Call For Ideas: Fanish PA Shrink looking to Grow. by Noocyte

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Call For Ideas: Fanish PA Shrink looking to Grow.

POSTED BY: NOOCYTE
UPDATED: Wednesday, March 1, 2006 17:49
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 6455
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Sunday, February 26, 2006 4:03 PM

Greetings, fellow Browncoats. As some of you may know from reading my posts/profile, I am a clinical psychologist by trade (and no, you don't have to be all self-conscious; one of the earliest and most important lessons which I learned in grad school was when to take off the Shrink Hat {cos, oy! does it pinch!}). Reason I'm posting today (and I've also posted over on the serenitymovie.org, and cleared it with Admin., Gossi) is to humbly request the assistance of the Great Engine of Browncoat Brains.

You see, for the last four years, I've been an affiliate of a group private practice in Washington Crossing, PA, USA (the Yardley Center for Psychology. Great bunch of folks!). But the time has come to go Indy, so I am opening a new private practice, called.....wait for it....”Serenity Psychology Associates, L.L.C.” The location will be HERE, in Langhorne, PA ( http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=140+East+Richardson+Ave.+Langho
rne,+PA+19047] ), and I will officially start seeing clients at the new location on Monday, March 6th.

In addition to a specialty in working with adolescents (I'm one of those masochistic souls who actually enjoys working with that population. A lot.), I also do individual work with adults on matters like depression, anxiety, relationship issues and life transitions (divorce, job change, post-graduation adjustments, and the like). The model I use is a broadly psychodynamic ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychodynamic) one, which I have augmented and expanded via my studies of chaos/complexity theory and a smattering of Buddhist thought. A bit more about me and about my practice can be found here http://www.myspace.com/serenitypsych.

So, where do y'all come in? When I tried to think of an aspect of my self and the practice I could form which would differentiate it and me from the scads of other therapists (of various stripes) in the area, it got me thinking about my own interests, like the ones which brought me here. I'm a Fan. I've been a Speculative Fiction geek for most of the time I've been aware of my own consciousness. I'm relatively comfortable moving through those circles (though, compared to some I know, I freely admit to being something of a dilettante!), and I have loads of experience with what the “Mundane” world does with Fans, especially young ones. I'm intimately familiar with the feeling of moving through social circles in which I know that the vast majority of my references will be hopelessly lost, and the frustration that comes when a quote from Firefly or The Princess Bride or Star Trek or some obscure short story by Ben Bova would just nail what I'm trying to say. In retrospect, I can recall long periods of time when the isolation was so dreadful that I took an active hand and started defensively mediating my interactions more through fantasy imagery than a “real-time” dialectic with my social context (“What would James T. Kirk do right now?' or on really bad days, Thomas Covenant)...which only caused me to fall further out of touch. I expect there are at least a few of you who know exactly what I'm talking about.

All this got me thinking about developing my experiences into a sub-specialty in Fannish issues (essentially, matters of being a Fan in a Mundane world: embracing the Inner Geek, integrating socially without losing the sense of wonder, managing the jeers of non-fans by shoring up self-esteem...that sort of thing). This led me to do some literature searches, and I turned up virtually nothing on the subject. I might be the only (or at least one of the very, very few) explicitly Fan-friendly shrinks going. And that adds up to niche market.

So, my request to you all is for some ideas on how to market my practice in a manner which does not scream “FLAKE” to the general population, while making myself visible to them as could benefit from this sub-specialty (in turn, without signaling condescension or an implicit {and inaccurate!} sense that Fannishness is some kind of disorder). If I do this right, I could actually start going to Cons and such, and legitimately writing it off as a business expense (!)...but what should I DO there? I must confess that it's been nearly two decades since I went to an actual Con, and my memory of the dynamics and structure of the things is dim at best. Should I set up a table (shades of Lucy van Pelt!), schedule myself as a speaker (“Longing and Rage: A Psychological Profile of Kong?” “Resiliency Theory and Frodo's Journey?”), wander around like a yutz, handing brochures to unsuspecting Bajorans and Uruk-Hai?

