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Diplomas / Degrees

M.A., Ph.D., Columbia University (1973)

Recent Courses

Clinical Practice III: Psychotherapy Practicum
Clinical Practice V I
Clinical Practice Vi
Clinical Practics III Psychotherapy Preaticum
Colloquium I
Coloquium II
Continuing Doctoral Thesis Supervision I
Continuing Doctoral Thesis Supervision III
Continuing Doctoral Thesis Supervision IV
Doctoral Thesis Supervision II
Human And Cognitive Behavior Approach To Psychotherapy
Human,Cognitive, Behavioral Methods In Psychotherapy
Humanistic,Cognitive, Behavioral Methods In Psychotherapy
Independent Study Anxiety And Memory
Independent Study Anxiety And Repression
Independent Study Custody Evaluation
Independent Study Defensiveness & Prejudice
Independent Study Examination Of Rorshach
Initial Intake Seminar I
Initial Intake Seminar II
Introduction To Counseling And Psychotherapy
Ongoing Dissertation Supervision
Ongoing Doctoral Thesis Supervision
Ongoing Doctoral Thesis Supervision
Psychological Research 1
Psychological Research II
Psychological Research III
Research Conference I

Personal Statement

I have broad intellectual interests and encourage students to be curious and to know the literature on whatever topic is of interest to them. I think that psychology is the most fun subject there is. I hope to convey my excitement. We are just now beginning to learn so much about conscious and unconscious feelings, thoughts and how these processes affect human behavior. I'd like to get you interested in the understanding of human beings, all that they do, and what leads them to behave the ways they do. But I have to admit, other primates are interesting, too! And I have two terrific sons, the best older brother in the world, and a husband who is the most interesting person I know.

Teaching Specializations / Interests

Theories of Therapeutic Action, Creativity, Unconscious Processes, the Self, Self-Defeating Behaviors, Gender and Race

Research Interests

My general interests include self-defeating behavior, change processes, and the self. I have also looked at the expectation of unpleasant events and choosing to suffer, areas that are again of interest with terrorism becoming so much part of our consciousness. With degrees in both clinical and social psychology, I am interested in both social realities and intrapsychic fantasies.

A major research interest lies in the area of the change processes in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. I have been interested in what specific interventions lead most frequently to change and what type of interventions patients find most helpful and hurtful. This research takes us beyond the general relationship factor and into the specific controversies of schools of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Specific interventions in supervision are also of interest.

Another research interest lies in the area of sado-masochism. In a sense, all problems in living can be examined by looking at the ways in which people are hurtful to themselves and others. Following Jessica Benjamin’s theory of masochism in women as a response to the father’s failure in his recognition of the desires of his daughters, we have developed a scale of “Recognition of Desires” that differentiates masochistic persons from non-masochistic persons and therapy patients from non-therapy patients. Because early relationships with parents play such a large role in personality development, I am also very interested in attachment styles.

Books

Showing first 5 of 6. View All

Willock, B, Curtis, R. C., & Bohm, L. C. (2009). Taboo or Not Taboo? Forbidden Thoughts, Forbidden Acts in Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy. London: Karnac.

Curtis, R. C. (2008). Desire, Self, Mind, and the Psychotherapies: Unifying Psychological Science and Psychoanalysis. Lanham: Jason Aronson, Rowman & Littlefield.

Willock, B., Bohm, LC, & Curtis, R. (2007). On Deaths and Endings: Psychoanalysts' Reflections on Finality, Transformations, and New Beginnings. NY: Routledge.

Curtis, R. C. (1991). The Relational Self: Theoretical convergences in Psychoanalysis and Social Psychology. New York: Guilford.

Curtis, R. C. & Stricker, G. (eds). (1991). How People Change: Inside & Outside Therapy. NY: Plenum.

Book Chapters

Showing first 5 of 6. View All

Curtis, R. (2009). What is Taboo and Not Taboo. In Willock, B., Curtis, R. &Bohm, L. C (Eds.). Taboo or Not Taboo. (pp. ). London: Karnac.

Curtis, R. C. (2007). On the Death of My Analyst Stephen Mitchell. In Willock. B., Bohm, L, & Curtis, R. C (Eds.). On Deaths & Endings. (pp. 293-302). NY: Routledge.

Curtis, R. C. (2006). Chum, Imagery, Interpersonal Psychoanalysis, Masochism, Selective Inattention, Self-System, Stephen A. Mitchell. In R. Skelton (Eds.). The Edinburgh International Encyclopaedia of Psychoanalysis. (pp. ).

Curtis, R. C. & Qaiser, M. (2005). The Training Analysis: Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Research. In J. Geller, D. Orlinsky, & J. C. Norcross (Eds.). The Psychotherapy of Psychotherapists. (pp. ). New York: Oxford University Press.

