ABOUT GEORGE GLASER
Thank you for exploring my web site. Here is some information about me and my clinical perspectives that might be helpful in your search for a therapist.
I opened my private practice in 1997, specializing in the treatment of marital disorders, mood disorders, trauma, chronic pain and psychosomatic conditions. It was my intention to offer a relaxed, personalized practice–one that would contrast with many of the managed-care dominated service providers in the Austin area. Before opening my practice, I was a clinical and management staff member with Austin Regional Clinic-Mental Health Associates between 1984-1997.
Families are very important to me. I have been married for 34 years, with two sons who are currently 26 and 21. My wife is a professor at Texas State University. Spiritual practices are essential in life, and I feel very comfortable in exploring spiritual issues with clients in our therapeutic work. After all, we are made up of many parts—physical, mental, emotional, interpersonal and spiritual, not necessarily in order of importance. My personal faith background is in the Christian tradition. I consider myself interested in all faiths, however, and you will find at my office a spirit of curiosity and respect for all spiritual traditions.
After receiving my Master of Social Work degree from The Ohio State University in 1975, I worked in Columbus, Ohio at Southwest Community Mental Health Center. My wife and I moved to Austin in 1977, and from 1978-1984 I served as a clinical staff member at the Austin/Travis County MH-MR Center. I obtained entrance into the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) in 1978.
I co-founded The Milton H. Erickson Institute of Central Texas in 1987 with friends and colleagues: Seyma Calihman, MSSW, Carol Kershaw, Ph.D. and Bill Wade, LPC. We later separated the Institute of Central Texas into two organizations: the Institutes of Austin and Houston. Both of these institutes continue to provide training for professionals in the use of Ericksonian hypnosis in psychotherapy.
I am an Advisory Board Member for The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, served as a reviewer for the Ericksonian Monographs, and contributed to Tales of Enchantment by Stephen and Carol Lankton. I have been on the faculty of regional and national conferences for the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, The Milton H. Erickson Foundation, The Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, the National Association of Social Workers, the Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback.
I am Board Certified through the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (ABECSW) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). I hold a Diplomate through the American Hypnosis Board for Clinical Social Work (AHBCSW). I am an Approved Consultant of The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH), and was approved as a Fellow of that organization in 2004. I currently serve as President of ASCH until March, 2010.
I have lectured on Family Therapy at the University of Texas School of Social Work at Austin. I am a volunteer for Capital Area Mental Health Center, the Central Texas Chapter of the Red Cross. I am active with the state and local units of the National Association of Social Workers/Texas, and served as Chair of that organization's Chapter Ethics Committee .
PRACTICE PHILOSOPHY AND METHODS
I use a variety of approaches developed during nearly 34 years of clinical practice. From the start, family systems theory and approaches has been one of the main foundations of my work. I have extensively studied different hypnotic approaches to psychotherapy for nearly 30 years, and find it to be an invaluable aid for both understanding my clients and helping them master new cognitive, emotional and behavioral skills. Especially important is the work of Milton Erickson, M.D., who was a leader in conceptualizing and expanding the uses of hypnosis. More recently, I have been using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a very useful adjunctive procedure in dealing with trauma. Hypnosis and EMDR are very complimentary tools.
Two important teachers of mine are Stephen Lankton, MSW and Stephen Gilligan, Ph.D., both of whom are well-known students of Milton Erickson. I began studying with Steve Lankton in the mid 1980s with a focus on the indirect suggestion, metaphoric and storytelling aspects of Erickson's work. I have studied with Stephen Gilligan since 1989 as he developed and modified his Self-Relations Psychotherapy within the context of intensive multi-day supervision groups.
Emotional problems frequently develop and persist because of a person's inflexibility in relating to one or more aspects of themselves that they find unacceptable. These "parts" are felt to be the problem, but in fact it is the hiding of them that causes the internal and interpersonal problems that leave people feeling frustrated, hopeless and alone. All of my approaches are aimed at helping the client develop new perspectives and abilities, and new ways of relating to aspects of themselves that are felt to be so unacceptable.
My practice approaches typically fall under the broad category of cognitive-behavioral therapies. I have focused on mind-body approaches to therapy since the early 1980s.
MY COMMITMENT TO YOU
I promise to help you work on your problems in a comfortable atmosphere of respect, competence and collaboration. I will assist you as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. Call or e-mail me with any questions you may have about my background, skills, interests and training so we can speak about any of your questions.
GROUPS SERVED
Adults of all ages
PROBLEMS TREATED (in alphabetical order)
SERVICES OFFERED
MEMBERSHIPS
LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATIONS
(The Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners, #00319)
(current President)
~ page updated May 31, 2009 ~