I really hope this request isn't seen as inappropriate or presumptuous, and apologize for its length (and for the shameless cross-posting-hopefully-falling-short-of-SPAMMING). I look forward to any feedback which y'all might have for me, and thank you for your attention.

Keep flyin'

'Cyte.

Department of Redundancy Department

P.S. Sorry about the awkward URLs; I dunno how to hide them under text as I do on the other board. Can this be done here?

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 4:42 PM

DONCOAT

As to the URLs, I think all you do is type them in without tags, and the board figures it out and linkifies them. Could be wrong, though.

I don't really know if fan issues are enough to form a practice around. But I do know this: many Firefly fans show all the classical stages of grief over the show. Just read a few of the newbie threads -- it's all there: depression, anger, denial. And why not? The show's demise had about as much fairness as a death in a traffic accident.

It hasn't escaped our notice that fan boards like this one can help, acting as a kind of support group for the folks who are going through this. Some people here take special care to meet-and-greet the new folks and offer that support (in a lighthearted way).

I know there were some joking remarks in my family about "holding an intervention" when they learned that I flew across the country to attend last year's Flanvention.

So maybe you're on to something after all. Except there's one big problem: most of us don't want to be cured. We won't reach "acceptance" if it means never getting any more stories about Mal & Co. We're going to keep holding until we get them back. So if the first stage of healing is admitting there's a problem... you're out of luck!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't disagree on any particular point.

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 4:59 PM

RHYIANAN

Doncoat:
I think it's not "getting over the geekiness" that this guy means, more of "integrating geekiness into being a social creature". At least that's what I get out of it.

Noocyte:
Personally, I don't really see a way you can advertise that without being labeled some type of weirdo by the general public. If you already have clients that are fans, then you could have them spread by word of mouth, but otherwise I can't be much help.

Wash: Yeah, but psychic? That sounds like science fiction.
Zoe: You live on a spaceship, dear.

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:16 PM

NOOCYTE

SNIP

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:

I know there were some joking remarks in my family about "holding an intervention" when they learned that I flew across the country to attend last year's Flanvention.

So maybe you're on to something after all. Except there's one big problem: most of us don't want to be cured. We won't reach "acceptance" if it means never getting any more stories about Mal & Co. We're going to keep holding until we get them back. So if the first stage of healing is admitting there's a problem... you're out of luck!

Actually, Don, part of what I'd hope more people will get is that there is nothing to "cure" when it comes to being a Fan (Firefly or otherwise), anymore than people who travel across the country to go to a special football game are in need of "intervention." These are the attitudes from non-Fen which can be so toxic, because they are so prevalent, and so there's the danger that they are internalized by fans themselves (look at the word, "Geek." I use it myself, I'd not try to get all huffy about it and spit in the wind. But let's be clear that, however much we've embraced it, the original intent of the word was/is not complementary...).

As for "accepting" that there will be no more word from the 'verse...well...I think all I've written makes pretty plain where I come down on that. If not, then I'll just drive peaceably away, leaving you looking at my "SHINY" license plate.

Now, if I was in the company of someone sitting in his house, furiously engaging in a letter-writing campaign to bring back "Space: Above and Beyond," (a show, which I loved, BTW), I might take a different view on the whole Kubler-Ross grieving thing...

Department of Redundancy Department

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:43 PM

SAMEERTIA

Noocyte,
I'm actually pleased and relieved that we have a psyche specialist on board. Congrats on the new practice! It's always so exciting when we can begin to follow our hearts in our callings. (now, if Adam Baldwin would just realize he needs a love slave....)

So, let me see if I understand the crux of the question-
You need ideas on how to bring social awareness to the forefront on issues of fandom and fan-phenonemon.

