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BEVERLY HILLS & LOS ANGELES AREA THERAPISTS

Linda Barnes, Ph.D.
Anita Frankel, M.A., M.F.T.
Dorothea McArthur, Ph.D.
Carl Shubs, Ph.D.

Dr. Barnes has been in private practice for over twenty years. She has lectured at UCLA, California State University Dominguez and taught for many years at the graduate level. Some of the classes taught are laws and ethics for psychologists, sex therapy, couples therapy, and clinical practices. She has been a supervisor for interns working toward their licenses in psychology. Dr. Barnes is a member of the American Psychological Association, Los Angeles County Psychological Association, and the California Association of Marriage Family and Child Therapists. Dr. Barnes' individual education and training includes over 6000 hours of supervised training. She is a licensed as a psychologist and marriage family and child therapist.

Personal Statement
My work over the years has been devoted to helping people change and enrich their lives. I have found that confidentiality is an essential element in working with people. It doesn't matter if you are a person who is easily recognizable or not, each person is entitled to this privilege. My own experience and the experiences shared by the people I see, my students and interns have given me the utmost respect for confidentiality.

Empathy is another integral part of the therapeutic process. I believe that one of the reasons for my success as a therapist comes from my ability to empathize with others. The ability to understand the experience of another person's feelings is essential. This enables one to feel understood and not judged by the therapist. My own family has been touched by mental illness, depression, and addictions. These experiences, however painful at the time, have been exceedingly useful to me as a therapist. I have also been fortunate to have a family that encouraged individual creativity and taught me the value of love and intimacy.

There is a personal joy I experience as I see individuals understand, confront, and surmount their problems. It is extremely rewarding to see people transcend the obstacles they encounter in their lives and go on to live fuller and more enriched lives.

Articles by Dr. Barnes:
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE COMMITMENT

Welcoming people who "march to a different drummer" - artists; activists; restless corporate executives; parents at odds with cultural pressures; gays striving for meaningful lives in the shadow of homophobia andAIDS.

Personal Statement
One key belief which has shaped me as a therapist is the notion that the full development of each person is a condition of the full development of all. To the extent that we can assert our individuality, intelligence, or desirability, while enhancing, not diminishing, that of others, we grow into secure and happy adults. A related idea is that a fully flowering life is a joint effort, not a solitary pursuit. All of us need people who can resonate with us, and sometimes mentor us, in the process of asserting ourselves in healthy ways. Mutual, reciprocal relationships are a foundation for living a humane life in a competitive world.

I come to my views as a therapist by a long and winding route. As a Berkeley undergrad in the 60s, I was influenced by the civil rights, anti-war, environmental, and women's movements. After graduate school in journalism in the 70s, my first career began in radio broadcasting, producing public-affairs programs for non-commercial stations.

By the early 80s, I wanted a career change. After a good experience with biofeedback for some persistent health problems, I trained at the Biofeedback Institute of Los Angeles and became a certified biofeedback therapist in 1982. Teaching relaxation training and stress management skills drew me steadily into the realm of my clients' pain, dreams, and longings. In 1986, I earned an M.A. in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy at Phillips Graduate Institute. In 1991, I was licensed as an M.F.C.C.

Today in my private practice, I see many people who march to a "different drummer" -- artists nurturing their own voice in and out of the mainstream; corporate executives made restless by the limitations of their jobs; gays striving to make good lives in a heterosexual world; parents coping with pressures on and in the family; interracial couples confronting identity and equality issues; childless career women wondering where the "good men" are; people of all persuasions striving for lasting intimate relationships. While I am a member of several managed-care panels for whom I do short-term, solution-focused therapy, the soul of my practice is in-depth work. My style is very interactive; I'm not big on the idea of therapist-as-blank-screen. My job is to help nourish the conviction in my clients that they are not crazy but that the demands of life often are and that navigating life successfully requires resilience, patience, and an open mind. Therapy is heart-felt work.

Articles by Anita Frankel:
A RELATIONAL PARADOX: Disconnecting in Order to Stay Connected
COUPLES COMMUNICATION: COURAGE TO LISTEN, AND COURAGE TO SPEAK
IS LOW SELF-ESTEEM A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHESY?
SHAME, And Our Selves in Relationship

Dr. McArthur is the President of the Independent Psychotherapy Network

Dr. McArthur has been in private practice for 32 years.  She holds Diplomate Status and has served on the Board of the American Board of Professional Psychology. She has two Masters degrees in Art and Psychology, a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is president of the Independent Psychotherapy Network.

