Richard Beck

RICHARD BECK, LCSW, BCD, CGP, FAGPA is an Adjunct Lecturer at Columbia University School of Social Work;  a Psychotherapist in private practice in New York City, with expertise in treating trauma and working with individuals, couples and groups; was recently elected President of the International Association of Group Psychotherapy and Group Process; is a Lecturer in Social Work in Psychiatry (Voluntary) at Weil Cornell Medical Colleague and a Professional Associate (Psychiatry) - Social Work- New York Presbyterian Hospital. The son of two Holocaust Survivors, Richard began his grief/trauma training very early in life. Richard Beck was recently awarded the Social Responsibility Award by the Group Foundation for the Advancement of Mental Health.  It is awarded to AGPA members who have "Provided "Exceptional Acts of Service that have Benefited the Community at Large." Recent presentations have been in Belfast, Ireland, Pretoria, South Africa, Cairo, Egypt; Istanbul, Turkey, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, Malmo, Sweden, Berlin, Germany and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and has upcoming Keynote Presentations in Greece, and upcoming Keynote Lectures in Greece, Italy, and Egypt. Richard has conducted well over 1000 hours of trauma groups with survivors, their families, witnesses and rescue workers after the terror attack on September 11th, 2001. Richard went to Baton Rouge to conduct groups for therapists after Hurricane Katrina. Richard co-authored an award-winning article about the experience of a therapist traumatized by the same event as the people he was treating in groups.   Recently, Richard coordinated the grief response after a crane accident in New York City and also participated in the American Group Psychotherapy Association response to a film company after an FDNY firefighter died during the filming of a movie. Recent publications and presentation have a focus on Loneliness and the Desire to Connect; “Unique Benefit of Group following Traumatic Events";  “Lesson’s Learned in Working with Witnesses, Survivors and Family Members after Traumatic Events”.   Cooking, gardening, and fishing all over the world continue to be of Richard’s passions.  Richard was a guest expert on the radio show Healing the Grieving Heart, discussing Recovering From a Traumatic Event. To hear his interview with Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley. click on the following link: https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/33572/recovering-from-a-traumatic-event

Articles:

Open to  hope

Italian Tragedy Touches All of Us

The recent tragedy in Italy when the cruise ship sank and many people died touches all of us in so many ways. My girlfriend and I spent New Year’s on […]

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Open to  hope

Celebrity Deaths Remind Us of Our Mortality

By Richard Beck — When Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett died, many people, myself included, were deeply saddened. How do we begin to make sense of grieving the deaths of […]

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Open to  hope

Cat is Missing 54 Days and Counting

Betty writes in: There is so little information to be found on how to deal with the loss of a pet…not death…worse, their being lost and not knowing where they […]

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Open to  hope

Woman Feels Helpless to Comfort Grieving Boyfriend

Marissa writes in: My boyfriend lost his mum seven months ago, four days after having her diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was his best friend, and had a very […]

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Open to  hope

Why We Read and Write Our Grief Stories

By Richard Beck As I ponder what to write in my first article for the Open to Hope Foundation, I imagine what it feels like to read about the universal […]

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