Professional Biography

VICTOR L. SCHERMER, MA, LPC, CAC, CGP, FAGPA is a licensed psychologist (and also licensed professional counselor, certified addictions counselor, and certified group psychotherapist) in private practice and clinic settings in Philadelphia, PA. He is Executive Director of the Study Group for Contemporary Psychoanalytic Process and Founding Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Conflict. Schermer is on the Faculty of the Continuing Education Program for Social Workers and the Program for Children and Families at Rutgers University. He has served as founding Director of Outpatient Addictions Services at Mirmont Treatment Center and Faculty Member of the Institute for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapies. He is a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. In addition, he serves as a consultant to their Disaster Outreach Task Force, for which he wrote their training module on “Masked Trauma,” and has chaired an on-line symposium for the Task Force.

He is co-editor with Robert Klein of Group Psychotherapy for Psychological Trauma, for which they received the Alonso Award of the Group Psychotherapy Foundation. Vic is coauthor of Object Relations, the Self, and the Group and coeditor of Ring of Fire, as well as coeditor of Group Psychotherapy of the Psychoses, and author of Spirit and Psyche. He co-authored the chapter on "The group therapist's role from a self psychology perspective" in The Handbook of Contemporary Group Psychotherapy and has contributed numerous articles to journals in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. He is a frequent presenter and workshop and seminar leader for professional organizations, facilities, and community and business groups in Philadelphia, nationally, and internationally.

PSYCHOTHERAPY TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Vic comes to his various tasks and roles with over thirty years’ experience as a counselor and psychotherapist evaluating and treating psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety, major depression, psychological trauma, grief and loss, general problems of adjustment and living, workplace and career issues, and substance abuse and “ACOA/codependency” (emphasizing a “Twelve Step” perspective.) He received a masters degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed post-graduate training at the Institute for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapies in Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr, PA, where he received honors and later joined the teaching faculty for nine years. He also received training in family therapy at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, was supervised extensively in group psychotherapy at the Mirmont Treatment Center, and attends ongoing continuing education seminars to update his knowledge base.

At various times in his career, Vic has served in community mental health centers, addictions treatment services, social agencies, and also with dependent/neglected adolescents, telephone hotlines, and HIV-AIDS case management and support groups.

PRIVATE PRACTICE

Vic conducts an ongoing private practice of consultation, counseling, psychotherapy, and personal and legal evaluations in Center City, Philadelphia, PA. Appointments required. Please call (215) 925-6689 for further information or to schedule an appointment.

WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING

Vic has established an outstanding track record providing education and training on mental health, psychological trauma, psychosis, and substance abuse, as well as group dynamics, psychospirituality, and psychoanalytic theories of infant and child development. He has presented workshops and participated on panel discussions at the Annual Meetings of The American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) and conducted training Institute Sections there. In addition, he has presented on numerous occasions at local affiliates of AGPA and the International Congress of Group Psychotherapy.

Vic has given talks, seminars, and workshops at numerous facilities and institutions, including the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, The Institute of Group Analysis, London, the Psychiatry Department of Oslo (Norway) University, Mirmont Treatment Center, Lima, PA, Friends Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, Thomas Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, Rutgers University, The University of Virginia, The Washington School of Psychiatry, The Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia, The Institute for Spirituality and Psychological Healing, and The Institute for the Study of Psychosis and Schizophrenia. He provided frequent educational lectures for substance abuse patients, their families, and the community at Mirmont Treatment Center.

CONSULTATION

Schermer provides general educational consultations as well as specialized consults and individual mentoring in the areas mentioned above for psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, counselors, and case managers. (Importantly, such consultations do not constitute clinical case supervision as such, which can only be done in very particular circumstances.) Phone consultation/education as well as in person sessions are available. Vic also periodically offers group dynamics training within his private practice and elsewhere. Please call 215-925-6689 for further details and to discuss arrangements.

INVOLVEMENT IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

In addition to his service as a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, Vic is founding Director of two organizations: The Study Group for Contemporary Psychoanalytic Process and The Institute for the Study of Human Conflict, both based in Philadelphia.

The Study Group for Contemporary Psychoanalytic Process offers conferences on a variety of topics. It’s Board consists of internationally known psychoanalysts. Featured speakers have included Drs. Christopher Bollas, James Grotstein, Joseph Lichtenberg, Malcolm Pines, Dan Gottlieb, and others. These conferences have been very well attended and are highly regarded in the community.

The Institute for the Study of Human Conflict’s mission is to stimulate research and education on conflict resolution employing psychological principles. Inspired by the pioneering work of psychiatrist Vamik Volkan on ethnic conflict and “Track II Diplomacy” (reconciliation efforts of non-diplomats), the Institute sponsors conferences, research projects, training, and, when contracted, negotiating efforts world-wide. As an Institute project, Vic and a colleague, Dr. Cecil Rice, provided a two-day training workshop on intergroup conflict and trauma for the Threshold Program in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Institute has also sponsored conferences on these subjects at Bryn Mawr College and the University of Virginia.

ON A PERSONAL, MUSICAL NOTE

Vic was a musician during his college days, and currently writes reviews and interviews for a prominent jazz website. If you happen to be interested in jazz, you can access his writing by going to www.allaboutjazz.com and typing his full name “Victor L. Schermer” in the search engine at the top of the homepage.

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