Neal M Goldsmith, PhD

Specialties

What differentiates me from most psychotherapists is that I don’t see «neurotic» behavior as pathological. Instead, I view «neurosis» as the whole organism’s natural response to developmental stress on the path to maturation. In my view, «neurosis» is better seen as developmental challenge, the surmounting of which brings maturity — wisdom — rather than as pathology. From my perspective, «healing» takes place only when we get underneath our modern imago, to rest at the ground of our being, all the better to naturally unfold according to our perfect, inner template for development. That process both requires — and facilitates — the emergence of self acceptance and will.

History

Established in 1998.

I apply innovative techniques drawn from many schools of thought and traditional practices, such as Psychosynthesis, Imago Relationship Therapy, regressive psychotherapies, Rogerian client-​centered counseling, yoga psychology, and other humanistic, transpersonal and eastern traditions. I facilitate deep life review, awakening to personal history, and life planning, with a special focus on existential and midlife crisis and with young adults suffering from lack of direction or substance abuse. I’m is particularly helpful with couples — many feeling «in-​love» again after years of vicious cycles.

I have a master’s degree in counseling from New York University and a Ph.D. in psychology from Claremont Graduate University, with an orientation toward «action science» in the tradition of Kurt Lewin. I did my doctoral research at Princeton University.

Meet the Business Owner

Neal G.

Business Owner

Neal M. Goldsmith, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist specializing in psychospiritual development and resistance to change. Seeing «neurosis» as the natural unfolding of human maturation, he views psychology as the science of personal emergence and spiritual maturity. With the exception of biologically-​based diseases, such as schizophrenia, psychology is not about «mental illness» and so Dr. Goldsmith treats «neurosis» as spiritual immaturity, not pathology. In fact, he believes the «sick» label itself tightens and distorts, actually slowing healthy realignment.

Author of dozens of popular and scholarly articles, Dr. Goldsmith is a frequent speaker on spiritual emergence, resistance to change, transpersonal psychology, drug policy reform and the post-​modern future of society. He has worked to improve the innovation process and facilitate the management of change, for companies such as American Express, AT&T and Gartner.