Jonathan Ames, Ph.D.
Providing Personal Support
Providing Personal Support
Where I've Been
Trained initially in culturally-aware, trauma-sensitive psychoanalytic therapy, I have been practicing since 1989. Clients have reported satisfactory results following a few sessions; other clients have worked with me for many years. I lived in New Zealand for seven years; my first New Zealand experience was as a clinical psychologist with Tairawhiti District Hospital in Gisborne for a 2-year period, in a strongly bicultural (Maori) setting. Most recently, I have been working with an awareness of the effects of the COVID Pandemic -- as both distinguishable from and entangled with individual concerns -- relational, occupational, behavioral, etc.
I have continued to serve individual adults and children (including distressed college students and faculty in academic environments), couples, families, and small groups. I have worked with family-owned and run businesses, helping the partners sort out personal and business roles and relationships. I provide Employee Assistance Program (EAP) assessment and support for several insurance providers.
My beginning work included assessing and treating adjudicated adolescents in residential care who had sexually harmed others (and had been harmed themselves); and working in several NY State Office of Mental Health Psychiatric Centers; caring for severely-disturbed inpatients. I worked for five years with the City of Berkeley CA Mobile Crisis Team, and later provided critical incident debriefings immediately following the 9/11/01 attack on the World Trade Center, and after Hurricane Katrina, with the Red Cross on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Other debriefings included a UC Berkeley suicide which traumatized an entire dorm.
I have continued to serve individual adults and children (including distressed college students and faculty in academic environments), couples, families, and small groups. I have worked with family-owned and run businesses, helping the partners sort out personal and business roles and relationships. I provide Employee Assistance Program (EAP) assessment and support for several insurance providers.
My beginning work included assessing and treating adjudicated adolescents in residential care who had sexually harmed others (and had been harmed themselves); and working in several NY State Office of Mental Health Psychiatric Centers; caring for severely-disturbed inpatients. I worked for five years with the City of Berkeley CA Mobile Crisis Team, and later provided critical incident debriefings immediately following the 9/11/01 attack on the World Trade Center, and after Hurricane Katrina, with the Red Cross on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Other debriefings included a UC Berkeley suicide which traumatized an entire dorm.
Before leaving corporate life, I worked in video production and marketing for a large personal computer reseller -- and earlier still, in assisting organizations in filling staffing needs. I also performed in musical and theatrical productions. My interest in hearing and playing acoustic roots, bluegrass music and in writing my own tunes has been lifelong; I have made considerable use of music therapy when helpful.
Again, I have been a meditator and involved in Buddhist practices for many years,
though have no agenda involving converting others in a narrow religious sense. Roots for what has become
cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be found in Buddhist practice.
Like a few other practitioners, I first came to psychotherapy as a client.
Again, I have been a meditator and involved in Buddhist practices for many years,
though have no agenda involving converting others in a narrow religious sense. Roots for what has become
cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be found in Buddhist practice.
Like a few other practitioners, I first came to psychotherapy as a client.
