Dr. Sommer Anderson, a licensed psychologist (NY State 005532-1),
holds a Certificate of Specialization in Psychoanalysis from the
New York
University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.
She is also a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), certified by the
Somatic
Experiencing Trauma Institute. She has expertise in treating people with back pain
and other medical conditions, physical disability, and trauma.
Select any of the interests below to learn more about Frances Sommer Anderson, Ph.D.
- Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute™ 10/11:
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP)
- New York University Postdoctoral Training Program in
Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis
6/99: Certificate of Specialization in Psychotherapy and
Psychoanalysis
- Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, New York University
Langone Medical Center
9/75 - 2/76: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Child Psychology
9/74 - 8/75: APA-approved Clinical Psychology Internship
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- 1975: Ph.D. Psychology, Brown University
- 1972: M.A. Psychology, Brown University
- 1970: Psychology, Mercer University, summa cum laude
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- Private Practice
1978 - Present: Individual psychotherapy and
psychoanalysis with adults; specialization in treatment
of musculoskeletal pain and other stress-related medical
conditions: treatment of trauma
- Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, New York
University Langone Medical Center
3/77 - 9/87: Senior Clinical Psychologist
2/76 - 3/77: Staff Psychologist
- Clinical Services
* Psychodiagnostic evaluations, intensive individual and
group psychodynamic psychotherapy with patients with
psychophysiological pain syndrome.
* Psychotherapy with individuals with neurological
impairment.
* Responsible for service delivery to children,
adolescents and adults in outpatient neuromuscular
disease clinic.
- Clinical Research
* Prepared and implemented grant proposals to study
sexuality and disability, impact of childhood disability
on the family, and correlates of intellectual
functioning in adolescents with muscular dystrophy.
* Devised structured clinical interview, which I used as
clinical research instrument to assess sexual practices
and problems of people with neuromuscular disease.
* Devised structured clinical interview, which I used to
assess impact of childhood muscular dystrophy on the
family.
* Conducted study to assess extent to which intellectual
functioning is correlated with anxiety and depression in
adolescents with Duchenne's type muscular dystrophy.
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- Faculty Appointments
* National Institute for the Psychotherapies
Training Institute
9/00 - Present: Supervising Faculty
9/99 - Present: Teaching Faculty
* City University of New York, Clinical Psychology
Doctoral Program
9/91 - 9/09: Adjunct Clinical Supervisor
*
New York University Medical School, Department of
Psychiatry
9/89-7/10: Clinical Assistant Professor
(part-time)
* Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, New York
University Langone Medical Center
9/85 - 8/87: Director, Clinical Psychology Intern
Training Program (APA approved)
7/83 - 8/85: Co-Director, Clinical Psychology Intern
Training Program (APA approved)
2/76 - 8/87: Individual supervision of psychology
interns' psychodiagnostic work and psychotherapy,
psychotherapy seminar for psychology interns,
in-service seminars for interdisciplinary staff.
* New School for Social Research, Department of
Psychology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
9/85 - 8/87: Clinical Associate: Supervision of
clinical psychology externs.
* New York University Department of Educational
Psychology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
9/79 - 1/80: Adjunct Assistant Professor
* "Psychosocial Aspects of Physical Disability"
New York University Post: Graduate Medical Workshop
1/21/77 and 12/7/78: "Psychosocial Problems of
Patients with Neuromuscular Disease"
- Recent Courses--Psychoanalytic
* "Using the Therapist's Bodily Experience"
Psychotherapy Seminar for Clinical Psychology
Interns, Bellevue 3/12 and 3/19/08
* Committee on Psychoanalysis and Health Care,
Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of the American
Psychological Association
* "Treating Trauma: An Integrative Perspective":
Co-Instructor, National Institute for the
Psychotherapies, New York City, November 2003 -
February 2004
* "Bodies in the Analytic Process": Elective course
for 4th-year analytic candidates, National Institute
for the Psychotherapies, New York City, fall
semester 2002.
