Dr. Henry Grayson received his Ph.D. in psychology from Boston University and a 4 year post-doctoral certificate psychotherapy and psychoanalysis from the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health. He has studied neuropsychology, most of the major psychotherapies, the new power therapies (EFT, EMDR, etc.), quantum physics and Eastern and Western spiritual philosophies.
Member Interviews
Intervews with members of ASP
Jeffrey Gurian
Jeffrey Gurian has been involved for many years in the esoteric art of “Healing through Touch,” Gurian uses a technique he developed which he calls “STAR” Therapy.
“STAR” is an acronym for Spiritual, Transformational, Affirmative, Resonance Therapy, and uses a combination of modalities like Shiatsu, Reiki, Applied Kinesiology, Chakra Balancing,and Intuitive Healing, to treat stress -related illness and Depression, with a TMJ causation.
He is also the only non-classically trained psychotherapist on the Board of The Association for Spirituality and Psychotherapy, a branch of the National Institute of the Psychotherapies, and he wrote a weekly online column on Stress Tips, for several years, for the Slim Fast company.<
He also periodically lectures on his Healing and Energy work, at Energy Psychology conferences in this country and in Canada.
Gurian also developed a cure for stuttering which he first used to cure himself of that affliction. He now works with other stutterers to teach them his technique for releasing themselves from what he refers to as “the bondage of stuttering.” It involves being able to change the way you think about yourself.
Dr. Sam Menahem Ph.D.
Dr. Sam Menahem is a spiritual psychologist in Fort Lee, NJ. He is the founder of the Center for Psychotherapy and Spiritual Growth in Fort Lee. The center offers psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, EMDR, EFT, acupuncture, chiropractic, spiritual healing, and massage.
He is past president of the Association for Spirituality and Psychotherapy (ASP)in NYC. He is a former board member of the New York Assoc. for Ericksonian Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy in NYC. He is adjunct professor of psychology at Teachers college, Columbia University and a faculty member of the ASP One Year course in spirituality and psychotherapy. He is the author of 2 books; When Therapy Isn’t Enough, and All Your Prayers Are Answered.
Ms. Annmarie Agosta
Annmarie Agosta has been trained in many different therapy techniques over the years and her approach is quite diverse, though predominantly psychodynamic in tone, and it incorporates meditative and somatic awareness.
Eclectic Psychotherapy within a holistic framework, encompassing body, mind, and soul. she has worked in social services/mental health field for more than 25 years, and has experience with most psycho-therapeutic issues and populations. Her special areas of expertise are LGBTQ population, trauma, addictions, and spirituality. Individual, Couples and Group Work.
ASP President Mary Marino Interview
Mary Marino, Ph.D. is a Psychologist office located in New York, NY. A psychologist focuses on the evaluation, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, emotional and behavioral health issues. A clinical psychologist uses psychotherapy and other counseling skills to improve emotional and mental health.
Bruce and Diana Kerievsky: Metapsychiatric Therapists and Teachers
Bruce and Diana Kerievsky are experienced therapists working with, and teachers of, Metapsychiatry, the psychotherapeutic body of wisdom created by Thomas Hora.
In the accompanying interview, they share their orientation and some of the ideas of this profound approach to healing.
Michael Isaacs: Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapist
Michael Isaacs, in addition to his traditional psychotherapy practice, Michael Isaacs adds a spiritual dimension.
The most important aspect of this spiritual addition is my own spiritual consciousness. This can place him in a state where he is more into an attitude of love, compassion, patience, wisdom, authenticity, and integrity. Hopefully, his attitude and interventions will help his client’s self esteem, self love, and their own inner ego strength.
My spiritual dimension and path has been an exploration of many years. He has been influenced by my spiritual teachers, spiritual literature, tapes and personal contacts with some of these spiritual teachers. He has been particularly influenced by yoga philosophy, and the Old and New Testaments. He has been interested in the wisdoms from Buddhism as well. Key spiritual inspirations have been Vivekananda, Ramakrishna, Moses, Jesus, Lao Tse, Joel Goldsmith, and Thomas Hora.
