992.
My graduate training (Ph.D. studies at Adelphi University, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Garden City, NY) was from 1984-1988. I worked for the V. A. Medical Center on Long Island from 1987 - 2004, leaving in January 2004 to move to Los Angeles. During my service at the V.A., in addition to my clinical work, I served on the Training Committee and provided supervision for psychology interns.
In 1992, the managed care industry seemed to take over the insurance plans in New York State. Though many were saying that this would provide better benefits for the public, it was clear to me from the beginning that they were going to begin taking charge of treatment. Before "managed care plans," people received somewhat limited psychotherapy benefits, but they were able to choose their own therapist (no "lists" of "preferred providers"), attend as many sessions per week as they felt they needed, and remain in therapy as long as they felt the need to do so. Most therapists worked on a sliding scale and there were many clinics available, so most people were able to find affordable therapy and stay in therapy as long as they felt the need to do so. As I began to read about the "better benefits" of managed care, it was immediately apparent to me and a few others that what the insurance industry was going to do was to limit the patient's choice of therapists to those who would take severely reduced fees and who would do very little therapy. I knew that they would insist on crisis intervention and very short-term therapies that would not allow people time to understand the cause of their symptoms nor to work out longstanding problems. I knew that they would change the way therapists were educated and that newer therapists would not be taught much at all about what goes on inside a person's heart, mind and soul. They would be taught "techniques" to address symptoms, but not know how to help people address the cause of the symptoms. I knew that the insurance company was now going to decide who needed therapy and how much of it and what kind they needed. I also knew that there would be a new emphasis on seeing emotional problems as "brain" problems and that medication would become preferred over psychotherapy, and that many patients would be influenced to use medication when it might not be needed, because medicating someone is cheaper and can work faster in the short run than allowing them intensive psychotherapy. Some people are helped a great deal by medication, but this is a decision that should be made by the patient in collaboration with his or her chosen clinicians, not by an insurance company looking to save money in the short run (short run is important to them because people change insurance plans too often to benefit an insurance company if they focus on the long-run emotional and physical health of their beneficiaries).
Because the professional associations at the time were not yet willing to denounce the managed care movement, I and a few colleagues created the National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers (www.thenationalcoalition.org). Our goals were to protect patient privacy, choice, and the right to make one's own treatment decisions. At our height, in about 1997, we had 19 state chapters. Our members were effective in obtaining patient protection legislation in many states. As the President of the organization, I was often interviewed by newspapers, magazines, radio, and television reporters.
Though we hoped ultimately to create a better health care system, we also needed to work full-time to support ourselves. For our size and the limited time available to each of us as volunteers, we accomplished a great deal in terms of awareness and legislation.
I served as Co-Chair, and then President, until 2001. I still serve on the Board of Directors.
During this time, I was also an active member of the American Psychological Association, the New York State Psychological Association, and the Nassau County Psychological Association.
Since moving to Los Angeles, I have become active in the Los Angeles County Psychological Association. I was elected President-Elect for 2005 and President for 2006 of this 950+ member organization.
I also currently serve on the Candidate Progression Committee and the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program Committee of the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis in Los Angeles.
I am a supervisor and instructor (I teach a course entitled "Using Dreams in Psychoanalysis") at the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and am a supervisor for trainees at the Wright Institute Los Angeles.
About the National Coalition
The National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers, Inc., was founded in 1992 by Dr. Karen Shore and others because of the increasing control being taken by insurance companies over mental health treatment. The Coalition's purpose is to protect quality mental health care and the consumer's rights to choice of clinician, privacy, and decision-making power.
About On Being Called a "Provider"
This speech expresses Dr. Shore's feelings about the insurance companies re-naming therapists as "Providers." It was delivered as an acceptance speech when Dr. Shore was named the 1997 "Psychologist of the Year" by the American Psychological Association's Division of Independent Practice.
About "The Effectiveness of Psychotherapy"
Over the past decade, many health insurance/managed care companies have tried to force people into limited forms of psychotherapy by allowing few sessions per year and by trying to influence the way in which therapists conduct the therapy. They have also come to severely limit a person's choice of therapist and many have found that when their insurance changes, the therapist they have been working with is not on the new insurer's "panel." The insurance industry has tried to convince policy-makers and the public that very brief therapy is superior to longer-term therapy and that longer-term therapy has little to no value, and that being able to freely choose one's therapist is not very important. Consumer Reports conducted a survey of their readers which looked at the issues of choice of therapist, length of therapy, and other issues regarding psychotherapy. This article is written by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., the lead researcher in the Consumer Reports study, and was published in The American Psychologist (1995), a publication of the American Psychological Association.