* "Relational Perspectives on the Body": Elective
course for 4th- year analytic candidates, National
Institute for the Psychotherapies, New York City,
fall semester, 1999
- Recent Courses-Rehabilitation Medicine
* "Enhancing the Therapist-Client Relationship"
In-Service Seminar for H&D Physical Therapy, March
25, 2005.
* "The Impact of Trauma." Level I Yoga Teacher
Training Seminar, Yoga Zone. New York City, December
2000.
* "Exploring the Yoga Teacher-Student Relationship."
"Contemporary Models of Pain." Level I Yoga Teacher
Training Seminar, Yoga Zone, New York City, December
2000.
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- Chair, Recruitment Committee, New York University Postdoctoral
Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, 2002-03 Academic Year
- Co-Director, Invited Panels for Core Planning Committee, 22nd Annual
Spring Meeting of the Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of the American
Psychological Association, New York City, April, 2002.
- Candidate Member, Executive Committee of the Relational Orientation
Track, New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and
Psychoanalysis, 1995-1997.
- Candidate Member, Clinic Committee, New York University
- Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psycho-analysis, 1996-1997.
- Co-Founding Member, National Mental Health Forum, 1995-96.
- Candidate Member, New York University Postdoctoral Program in
Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis Senate, 1993-1995.
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- Anderson, F.S. (2009) Experiencing Embodiment: A review of
Embodiment: Creative Imagination in Medicine, Art, and Travel
by Robert Bosnak. New York: Routledge, 2007. Contemporary
Psychoanalysis, 45:150-153.
- Bringing the Body into the Work." The Bulletin of the
Association of Child Psychotherapists, Issue No. 185,
February 2008, pp. 15-20
-
Anderson, F. S., ed. (July 2007), Bodies In Treatment: The
Unspoken Dimension. New York: The Analytic Press. (Download
PDF Brochure)
- Anderson, F.S. (2007) "At a loss for words and feelings: A
psychoanalyst reflects on experiencing bodywork" In Bodies
in Treatment: The Unspoken Dimension.
- Aron, L. & Anderson, F.S. (2004) Il corpo nella
prospettiva relazionale. Bari-Roma: La Biblioteca.
Translated by Arnetoli, C. & Pacifici, M.P.
-
Anderson, F. S. & Gold, J. (2003) Introduction to Trauma,
Dissociation, and Conflict: The space where neuroscience,
cognitive science, and psychoanalysis overlap, Psychoanalytic
Psychology, 20(3): 536-541
-
Anderson, F. S. (2001) "No matter how hard I try, I can't get
through to you!!: Dissociated affect in a stalled enactment. In:
Hungers and Compulsions: Contemporary Perspectives in the
Psychoanalytic Treatment of Eating Disorders and Addictions,
ed. J. Petrucelli and C. Stuart. Northvale, N. J.: Jason
Aronson.
- Aron, L. & Anderson, F.S., eds. (1998) Relational
Perspectives on the Body. Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic
Press.
- Anderson, F. S. (1998), Psychic elaboration of
musculoskeletal back pain: Ellen's story. In: Relational
Perspectives on the Body,
Aron, L. & Anderson, F.S., eds. (1998) Hillsdale, NJ: The
Analytic Press, pp.287-322.
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- Anderson, F. S. (1988), Psychosexual issues in
rehabilitation. In: Rehabilitation Medicine, ed. J. Goodgold. St. Louis: C.V. Mosby.
- Feinblatt, A., Anderson, F. S. and Gordon, W.
(1986), Psychosocial and vocational considerations.
In: Principles of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation in Musculoskeletal Diseases, ed. J.
C. Leek, M. E. Gershwin, and W .M. Fowler. New York:
Grune & Stratton.
- Anderson, F. (1984), Sexual problems of patients
with neuromuscular disease. Medical Aspects of Human
Sexuality, 18 (11).