His definition of spirituality is quite broad. It involves the attributes of compassion, love, integrity, honesty,and creative interests. When appropriate, he will label and acknowledge these verities as “spiritual”. He encourage my clients, if and when they are ready, to experience any path that can lead to inner peace, gratitude, and love.
Dennis Alne Ph.D.: a Psychologist working with individuals with disabilities
Dennis Alne Ph.D. points out that time has a habit of bringing us unexpected changes. At age 60 Dennis Alne Ph.D. suffered a mild stroke. This was the scariest day of his life. Fortunately my wife was at home, and two of his children as well. Both were EMTs on the town first aid squad. He was rushed to the hospital. They were alerted and ready for me. That night he started speaking again, and the next day he was able to walk short distances. There were cognitive and physical deficits directly following the stroke, but not severe ones. As a psychologist he was aware that studying a new subject would create new neural nets and could help compensate for any deficits. he developed a treatment plan.A subject he had never studied before – physics – became a passion for him. He read everything his could get my hands on. He started in the thirteenth century and worked myself up the very latest theoretical research. What he found literally boggled my mind and changed my life. When the atom was broken Pandora’s box was opened. The particles that make up the atom are simply energy, and they obey none of the laws of physics that we were so sure of. Imagine particles being in multiple places at the same time; being able, somehow, to communicate with each other across huge distances; acting like a wave when not being observed, and a point particle when being observed. Besides this the universe itself appears to be made up of multiple interacting fields of energy.
He was back to my practice in short time and now was a changed person. There was no question in my mind that there is a higher power. While my formal training is as a cognitive behavioral psychotherapist he was always eclectic. Now He took the concept of mind-body-spiritual psychotherapy to heart. He often would incorporate a psycho-educational approach to open the eyes of patients to the importance of spirituality in one’s healing. He left articles in my waiting room showing the power of prayer. He showed pessimistic individuals research revealing that optimism has a positive effect on cellular functioning. He incorporated guided meditation into sessions. The end result of my transformation was that he saw positive changes in patients, and they reported it too.
His professional school training ignored spirituality and he is pretty sure that others have had the same experience. Therefore he sees the role of ASP to be one of educating professionals as to the importance of incorporating spirituality into their treatment of patients, and also into their own lives.
Kenneth Porter MD: Spiritual Psychiatrist
Kenneth Porter MD is a spiritual psychiatrist and psychoanalyst and practice spiritual psychotherapy for individuals and couples. By spiritual psychotherapy I mean therapy that is based on certain basic principles: (1) that we all are intrinsically good and awake; (2) that the most useful way to look at the difficult experiences of our lives is not through the lens of pathology, but of path – not that something has gone wrong, but that something is here to be learned; (3) that we all can exist in two different ways in our lives – the way of the ordinary self, and the way of the real self; (4) that healing consists of our learning more and more to live the way of the real self; and (5) that this can be facilitated by psychotherapists who not only understand all this, but are also personally learning to live their lives by these principles.
He was originally trained as a traditional psychiatrist from the perspective of psychoanalysis. He studied Buddhism for many years and have been a teacher at the NY Insight Meditation Center for the last 14 years. He have been a student of Kundalini Science since 2001, studying with the Kundalini Master Swami Chandrasekharand Saraswati of Rishikesh. His primary spiritual path is the Diamond Approach, the teachings of A.H. Almaas, which are teachings that integrate Western depth psychology with Eastern spirituality, and he is studying to become a teacher in that spiritual school.
Interview Holistic Psychotherapist
Marcia Blau is a holistic psychotherapist who has been practicing in NYC for more than 24 years. It has been her privilege to work with individuals, couples and families. She have also been writing articles and teaching classes.
As a licensed clinical social worker with training from the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health and the Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia, she became well versed in many therapeutic modalities. Yet she often felt that something was missing.
Fourteen years ago, she began studying with an array of healers and spiritual teachers including Starr Fuentes, Pema Chodron, and in Peru with Master Shaman Diane Dunn. Over time, as my own life evolved, my psychotherapeutic work began moving in a holistic direction.
She am a strong believer in the mind-body-soul connection. When psychotherapy is practiced holistically, working on any issue in a person’s life will have a healing effect on the whole being. And it will bring a sense of integration to the individual’s outlook. It is with this understanding that I approach my work.