My first suggestion- Publish.
You know the words- publish or perish. Write an initial treatise or journal article on fandom as an important social structure in todays society, outlining the benefits of fandom in any specific area of psychology. OR write a book that actually focuses on fandom issues.
Get the intellectual community talking to build legitacy.
THEN focus on the individual aspects of dissecting the benefits and pitfalls of fandom in society.
(And we cannot pretend that in some fans, the fandom of choice can lead to dysfunctional lifestyles.)

Just my two cents worth. :)
(oh dear, a shrink that quotes Thomas Covenant?)

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 6:16 PM

HIXIE129

Physician heal thy self!

I like my pain, I need my pain, I want my pain.

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 7:21 PM

NOOCYTE

Quote:
Originally posted by Hixie129:
Physician heal thy self!

A work in progress, I assure you

Quote:
I like my pain, I need my pain, I want my pain.

"Life is pain...Anyone who says differently is selling something" -Dread Pirate Roberts.

Let's just go with paraphrasing Freud, who talked about boiling away the unnecessary, neurotic pain, and leaving behind good, honest, healthy human misery.

P.S. Hope you didn't delete the "get thee behind me Satan" line on my account; I kinda liked it.

Department of Redundancy Department

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 7:28 PM

HIXIE129

No, not on your account, it was my account,
did not think it was not called for.

If you rather I put it back in I will.

I need my pain, From a Star Trek Movie. Guess you didn't see it.

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 7:31 PM

NOOCYTE

Quote:
Originally posted by Rhyianan:
Doncoat:
I think it's not "getting over the geekiness" that this guy means, more of "integrating geekiness into being a social creature". At least that's what I get out of it.

Noocyte:
Personally, I don't really see a way you can advertise that without being labeled some type of weirdo by the general public. If you already have clients that are fans, then you could have them spread by word of mouth, but otherwise I can't be much help.

Rhyianan: Yup, that's exactly what I meant. Also, your point is well-taken about scaring off the 'danes. Way I'd been thinking about it was to omit or very much understate that aspect in my general advertising (such as here: http://classifieds.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=classifieds.viewAd
&classifiedID=1109966&catID=13&subCatID=141&Mytoken=953B8F36-CF6C-6BF9-690BA22B0C3376F913662455 --OY! That's a looooong URL!!--), and emphasize it in my outreach to more targeted Fannish circles. Still collatin' data there...

I do have a couple of clients who could be described as Fans...but it's kind of unethical to try and recruit them to spread the word (pesky ethics!). Now, they may choose to do this on their own, but I'm not real sanguine about encouraging them; kinda pollutes the work and muddies the relationship, if ya know what I mean.

Department of Redundancy Department

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 7:35 PM

NOOCYTE

Quote:
Originally posted by Hixie129:
No, not on your account, it was my account,
did not think it was not called for.

If you rather I put it back in I will.

I need my pain, From a Star Trek Movie. Guess you didn't see it.

D'OH!! I missed a Sybock reference! Some Fan-shrink I am!

Your call on the "Satan" bit; jes' lettin you know I wasn't offended.

Department of Redundancy Department

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 7:38 PM

HIXIE129

Thats good, I didn't mean to offend either.

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Monday, February 27, 2006 12:27 PM

NOOCYTE

Oh, blast! The Classified ad on myspace has been taken down for some reason. I've put a note in to find out what happened (since it's not like there was any objectionable content on it or anything!).

Just in case any of you tried to click on it and got the "no longer available" message. I'll update the link when/if I get an ad back up (cos I just know you were all on the edges of your seats

).

Thanks again for your shiny comments!

EDIT: Link fixed: ad back up.