Shefet, O. & Curtis, R. C. (2005). Termination. In G. Koocher & J. Norcross (Eds.). Psychologists' Desk Reference. (pp. ). New York: Oxford University Press.

Recent Articles

Showing first 5 of 16. View All

Curtis, R., Winarick, Daniel. (2008, 1). Unifying psychoanalysis and developmental psychology: A review of Attachment and Sexuality. psycCRITIQUES 53 (11)

Curtis, R. (2007, 11). Self-Defeating Behavior. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences

Curtis, R. (2007, 2). A little night science: Review of. Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 43

Curtis, R. (2007, 1). Psychoanalytic Training: Is there any need for change?. Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 43, 135-140

Curtis, R. C. (2006, 1). Separating the Baby of change from the Backwater of Theoretical Context. PsycCritiques, 51

Invited Presentations and Lectures

Curtis, Rebecca Coleman (01 June 2009). Unconscious Processes: Unifying Psychological Science and Psychoanalysis. Hebrew University, Jersualem, Israel

Curtis, Rebecca Coleman (01 January 2009). The New Experiences and New Meanings of Experiences Model of Change. William Alanson White Institute, New York, NY

Curtis, R (07 January 2008). Relational Psychoanalysis. National Conference of the Indian Council of Clinical Psychologists

Conference Presentations and Papers

Showing first 5 of 22. View All

Curtis, R. C. (01 October 2009). The toleration of extreme inequality. Association for the Psychoanalytic Study of Culture and Society,, Rutgers Univ., New Burnswik, NJ

Curtis, RC (01 April 2009). Our civilization and Its Discontents. Psychoanalytic Spring Meeting, APA, San Antonio, TX

Curtis, RC (01 April 2009). Desire, Self, Mind and the Psychotherapies. Annual Spring Meeting of Psychoaanlytic Division, APA, San Antonio, TX

Curtis, RC (01 April 2009). Bridging the Gap: Reconnecting Psychoanalysis and Psychological Science. Annual Spring Meeting of the Psychoanalytic Division (39) of APA , San Antonio, TX

Sullivan, K. M. & Curtis, R.C. (01 January 2009). Alexythymia, Dreams & Physcial Health. Emotions Pre-Conference, Society of Social and Personality Psychology, Tampa, Fla

Other Scholarly / Artistic Work

Dr. Curtis has published three books, over 50 articles, chapters, and reviews, presented papers on four continents, and appeared on TV seven times. She is an APA spokesperson to the media and serves on the NGO for Mental Health advisory to the UN. Some recent, selected publications titles appear below:

Curtis, R. C. (2009) Reflections: What is Taboo and Not Taboo in Psychoanalysis? In Willock,B., Curtis, R. C.& Bohm, L. Taboo or Not Taboo. NY: Karnac

Curtis, R. C. Self-defeating Behaviors. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences

Curtis, R. C. (Exec. Ed.). (2006). The Edinburgh International Encyclopaedia of Psychoanalysis (R. M. Skelton, Ed). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Honors and Accomplishments

President, W. A. White Society, 2002-2003
Director of Research, W. A. White Institute of Psychoanalysis, Psychiatry, and Psychology

Gradiva Award Winner, 2008

Professional Activities

Organizing Committee, "Loneliness & Yearnings" conference, Vancouver, 2008,
Organizing Commitee, Spring 2005 meeting of Psychoanalytic Division of APA
Organizer, "Power and Its Discontents", Cape Town, South Africa, 2005
Organizer, NY Chapter, Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration
Organizer, "Deaths, Endings and New Beginnings", Trinity College, Dublin 2002
Organizer, Derner Centennial Conference on Consciousness: Perspectives from Psychoanalysis, Psychology, and Philosophy
Editorial Board, Contemporary Psychoanalysis
Reviewer, Psychoanalytic Psychology
Reviewer, Contemporary Psychology
American Psychological Association
Society for Psychotherapy Research
International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy
Organizing Committee, "From Despair to Repair: Psychoanalysis and the Arts," April, 2004. NYC

Community and Corporate Leadership

NGO Advisory to the UN on Mental Health
NGO Advisory to the UN on the Status of Women

Television Appearances:

(April, 1999)Channel 6 Tokyo. "Believing Another Person Likes or Dislikes You: Behaviors Making the Beliefs Come True."

(April 21, 1999) Metro Psych on Channel 77, NY area on sexual addiction

(June 13, 1997) Fox on Psychology TV regarding work and the effects on women's psychological and physical health, New York City.

(June 18, 1997) Fox News TV on beauty and women, the importance and consequences of the pursuit of physical attractiveness, New York City.

(January, 1990). New Year's Resolutions, Tips on changing for keeps. Channel 2 News, New York City.

Violence and Aggression (February, 1989), The Melba Toliver Show, Channel 12, Long Island.

Self-Defeating Behaviors (September, 1989), Channel 12 News, Long Island.

Licenses & Certifications

Psychologist, New York State