Peter Bishop, Ph.D.
Locations: Northampton, MA | Beacon, NY
In the course of doing my job as a therapist I’ve heard the comment many times, “I couldn’t do what you do, sit and listen to people’s problems all day.” But that’s like telling a carpenter, “I couldn’t do what you do, sit and look at broken down houses all day.” That’s not what carpenters do. They collaborate with home owners to restore the integrity of damaged or outworn structures. And that’s pretty much how I approach my practice.
Working with individuals retains its energy and fascination for me (after almost thirty years) because I continually get to witness the best side of people. Certainly there is sadness and pain, but my clients’ striving, determination, earnestness and even humor make this work so compelling. It’s not hard to like people when you see things from their side, and also come to know the wounds and pain they have so often deeply internalized.
Transformational change usually requires a new kind of learning: finding new patterns of thinking to alleviate anxiety; mobilizing resources to move out from under depression; developing new ways of communicating in order to enrich relationships; or activating a major shift in one’s self view. This process involves continuous expansion and learning for both patients and therapists. I’m moved by the challenge of helping a person undertake such an important change. It is the kind of evolution of thought and feeling we are meant to do and that I have come to feel I am made for.
Client Testimonials
I can’t express how amazing and helpful Peter was in my EMDR intensive. I could not recommend this more. I’ve done years and years of therapy and with just 3 days with Peter the weight has been lifted from me. The importance of reorganizing memories cannot be understated. I am so grateful for this.
I was surprised that my recent retreat brought more healing than I even expected! Dr. Peter is a rare and highly gifted psychologist, in my opinion. He is so skilled that I felt better after 3 days then after one year of weekly CBT with a good psychologist. He isn’t just a good psychologist; he is a phenomenal one. His style is easy, non-judgmental, collaborative, and most importantly compassionate. But there is more than that.
Dr. Peter stands out because he works so hard behind the scenes, yet the time goes quickly, and he is masterful at helping the process be beneficial without becoming overwhelming. It feels very comprehensive! The office time feels like a time-warp where a day feels like several minutes, but you feel like years of healing were accomplished. He facilitates the process of the mind healing itself, like nothing I have experienced before.
Dr. Peter is intuitive and can track details while keeping concepts and the big picture in his mind for the entire time. He pulls out just the right details when needed.
This retreat far exceeded my expectations and I feel very different than after traditional therapy. Difficult memories hold less power and feel distant. Recalling them is less compelling and intrusive or if I do, I feel a strength in myself to handle it that was not there before. Previous triggers feel less powerful.
Dr. Peter has a rare gift both with his technical evidenced-based expertise and also just how compassionate and intuitive he is. He makes well-placed comments and organizes the time masterfully. I am beyond grateful for this amazing opportunity. As a mental health professional, myself, I can say with confidence that this is the real deal. This was both a mount Everest experience and a gentle nature walk.
Life throws many of us some difficult memories. Dr. Peter helped me see, feel and know that complex traumatic memories don’t have the last word in how I feel or live my life. A big thank you to Dr. Peter for becoming an Intensive Therapy EMDR / IFS specialist and sharing his gifts with me.