Department of Redundancy Department

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Monday, February 27, 2006 4:58 PM

NINAH148

I'm a pediatric neuropsychologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. We're always looking for good places to refer our patients for individual therapy. Biggest needs I see include social skills training for adolescents, and someone familiar with trauma / chronic illness / cognitive sequelae of central nervous system dysfunction (e.g., family therapy after a car accident, coping with dialysis). Get on some insurance lists and advertise a specialization in adolescent issues and you should be fine. The fan stuff, sorry to say, comes across as flaky no matter how you spin it. To work with adolescents these days, you have to be pretty computer savvy (know about instant messaging, myspace, etc.) and kids in need of social skills training are particularly prone to making their social connections online. If you get up to speed on that stuff, I'm sure they'll appreciate it. Whatever your personality is, it will allow you to connect with clients, I don't think you need to gear your practice specifically to fandom. JMHO.

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Monday, February 27, 2006 6:30 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

My 16 year old daughter has mild Asparager's Syndrome and has an excellent adolescent psychologist.(For you that don't know the jargon-she has a collection of symptoms-ADHD, depression, major social problems, some autistic tendancies,among lots of other things and add a dash of obsessive compulsivity-for the best description read "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night" it's fiction but it's great).

She has had several obsessions-the latest and longest lasting is Japanese Anime-you might find that most kids with Asparger's go through this and you could build your practice on this.

They need lots of guidance on gettting along with others and not exclusively talking about their passion and avoiding other subjects- much like us Browncoats.

In fact, she was the one that dragged me not quite kicking to see Serenity and she gave me the best piece of advice that I've passed on before to all Browncoasts-She said "Mom, embrace your geekiness." She has embraced hers and now is trying to turn it into an asset.

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Monday, February 27, 2006 6:37 PM

NOOCYTE

Quote:
Originally posted by Ninah148:
I'm a pediatric neuropsychologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Great gig! Where did you train, if you don't mind my asking?

Quote:
We're always looking for good places to refer our patients for individual therapy.

I'm sure! The consequences of the sorts of things you deal with can be devastating.

Quote:
Biggest needs I see include social skills training for adolescents, and someone familiar with trauma / chronic illness / cognitive sequelae of central nervous system dysfunction (e.g., family therapy after a car accident, coping with dialysis).

I do some social skills training (reality-checking, reading social cues, communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, etc.), and I do have experiences with the cognitive remediation aspects of the sorts of massive system perturbations you describe. Actually did a fair bit of that back in grad school, at various placements, and some more in my first job (at the Communication Disorders Center of Mt. Sinai Medical Center, in NYC). Also did work with chronic pain patients. The main focus of my training, though, is of a more psychodynamic nature (I went to Widener's Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology, where I got my Psy.D. Not strictly Analytic, to be sure, but definitely toward that end of things). So, I can do the cognitive-behavioral stuff, but generally as an adjunct to the more dynamic work where my strengths lie. Scope of competence and all that.

Quote:
Get on some insurance lists and advertise a specialization in adolescent issues and you should be fine.

Actually, in keeping with the model of the practice where I've been for the last four years, I'm going strictly out-of-network. So, no lists. Some very fine work can be done within the fold of managed care, make no mistake. I just know that it's not amenable to the kind of practice I want to build. Alas, this means that I truly have to bust my hump with the practice-building, making connections with local schools, churches, Synagogues, parent organizations, doctors' offices, clubs, etc., etc. It's more labor intensive, but the end result will be a practice in which I'll feel more comfortable.

Quote:
The fan stuff, sorry to say, comes across as flaky no matter how you spin it.

I appreciate your candor. This is exactly the sort of cautionary note I need to hear from time to time, as my enthusiasm occasionally threatens to swamp my realism. Still and all, as I've said, my thought is to very carefully target the marketing I do which features the Fannish angle. NOT something with which I would go to a general parent group! Not at all out of place, though, at conventions, genre-related venues (e.g., Comic and hobby stores), meetings of SF societies, SF/fantasy readings at book stores, etc.

Actually, even in the general population, the notion can be floated in the proper context, methinks. Over on serenitmovie.org, someone very astutely suggested that I present my services as addressing the needs of "marginalized teens and adults." This is exactly the sort of thing I was envisioning, since it's sufficiently general that, in addition to Fen it could also address the occasional sk8r and goth, etc.

