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Part 1:  Dr. Eric Riss    Part 2: Dr. Miriam Riss

PART 1:

New York Psychologist Eric Riss, Ph.D., founded and currently directs Natural Psychotherapy International together with his wife, Dr. Miriam Riss.

Dr. Eric Riss received his doctorate from New York University and is licensed as psychologist in NY State and in the state of New Jersey.

He is in the practice of natural therapy, couples therapy, family therapy and hypnotherapy in New York City.

Dr. Riss is Board Certified in Psychotherapy by the American Board of Psychotherapy.

He is a member of the American Academy of Psychotherapy and the Academy of Family Psychology. He is also a Life Member of the National Psychological Honors Society Psi Chi.

While on the faculty of Cornell-Weil University Medical College and on the attending staff of the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic of the New York Presbyterian Hospital - Cornell Medical Center as psychotherapist, marriage counselor and family therapist, Dr. Riss worked with outpatients as well as hospitalized in-patients.

He worked with and helped individuals with severe anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive patterns ("OCD"), eating and weight issues, sexual preoccupations and problems. He also worked with and helped  "patients diagnosed" (that is, labeled ) schizophrenic, bipolar, clinically depressed or manic. 

While on the attending staff of the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic, he supervised psychology interns and psychiatric residents in general psychotherapy as well as couples therapy, sex therapy, marriage counseling and family therapy.

It was then, over 30 years ago, while Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in Psychology at Cornell University Medical College, that he started to develop the theoretical ideas underlying natural psychotherapy. That was also the first time he started to treat severely distressed people and their families without medication and became the originator of natural psychotherapy - a holistic and dynamic treatment approach he and Dr. Miriam Riss have continued to develop over the years.

Also, as Director of the NY Marriage and Family Life Institute and as Chief Psychologist of the Artists, Writers and Performers Psychotherapy Center in New York, he helped creative and very troubled individuals, couples and families to improve their relationships, their personal lives and their productiveness as creative artists, writers and performers.

While Chief Psychologist in the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry at Fordham Hospital in New York City, he did psychotherapy with patients who had actual neurological organic brain damage or physiologically caused biochemical imbalances and enhanced his knowledge of differentiating between the problems of actual physical disorders and psychosocial problems in living.

Dr. Riss also has taught the Psychology of Criminal Behavior at the City University of New York. And for over three decades he has been doing individual and couples therapy with police, FBI, CIA, and other law enforcement officers who had been exposed to emotional upheaval and trauma in their work. 

He also was Senior Clinical Psychologist at the NYC Diagnostic Center at Riker's Island Penitentiary and the Women's House of Detention in New York, where he helped incarcerated general offenders as well as sex offenders with their general psychosocial problems, with the serious drug addiction problems many had and with the alienation from their authentic values which most experienced.

During and after the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster Dr. Riss did extensive natural therapy with people who had been traumatized by the September 11 events in New York City - both in his regular practice and as Volunteer at the Headquarters of the 107th Corps Support Group of the New York National Guard.

In the event of public health emergencies, he is currently available as registered Volunteer of New York Health Preparedness Team of the Medical Reserve Corps of New York City's Department of Mental Hygiene.  

Dr. Riss was a member for 20 years and served as Chair for 10 years of the Colleague Assistance and Professional Development Program of the New York State Psychological Association.

He is past president of the New York State Marriage, Family and Child Counseling Association and also belongs to the American Psychological Association, the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology, the International Society for the Psychological Treatments of the Schizophrenias and other Psychoses and MindFreedom International. He is also a supporter of and active in the world-wide anti-psychiatry movement.

Dr. Riss is NGO Representative to the United Nations for MindFreedom International.

He has been a member of the United Nations NGO Committee on Mental Health and its Working Group on Children as well as its Human Rights Working Group. 

He is active in supporting human and civil rights of hospitalized persons with serious psychological problems throughout the world. 

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Part 2: Dr. Miriam Riss

Miriam Riss, Psya.D., psychoanalyst and natural therapist, is an Associate of Dr. Eric Riss. They are married, have three children, six grandchildren, and live in Manhattan and Avon-by-the Sea.

They both have full-time therapy practices in New York City and are co-directors of Natural Psychotherapy, International.  She is licensed as a psychoanalyst in New York State, and practices as psychoanalyst, natural therapist, couples therapist, family therapist, play therapist and group therapist.

Dr. Riss has worked extensively with artists, writers and other talented but emotionally tortured individuals.

She also has extensive experience and enjoys working with creative children and adolescents. 

Dr. Riss believes that talk - and laughter - are the best medicine.

For an appointment with Dr. Miriam Riss, please phone 212-737-7683.

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