- Anderson, F. and Bardach, J. L. (1983), Sexuality
and neuromuscular disease: A pilot study.
International Rehabilitation Medicine, 5: 2l-26.
- Anderson, F., Bardach, J. L., and Goodgold, J.
(1979), Sexuality and Neuromuscular Disease,
Monograph #56. New York: Institute of Rehabilitation
Medicine.
- Bardach, J. L. and Anderson, F. (1979), Sexual
therapy in rehabilitation. In: Current Perspectives
in Rehabilitation Nursing, ed. R. Murray and J.
Kijek. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby.
- Anderson, F. (1977), Sexuality in muscular
dystrophy and related disorders. Archives of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Abstracts.
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- "Exploring the Analyst's Bodily Response to
Traumatic Narratives" on the panel Psychoanalysis at
the Extremes of Human Experience. Annual Meeting of
the American Psychological Association/Division of
Psychoanalysis (39), Boston, MA, August 14-17, 2008
- "Experiencing the Complexity of Somatic Pain."
Living With Medical Conditions Study Group at
William Alanson White Institute, New York City, June
12, 2008.
- Meet the Author Panel for "Bodies in Treatment: The
Unspoken Dimension." 28th Annual Spring Meeting of
the Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of the American
Psychological Association, New York City, April 12,
2008.
- "When the Analyst Changes Her Face: Speaking, and
Not Speaking, About Plastic Surgery" on the Steering
Committee Invited Roundtable Discussion: Just Ask
Already! Talking About the Analyst's Physical Self.
28th Annual Spring Meeting of the Division of
Psychoanalysis (39) of the American Psychological
Association, New York City, April 12, 2008.
- "Knowing What You Know, and Don't Want to Know,
About Your Patient's Body" Invited Experiential
Demonstration at the 28th Annual Spring Meeting of
the Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of the American
Psychological Association, New York City, April 11,
2008.
- "Sensing the Other: Using the Therapist's Bodily Experience in Treatment." ® Invited Presenter at the
National Institute for the Psychotherapies Training
Institute Trauma Program Colloquium, New York City,
February 13, 2008.
- "Experiencing Body Transference and
Countertransference." Panelist for Independent Track
Colloquium, NYU Postdoctoral Program in
Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, New York City,
November 30, 2007.
- "Experiencing and Regulating the Bodily Impact of
Pain Memories" on the Panel: Psychoanalysis at the
Extremes of Human Experience at the Association for
the Psychoanalysis of Culture and Society
Conference: Hope for Hard Times: Anxiety,
Alienation, and Activism. Rutgers University, New
Jersey, November 4, 2007.
- "Pain and Trauma: Experiencing the Relational
Dimension." Trauma Seminar Series Saturday Seminars,
NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and
Psychoanalysis, New York City, September 29, 2007.
- "Body Transference and Countertransference." Master
Class Panelist, Division of Psychoanalysis (39),
American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada,
April 17, 2007.
- "Sensing the Other: A Visceral and Conceptual
Exploration of the Analyst’s Bodily Experience."
Keynote Speaker, NYU Postdoctoral Program Annual
Research Conference "Minding the Body," Lakeville,
CT, November 3-5, 2006.
- "'I Can't Believe I Did That!': When Medical
Conditions Strain the Frame." Panelist: "The
Analyst's Vulnerability: When Psychoanalysis Meets
Medical Illness." Division of Psychoanalysis (39),
American Psychological Association, New York City,
April 14, 2005.
- "Working with Patients with Chronic Illness and
Medical Dilemmas." Panelist, Task Force in
Psychoanalysis and Health Care. Division of
Psychoanalysis (39) of the American Psychological
Association, New York City, April 14, 2005.
- "The Analyst's Bodily Experience: A Visceral and
Conceptual Exploration." Continuing Education
Seminar: "Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Attachment
and the Body: One Hundred Years after Freud."
