December 1997
THE SCROOGE THEORY: Why Do (Some) People Hate the Holidays?
Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are joyful holidays -- a season of loving and giving. Why, then, do so many people hate the holidays?
"It's not the fault of the holidays," insists Mary C. Lamia, Ph.D., a member of the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute. "A lot of people just blame the holidays for something that's lacking inside themselves."
During this time of the year, Dr. Lamia and all the members of the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute find themselves as busy with patients as Santa's elves are with toys. Some other reasons for Scrooge-like feelings include:
"This is a good time to figure out what makes you unhappy," says Dr. Lamia. "Try to look inside and find out what you're missing in yourself, what makes you feel bogged down by the holidays. That may help make this a truly Happy New Year for you."
Dr. Mary Lamia and Dr. Mark I. Levy are available for media interviews on the topics of Scrooge-like behavior, holiday stress and challenging family gatherings. Please call Mary E. Tressel at: 800-260-2663 to arrange an interview.
Landmark Compensation for Traumatized Children- Over $201 Million
San Francisco, December 18, 1997 -- With a jury award in a civil court case last week, Gilbert Kliman, M.D. and the Psychological Trauma Center reached an historical landmark of $201 million in over 100 jury awards and settlements for traumatized children. Dr. Kliman's testimony against the Washington State Parole Board helped prove the agency neglected to properly monitor a sexual psychopath who subsequently raped and murdered a l7-year-old girl. The victim's family received a $6.3 million jury award.
"Many neglect and abuse cases benefit from psychoanalytic thinking," says Dr. Kliman, director of the Psychological Trauma Center and member of the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute. "Often, victims and their survivors require long-term psychotherapy to recover from the mental damage that has occurred due to the ordeal they have suffered.
"We are proud of the $201 million mark because it shows how vital psychoanalysis is to the complete rehabilitation of young trauma victims and their survivors," says Dr. Kliman.
The Psychological Trauma Center was established nine years ago to assist attorneys in obtaining justice for children through expert psychiatric evaluation and testimony. Dr. Kliman is a Harvard Medical Graduate, board-certified child psychiatrist and Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Kliman may be best known for his testimony in the Dallas trial which led to $119,000,000 verdict for 11 children molested by a priest.