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.
So much has changed in my life! I feel free from so much trauma. I have more time In the day as I’m not bogged down with negative, self destructive thoughts. I am so grateful!
I went to Bambi to work on my issue with rage. Five days later I had a solid handle on how and why my rage existed and coping methods to use if it pops up again. And I was able to unload a great deal of trauma memories that needed to be cleaned up. I feel much lighter having resolved many of these memories. It amazes me that I now have extra time in my day as I’m not protecting myself from those hurtful memories.
The best part of Bambi was how patiently she kept redirecting my thoughts and reactions back to the subject at hand. Bambi allowed my imagination to create alternative endings to such sad experiences in my life. Bambi has changed my life in such a positive way. I am forever grateful.
It could not have been another way. It was total purification. I was reborn.
Thank You Bambi for your love, kindness and knowledge with all my heart to help me in one of the most challenging times in my life.
After the first session I experienced a strange tingling sensation running from my brain all the way down through my legs to my feet. It felt as if my brain was reconnecting to parts of my body that had been disconnected all my life. I then had a series of quite severe Lyme die-offs and I lost a great deal of my anxiety and depression and I thought this is what she meant by “opening up my life”. It was wonderful but the best was yet to come. Just after the beginning of Covid and before our last retreat I received a phone call from the sister of a woman that I had worked for over twenty years ago which resulted in me acquiring my absolute dream job, the one I had abandoned in childhood.
I believe that the therapy removed the trauma-induced blockages in my brain so that its immune system could deal with the Lyme and I now have more energy than I have ever had in my life. I am not as anxious as I was and the depression has gone completely. My ADD is very much better and I regained my ability to count! Changes are still occurring as I deal with life’s usual challenges in different and more productive ways. Most importantly I am present in my own body, in my life and in my son’s life. Bambi is a highly skilled therapist and a warm, caring, sensitive and empathic person who has brought such incredible joy into my life. I highly recommend this process to anyone who has experienced trauma and especially to people who are struggling with chronic Lyme disease.
She is a very bright gifted practitioner and I highly recommend her for EMDR therapy.
Along the way, Bambi has taught me so much about who I am and how my self – and selves in general – work, how they suffer and how and they heal. Her teaching has given me skills and understanding that help me every day, and have enabled me to be there for others. If you are looking for a therapist who can guide you on the journey from brokenness to wholeness, I hope you will reach out to Bambi.
I was impressed with Bambi’s abilities. She was always very calming and engaging. She was able to guide him through past traumatic memories in a way that allowed him to tolerate the pain and work through it.
After working with Bambi my son’s intense nightmares all but disappeared. After 2 years of not seeing her my son asked if he could work with her again. It was clear that he, as a 7 year old, could see the value in her work.
Bambi is a truly kind hearted person that I could not recommend enough!