National Association for the Advancement of
Psychoanalysis, New York City, April 2, 2005.
- "From 'I Fall to Pieces' to 'Wide Open Spaces':
Experiencing a Forty-Year Evolution of Women's
Desire in Country and Western Music." William
Alanson White Psychoanalytic Institute Conference:
"Longing: Psychoanalytic Musings on Desire." New
York City, October 2004.
- "Somatic Awareness in the Analytic Process: An
Experiential Demonstration." Clinical Case
Conference, William Alanson White Institute, New
York City, March 4, 2003.
- "Other Ways of Knowing: Somatic Awareness in the
Analytic Process." New York University Postdoctoral
Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis,
Lakeville, CT, November 15, 2002.
- "Constructing Pain: An Experiential Clinical
Demonstration." Panel on "Can a Psychoanalytic
Clinician Treat Pain?" Division of Psychoanalysis
(39, American Psychological Association, New York
City, April 11, 2002.
- "Trauma, Dissociation, and Conflict: The Space Where
Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, and Psychoanalysis
Overlap." Panel Co-chair, Division of Psychoanalysis
(39). American Psychological Association, New York
City, April 12, 2002.
- "Meet the Author." Moderator, On Moving and Being
Moved, by Frances La Barre. Division of
Psychoanalysis(39), American Psychological
Association, New York City, April 12, 2002.
- "Musculoskeletal Pain and Affect: Embodying Steven,"
Suffolk Institute for Psychotherapy and
Psychoanalysis Conference: "The Mind Has a Body of
Its Own: Clinical Perspectives." Huntington, New
York, November 6, 1999.
- "No Matter How Hard I Try, I Can't Get Through to
You!" Panel: "On Being Stuck: Enactments, Mutuality,
and Self-Regulation with Eating-Disordered
Patients." William Alanson White Institute
Conference on Hungers and Compulsions: Contemporary
Perspectives in the Psychoanalytic Treatment of
Eating disorders and Addictions. New York City,
October 30, 1999.
- "Meet the Author" (panel) with
Lewis Aron, editors, on
Relational
Perspectives on the Body. Meeting of Division of
Psychoanalysis (39) of the American Psychological
Association, New York City, April 15, 1999.
- "Musculoskeletal Pain and Affect: A Psychoanalytic
Formulation," Psychology Department In-Service
Conference, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York City,
February 16, 1999.
- "Trauma, Affect, and Musculoskeletal Pain" Grand
Rounds, Middletown Psychiatric Center, Middletown,
New York, December 16, 1998.
- "Musculoskeletal Pain: A Psychoanalytically Informed
Treatment Approach" (panel) International Federation
for Psychoanalytic Education Conference": "How Will
the Body Speak in the 21st Century?" New York City,
November 6, 1998.
- "Body in Process" (panel) International Federation
for Psychoanalytic Education Conference: "How Will
the Body Speak in the 21st Century?" New York City,
November 6, 1998.
- "Musculoskeletal Pain and Dissociated Affect:
Staying Alive with Mrs. R." Clinical Case
Conference. The William Alanson White Institute, New
York City, June 16, 1998.
- "Musculoskeletal Back Pain and Affect." In-service
Seminar, Department of Psychology, Bellevue
Hospital, New York City, May 14, 1998.
- "Musculoskeletal Pain and Dissociated Affect:
Staying Alive with Mrs. R." Panel on "The Relational
Construction of the Body," with
Lewis Aron Manhattan Institute of
Psychoanalysis, New York City, March 6, 1998.
- "Psychic Elaboration of Chronic Physical Pain and
Suffering in an Analytic Dyad." Panel on "Creating
Analytic Space for Bodily Experience, " with Ron
Balamuth, Ph.D., and Tamsin Looker, Ph.D., April 18,
1996 at Annual Conference of Division of
Psychoanalysis (39) of the American Psychological
Association, New York City.