Personal Statement
Psychotherapy appears to me to be a private, privileged and creative process. It is dedicated respectfully and nonjudgmentally to reviewing some of life's inevitable pain and vulnerability.  We do this together to erase misconceptions and reach the unique strengths of each individual.  The tough parts of life often result in growth and depth. I am constantly amazed at the courage, adaptability, and uniqueness within each person's story..

My office is in a separate, quiet, peaceful residence overlooking Silverlake Reservoir.

My educational training has given me experience in being both a psychologist and an artist. In both fields, I was taught to observe accurately and to understand what I see. I learned how to take pieces of life experience and creatively weave it into a whole that explains  a central issue, a chronic feeling, an unresolved question, or a misconception. I enjoy talking with people of all ages individually, as a couple, or as a family unit. We solve only what you wish to go on with life satisfactorily in the present.

The artistic side of me also turned to writing as a way of sharing what I'd come to learn from doing psychotherapy with people I've respected. I've co-authored the first edition of ROBERTS APPERCEPTION TEST FOR CHILDREN, a nonthreatening story telling test that helps me to understand how each child thinks and feels about family and school. Later, I wrote a book entitled THE BIRTH OF A SELF IN ADULTHOOD for the purpose of understanding the covert messages from psychologically vulnerable parents that sabotage growth.

I am currently completing a book entitled LOVE BEYOND LOVE: AN ADOPTIVE FAMILYS 25 YEAR JOURNEY THROUGH OPEN, CLOSED, AND COOPERATIVE ADOPTION.  I'm an adoptive mother.  I also have a specialty in adoption, seeing adoptees regarding adoption issues and the questions regarding reunion, adoptive parents about child management, and birth mothers and fathers about long lasting grief over relinquishment.

I am especially interested in helping families to reorganize so that they can better handle the demands of a long work week to preserve time for children, relaxation, refueling and family intimacy. To this end I have created a set of CHILDREN'S, PARENTS' AND TEACHERS' RIGHTS and a PARENT/CHILD CHECKLIST of ideas that contribute to healthy family time.

I help individuals over 45 begin to look at their second adulthood or retirement issues.  We look ahead to use skills already acquired in a new way.  I see older citizens as both available and experienced in making a difference within our communities, especially with children. I'm available to help with overcoming health problems, creating a safe, financially secure, and physically and psychologically healthy life.  I'm also available to consult with couples who are taking care of elderly parents, and their own children concurrently.

As president, I've created and led the Independent Psychotherapy Network since its inception more than 17 years ago. This group was organized to make experienced, and specialized psychotherapy available on a sliding scale basis to those without insurance or limited managed care coverage. This group has also provides valuable training and consultation for all 15 therapists for the purpose of keeping our individual practices at the highest level of quality, integrity and ethics.

Articles by Dr. McArthur:
REALIZING AND INTEGRATING FEELINGS ABOUT ADOPTION
HELP FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WHO RESIST HOMEWORK
HOW TO HELP MORE DIFFICULT CHILDREN
THINGS TO DO AND NOT TO DO WITH DIFFICULT CHILDREN
MIDDLESCENCE AND SECOND ADULTHOOD
Introductory Letter: COPING WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL AFFECTS OF TERRORISM
YOUR ADOPTEE TURNS EIGHTEEN
PARENT-CHILD CHECKLIST FOR RAISING HEALTHY CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS
IN MEMORIUM
DEFEATING WITHOUT GETTING INTO TROUBLE
PROTECTING SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIMS FROM FURTHER TRAUMA BY EXTENDED FAMILY
ARTISTS AND SOCIETY

Background

Dr. Shubs has been in private practice since 1981. He has taught, trained, and supervised other mental health professionals. He holds a diplomate from the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is Chairman of the Victim Treatment Committee of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association. He is on the advisory board of Break the Cycle, a non-profit organization dedicated to education, advocacy, and intervention in stopping teen dating violence. He has earned and maintains the American Psychological Association's Certificate of Proficiency in the Treatment of Alcohol and Other Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders. He is a Supervisor and Certified Bioenergetic Therapist, integrating bioenergetic analysis, modern psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and other psychotherapeutic modalities since 1974. Special study has been in the area of issues relating to gay, lesbian, and bisexual life, growth, development, coming out, being out, relationships, and homophobia. For several years he has also seen people in medical settings where patients have been recovering from illnesses including strokes, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, or various other conditions affecting their mind and their emotions. He has served several terms on the Boards of the Los Angeles Society of Clinical Psychologists and the Los Angeles Chapter of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

Personal Statement
Overview
My primary interest in therapy has been in helping people to find and be their true Self. It's like in the commercial: be all you can be. This means looking at who you really are, the relationships you are in, and what stops you from having the life you want. It also means getting help in learning what isn't working, understanding why it's not working, and changing things so your life does work for you.

