Robert Aber: Chicago Psychologist - Treatment Approach & Focus, Qualifications & Background

The purpose of psychotherapy is to help people make meaningful changes.
A good therapist should be able to help his patients make immediate,
practical changes in themselves and their current lives that will reduce the
distress that has pushed them to look for treatment. Once that initial relief
is accomplished, the way is cleared to focus on the bigger-picture of a
patient's life - their beliefs and feelings about themselves and others, their
interpersonal style, the usual ways in which they protect themselves from
getting hurt, the influence of their childhood experiences, and many other
factors, including highlighting and using their hard-won strengths - with the
aim of bringing about lasting changes in quality of life. Psychotherapy thus
offers a wonderful opportunity to discover more about who we are and what
it is that we want and need from life and to help us feel compassion for
ourselves and find the courage to live more fully in the moment. It also
offers us the opportunity to grow and evolve in our relationships and feel
greater satisfaction in our lives.

I believe that therapy works best when it is tailored to the personality and
the individual needs of each patient. Rather than relying on just one of the
many modern approaches to psychotherapy, I pull from several disciplines,
including psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral, which I believe yields
faster and longer-lasting results. In my career I have treated, and helped,
people from all walks of life, stages of life, gender identities, education
levels, sexual orientations, diagnoses, personality styles and presenting
problems, and most religions, ethnicities, and races. I can say with
confidence that my deep experience will be of benefit to you if you decide
to take me on as your therapist.

My Background: I attended Cornell University as an undergraduate and
the University of Florida for graduate school. I came to Chicago in 1986 for
a Residency in Clinical Psychology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and
in 1989 completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Northwestern
University School of Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry. For several years
following the completion of my formal schooling, I was fortunate to be
invited to join a group of psychologists who met weekly with an eminent
psychoanalyst, Merton Gill, MD., to learn from him through the
presentation of our clinical work to the group.

Since 1989 I have been an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sciences at
Rush University Medical Center and have split my professional time
between my private practice and a position as a Staff Psychologist at the
Rush University Counseling Center. At Rush I have served as the Director
of the Outpatient Psychotherapy Service and have taught medical students
and residents on a wide range of subjects: personality theory,
psychodynamic therapy, psychoanalysis, interpretation of objective and
projective personality measures, etc. In addition, and most enjoyably, I
supervise the clinical work of Behavioral Sciences Residents and Fellows
eager to improve their skills as psychotherapists.

Qualifications

Education:
Undergraduate: Cornell University
Graduate: University of Florida
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology granted in 1988

Award:
Florence Schafer Memorial Award for
Excellence in Psychotherapy

Residency Training:
Northwestern Univ. Medical School

Post-Doctoral Fellowship:
Northwestern Institute of Psychiatry

Years in Practice: 20+

Professional Affiliations:
Asst. Professor, Rush University Medical
Center
Member, American Psychological Assoc.
Member, Illinois Psychological Association
Member, Chicago Assoc. for Psychoanalytic
Psychology

Treatment Focus

Ages Treated: 16+

Modalities:
Individual Psychotherapy
Couples Psychotherapy

Treatment Approaches Used:
Psychodynamic
Cognitive Behavioral
Interpersonal

Specialties:
Anxiety/Fears
Relationship Issues
Depression
Stress Management
Men's Issues
Anger Management
Impulse Control/Compulsions
Health/Medical Issues
Career Issues
Loss or Grief