We are all either mad, sad or afraid.

--Elvin Semrad

Forty years ago, while teaching Political Science (my first field of study) in the heart of apartheid South Africa I was first exposed to Carl Rogers’ humanistic psychology. In this politically troubled country I participated in groups that had one goal: to create a safe enough space for us to talk more and more openly about feelings as well as our thoughts. At one and the same time I was learning more deeply about political reality and about deeper layers within myself awakening in me a passion to know more.  

I returned to the United States to enter a doctoral student at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst which at that time was host to and extraordinary experiment in interdisciplinary study of the intersection of psychology and the social and political world. At the same time we were learning to become practitioners of the art of psychotherapy.

This led me to years of intense study and of humanistic psychology, including, most importantly, my own five year long analysis, followed by three years of post-graduate training at the Boston Institute for Psychotherapy, and two additional year with the Advanced Training Program at the Boston Institute for Psychoanalysis. 

I opened my private psychotherapy practice in 1990, while I was still Associate Dean at Boston University’s College of Communication. In 1991 left the University to establish a full time practice, while also teaching at a number of local Colleges and Universities. 

In 1996 I had the opportunity to participate in intensive training as an actor with Shakespeare and Company in Lennox Massachusetts, which both enhanced my work as a practitioner of psychotherapy as well as developing a career performing and exploring the relationships between psychotherapy and theater (for more see the page on theater) .

For the specific training I have engaged in to develop my skill as a couples therapist see the page on couples therapy.

To make an appointment, please call 617-232-3458 or email me at rongoldman@comcast.net