- "Trauma, Affect and the Body." Panel "Working Close
to the Body in Psychoanalysis," with Ron Balamuth,
Ph.D., and Tamsin Looker, Ph.D. Annual Research
Conference of the New York University Postdoctoral
Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis,
September 24, 1994.
- "Therapeutic Work with Malignant Regression: Case
Presentation." New York University Postdoctoral
Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, New
York City. April 26, 1992.Discussant: Harold
Stewart, M.D., London, England.
- "An Approach to Treatment of Psychophysiological
Disorders" In-Service Seminar, Department of
Psychology, Bellevue Hospital, New York City.
October 26, 1989.
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- "Pain: A Biopsychosocial Approach." Department of
Rehabilitation Medicine, In-Service Conference, St.
Vincent's Medical Center, New York City, March 23,
2000.
- "Pain: A Biopsychosocial Approach" Department of
Rehabilitation, In-Service Conference, Medicine-St.
Vincent's Medical Center, New York City, May 28,
1999.
- "Treatment of Musculoskeletal Pain." In-Service
Seminar with Arlene Feinblatt, Ph.D. and Eric
Sherman, Psy.D. Department of Psychology, Bellevue
Hospital, New York City, May 16, 1996.
- "Medical Illness and Physical Disability:
Psychotherapy Considerations." Workshop on February
7, 1995, with Eric Sherman, Psy.D. and Arlene
Feinblatt, Ph.D. New York State Psychological
Association, New York City.
- Panelist with Leonard Diller, Ph.D., Division 22
Symposium on Critical Issues in Training
Rehabilitation Psychologist: Where are we going?
-"Internship as a Learning Experience." Annual
Convention of the American Psychological
Association. August 30, 1987, New York City.
- "Chronic Conditions and Disability-Neuromuscular
Disease." Panelist, 29th Health Forum of the
National Health Council. March 18-19, 1981, New York
City.
- Interviewed on radio program, "In Touch." Topic:
"Sexuality and Disability, " November 1980.
- Interviewed on Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for
Muscular Dystrophy. September 1980.
- Consultant for "Experience in Independent
Recreation." Planned and participated in one-week
experimental recreation program funded by the
regional office of Muscular Dystrophy Association.
June 1980.
- The American Heart Association, Nassau Chapter.
Symposium on Stroke Care: "Sexual Counseling of the
Stroke Patient, " March, 1980.
- "Issues in Sexual Counseling of the Congenitally
Disabled." Symposium on Sexuality and Disability.
American Psychological Association meeting,
September 1979.
- Interview on "Roundtable, " United Press
International Radio Broadcast. Topic: "Psychological
Problems of People with Muscular Dystrophy." August
1978.
- Poster Presentation: "A Study of Sexuality in
Muscular Dystrophy and Related Disorders." November
1, 1977, Annual Session of the American Congress of
Rehabilitation Medicine, Bal Harbor, Miami, Florida.
- "Study of Sexuality in Patients with Muscular
Dystrophy." Symposium on "Some Current Work on
Sexuality in the Disabled: Clinical, Training and
Research Aspects, " September 27, 1977, Annual
Convention of the American Psychological
Association, San Francisco, California.
- "Delineation and Treatment of Sexuality in the
Physically Disabled: Results of a Pilot Study of
Sexuality in Muscular Dystrophy and Related
Disorders, " April 27, 1977, Annual Conference of
the Association of Sex Therapists and Counselors,
Charleston, South Carolina.
- "Sexual Concerns." Symposium on "Advances in
Neurological Nursing," The Mount Sinai Hospital
School of Continuing Education in Nursing. December
3, 1977.
- "Results of a Pilot Study of Sexuality in Muscular
Dystrophy and Related Disorders, " April 16, 1977,
Seminar for family members and patients with
muscular dystrophy, Yonkers Rehabilitation Center
and West Iowa Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy
Association, Des Moines.
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