Quote:
To work with adolescents these days, you have to be pretty computer savvy (know about instant messaging, myspace, etc.)

Check (to a point; I really ought to teach myself HTML and get a bit more up to speed on the Gaming world).

Quote:
and kids in need of social skills training are particularly prone to making their social connections online. If you get up to speed on that stuff, I'm sure they'll appreciate it.

I quite agree, though I think that that segregation is beginning to dissolve at an accellerating rate, as computers and online resources continue to saturate the 'mainstream' culture and the "digital divide" becomes a thing of the past. In effect, it's not just the isolated Aspergers kid who'll find his power on the Web, it's also the lacrosse player whose little black book has morphed into his buddy list. Now, I would have the pleasure of being scorned by both the unpopular and the popular kids if I'm not up to speed!

Quote:
Whatever your personality is, it will allow you to connect with clients, I don't think you need to gear your practice specifically to fandom. JMHO.

Again, I'm all aware of the 'niche market' aspect of this, and not pinning my hopes on making it the entirety of my practice. To be fair, though, I have seen an advert for a shrink whose entire practice is geared to helping people deal with grief over the deaths of their pets. My hand to god. And good on her! She makes it work,provides an invaluable (if unconventional) service, and apparently makes a good living, while somehow avoiding (or at least finding a way not to be mortally hurt by) the inevitable cries of "flake."

Does this clarify what I'm picturing, or do you still think I'd alienate folks? Anyone else have an opinion on the matter?

Thanks again, Ninah148!

Department of Redundancy Department

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 12:29 PM

NOOCYTE

Quote:
Originally posted by ncbrowncoat:
My 16 year old daughter has mild Asparager's Syndrome and has an excellent adolescent psychologist.(For you that don't know the jargon-she has a collection of symptoms-ADHD, depression, major social problems, some autistic tendancies,among lots of other things and add a dash of obsessive compulsivity-for the best description read "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night" it's fiction but it's great).

Haven't read it, but it's now officially on The List. I'm delighted that you've found someone who works well with your daughter and yourself. It can be challenging work, but I've seen some really superb results (firsthand, in one case) with kids who struggle with Asperger's.

Quote:
She has had several obsessions-the latest and longest lasting is Japanese Anime-you might find that most kids with Asparger's go through this and you could build your practice on this.

I would consider myself lucky to have a few of these fascinating and clever souls land in my caseload!

Quote:
They need lots of guidance on gettting along with others and not exclusively talking about their passion and avoiding other subjects- much like us Browncoats.

Yah, I had a couple of Fannish clients during my grad training, and I found it supremely challenging not to constantly get drawn into rambling discussions on our shared interests. One of the things that comes with professional maturity, I suppose. The trick is to balance a genuine interest and attentiveness to what's important to the client (whatever it may be), with the overall goals of the work. One learns to listen with a 'third ear' for when these conversations are being used defensively.

Quote:
In fact, she was the one that dragged me not quite kicking to see Serenity and she gave me the best piece of advice that I've passed on before to all Browncoasts-She said "Mom, embrace your geekiness." She has embraced hers and now is trying to turn it into an asset.

This is really lovely! How lucky she is to have a parent who can mirror her interests like this. That last piece of advice is one which will feature prominently in the subtext of my work with Fannish clients. As with all things, though, balance is key.

Thanks for telling us about your daughter!!

Department of Redundancy Department

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 1:19 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

BTW I got the title of the book wrong. It's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Hadden. I just checked Amazon.