I see therapy as a process of self-discovery: a careful, supportive exploration of how you act, think, feel, and relate to others today and how those all have been affected by your life experiences. It is also an opportunity to grow and develop new and more effective ways of interacting and communicating in your relationships. In therapy with me you may gain the awareness that comes from understanding, the freedom from outmoded patterns of acting and reacting, the strength to tolerate life's pains, and the capacity to tolerate its pleasures. The result is what I think we all want: the ability to feel good about yourself, to enjoy yourself, and to have satisfying relationships with others.

Victims of Violent Crime
If you or a family member have been a victim of violent crime, I give you a place where you can feel safe and where you can honestly and openly talk about what happened to you or your family member and how it still effects you, even when your friends and family don't want to or can't stand to hear about it any longer. I will help you to understand why you are reacting as you do, even when you may feel out of control and maybe even a little crazy. I will also give you ways to work through the psychological and emotional impact of what happened and to help you get your life back. People often discover new skills, strengths, and internal resources that either they never knew they had or that they have only now developed. I also want you to know that if you or your family member is a victim of violent crime, you may be eligible for therapy at no cost to you.

Gay/Lesbian Issues
While I work with heterosexuals, as most psychologists do, I also work with many gay, bisexual, or lesbian people, both individually and in couples. Some people come in because they are questioning their sexual orientation. You may be in a process of self-examination and self-discovery, and you will be the one to decide what your sexual orientation and identity is rather than have me or anyone else tell you what it is. You may be in a process of coming out, and together we can consider if, when, how, and with whom you decide to do that. I will be your sounding board, your dis-information advocate, your guide, and your ally.

Sometimes, though, people come in being very clear and comfortable with their sexual orientation, whatever that may be. If you are looking for a safe place where you can be open about who you are, use honest words like "he" when referring to your male partner, talk candidly about your sexual practices, and maybe also frankly discuss how HIV has impacted your life or your relationships, then I'm happy to be able to give that to you.

Addictions (Substances and Behaviors)
People often recognize that they may have difficulty with alcohol or drugs, though frequently they also need some help to evaluate how great that difficulty is or isn't and what they might be able to do about it. You might be asking some of the same questions about some of your behaviors as well, such as computer or Internet usage, online porn, sexual behaviors and compulsions, gambling, spending, TV watching, eating, cutting, or any other thing you do that somehow feels questionable or possibly out of control in you life, including some of the ways you interact with other people. Some people even feel like they are addicted to another person, what sometimes has been referred to as "love addiction." Many people have found it extremely helpful to begin examining with me how looking at some of the things in their life from a perspective of addiction may add understanding and avenues for change and resolution.

Mind/Body
My education and my own therapy have taught me that the mind and body are functionally identical. What you think can affect how you feel, and what you feel affects how think. So, I work at both levels, with people who are interested in doing that. In addition to traditional talk therapy, I am also able to work somatically (with the body) to help you resolve your emotional problems, discover deeper levels of understanding and resolution, and realize more of your potential for pleasure and joy in living. In my own life, my focus on the somatic aspects has enabled me to feel more alive, connected, and integrated, and I am glad to provide you with an opportunity to find that for yourself too. For people who aren't interested in the somatic work, I am happy to stay strictly in a talk-therapy mode.

Conclusion
I see my role as an ally, guide, and navigator on your journey. I have made my own journey of self-exploration, and I see myself as continuously pursuing that voyage. I can offer support and encouragement when the going is rough, and I can also share in your pleasures and joy in living. I can help with identifying and working through obstacles, and I will work with you to increase your sense of internal harmony, to enhance your ability to relate to others honestly, openly, and deeply, and to help you feel more productive, effective, and joyful in everyday living. You set the course, and I'll help you get there.

Articles by Dr. Shubs:
TREATMENT VIGNETTE: A Victim Of Violent Crime
USING BIOENERGETICS IN DAILY LIFE
BOOK REVIEW - A BRIGHT RED SCREAM
COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO TERROR
FUNCTIONAL AND DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES
BEHAVIORAL ADDICTIONS
VIBES, BODY LANGUAGE, AND UNCONSCIOUS COMMUNICATION
HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED THERAPY?
PATIENT BILL OF RIGHTS

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