It was first published in Britain and recommened to me by a friend who had a daughter teaching school there and I read her copy before it was published here.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 2:37 PM

JOCKOCKEYOCK

Intriguing... your post was a bit long just skimmed it sorry, but I find it absolutely fascinating to have a Fan-friendly psychoanalyst or I guess rather psychologist.
(I would have read it fully if it got to the point before the gibberish)
Is it necessarily harmful to the psyche to wade in the depths of obscene isolation, finding yourself in an imaginary coexisting world to this “real life”?
I suppose I am not asking but trying to comprehend what issues that arise so fearfully in such fans that they need a psychologist.
I would rather wallow in my xenophobic life than to go seek help that I necessarily never needed.

The light is lost in the depth of shadow.
A glimmer of the crescent moon crossed the blinding dread of fear.
The smoke of death suffocates the barren land.
Leap out and live we the lost, but by the beat of a heart fight back.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 6:44 PM

NOOCYTE

Quote:
Originally posted by jockockeyock:
Intriguing... your post was a bit long just skimmed it sorry, but I find it absolutely fascinating to have a Fan-friendly psychoanalyst or I guess rather psychologist.
(I would have read it fully if it got to the point before the gibberish)

I'm flawed in that way. I sometimes go on. It's been said...

Quote:
Is it necessarily harmful to the psyche to wade in the depths of obscene isolation, finding yourself in an imaginary coexisting world to this “real life”?

The gods know, I'm the last person to presume to tell someone how to live their life (contrary to popular opinion, that's pretty much the opposite of what a well-trained {and well-adjusted} psychologist would do. Talk about disempowering!). However, some salient questions in this regard include: If isolation is experienced as "obscene," could it really be considered beneficial...at least in the long term (never one to deny a body a good wallow from time to time!)? Once the "finding yourself" part happens, what does one do with the Self that one finds? This isn't really the place for an essay on these subjects, though (indeed, I've probably gone too far in the answering of your rhetorical questions with more rhetorical questions

Quote:
I suppose I am not asking but trying to comprehend what issues that arise so fearfully in such fans that they need a psychologist.

At the risk of being tediously repetitive (a risk worth taking, considering the importance of the point) I'm not even remotely suggesting that there is anything Disordered about Fandom in itself (cos, like, where would that leave me?

). Rather, all the same sorts of issues which arise in the horticulture or automotive or derigible maintenance or any other community of humans will also arise among fans, and a clinician who is inclined and qualified to think inside of their reality can have a very beneficial effect...especially if they are accustomed to having that reality scoffed at or pathologized.

Quote:
I would rather wallow in my xenophobic life than to go seek help that I necessarily never needed.

'Kay.

Department of Redundancy Department

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Wednesday, March 1, 2006 8:40 AM

DONCOAT

Quote:
Originally posted by Noocyte:
I'm not even remotely suggesting that there is anything Disordered about Fandom in itself (cos, like, where would that leave me? ).

Convicted of Disorderly Conduct, perhaps?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't disagree on any particular point.

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Wednesday, March 1, 2006 9:36 AM

KELLYOFLUTHIEN

Is a lowly MSW with her BA in Psych allowed to be present here?

As a social worker, I do get to work with many marginalized youth (and their families!), and I understand where you are trying to head with your practice. Obviously there are many subcultures of adolescents today who could benefit from your practice. I am glad you are wanting to help them.

We both know that you are not suggesting that fandom in and of itself is a disorder that needs to be "cured," but I think the reactions you've gotten even on this very short thread will be typical of the reactions one would see out in the real world: regardless of whether you think it's a disorder, the general public is going to perceive it as such when your practice is geared toward that specific niche.

How to get over this hump? I'm not quite sure, but I'd like to reiterate what someone said above: I think it would be beneficial if you published some research about this genre. Yes, I know publishing sucks, but you yourself said that it was difficult to find any information in this field, so why not be the pioneer? Without something like research to fall back upon, I'm afraid people will look at your idea as somewhat flaky, even if it's a good idea.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love my Captain

Check out my Big Damn FF Icons at http://www.livejournal.com/community/bigdamnfficons/

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Wednesday, March 1, 2006 5:49 PM

HANSWURST

Hire a publicist, get yourself radio interviews.

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