Couplelaughing-Aboutpage

Sometimes our relationship and our hearts are in trouble. Storms arise with our interpersonal conflicts. Patterns repeat, and we despair about getting out of them. The good feelings, chemistry and intimacy we have had in the past drop by the wayside. We wonder how we can be such emotional strangers. We’ve focused on the children, the career, the extended family or the new house. We have neglected our relationship with our partner, and our connection suffers. We experience emotional distance, have problems communicating, and seem to have no emotional bond anymore.

Biography

Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec; attended McGill University for undergraduate education, moved to Buffalo, New York, for graduate education and a Ph.D. from S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo. Completed Clinical internships at Buffalo Children’s and County General Hospitals respectively, went on to Treatment Coordinator positions in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, in addition a clinical teaching position at Medaille College there – also, as Supervising Clinical Psychologist, carried out clinical supervision of psychiatry doctoral residents and PhD clinical psychology interns. Numerous training experiences, with eminent clinicians and teachers of different therapy approaches: Behavioral [Joseph Wolpe], Psychoanalytic [Otto Kernberg], Transactional Analysis [Eric Berne], Family Systems [Jay Haley, Salvador Minuchin], Gestalt [Fritz Perls], Neurolinguistic Programming/Clinical Hypnosis [Milton Erickson, Croydon Hammond], Addictions [John Bradshaw], Sexual Abuse Recovery [Laura Davis, Christine Courtois, Judy Herman], Codependence [Melodie Beattie], Group Therapy [Irwin Yalom], Cognitive Behavioral Therapy [Donald Meichenbaum], Trauma Recovery [Bessel Van der Kolk], treating multiple personality disorder[Frank Putnam, Colin Ross], eastern and holistic approaches to therapy [Stephen Cope, Jack Kornfield, John Kabat-Zinn], humanistic existential therapies [Irwin Yalom, Semrad, Sheldon Kopp] Couples Therapy [John Gottman, Bill O’Hanlon, Harvill Hendrix, Neil Jacobson, Susan Johnson] Many years general psychology practice with Amherst Clinical Associates, a private mental health organization serving Buffalo, NY. Coordinated in-depth treatment and recovery of numerous multiple personality patients with the Ross Dissociative Disorders Inpatient Programs in Dallas, Texas and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Co-founded a large [42 psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric social workers] private incorporated network to serve the mental health needs of the city of Buffalo. Working with my own illness of diabetes, became Director of Psychological Services for the Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic of Buffalo, New York. Established US-based Diabetes Anonymous, a support organization (over 400 meetings during a 3 year period), using 12 Step AA model to aid diabetics struggling with their illness. Relevant clinical practice also included seeing patients with chronic illness. Returned to Canada [Vancouver], 2002, to aid aging family members and enjoy the outdoors. Have carried on general clinical practice, using combination of approaches to deal with life, health, developmental and relationship problems‚ including holistic, humanistic, and existential approaches relating to the whole person.

Resume

Registered Psychologist , province of British Columbia, since 2002. Registration number 1525. Licensed Psychologist , State of New York, since 1980. License number 006478. Education Bachelor of Arts degree McGill University 1968 Montréal, QC Master of Arts degree Clinical Psychology Concordia University 1972 Montréal, QC Ph.D. degree Educational Psychology State University of New York 1979 Buffalo, NY NTL (National Training Laboratories) Graduate Student Training Program 1975-78 Bethel. ME Doctoral Clinical Internships Montréal Children’s Hospital Department of psychology 1972 Montréal, QC Buffalo Children’s Hospital Psychiatry Department 1974 Buffalo, NY Erie County Medical Center Division of Psychology Department of Psychiatry 1975 Buffalo, NY

Positions

Treatment Team Coordinator Adult Inpatient Psychiatry Service Erie County Medical Center 1977-80 Buffalo, NY Supervising Clinical Psychologist Department of Psychiatry Erie County Medical Center 1981-88 Buffalo, NY Clinical instructor Abnormal Psychology Medaille College 1981 Buffalo, NY Assistant instructor Human Sexuality course for second year medical students School of Medicine State University of New York 1981-84 Buffalo, NY Consulting Psychologist Western New York Institute for the Psychotherapies 1981 Buffalo, NY Clinical Assistant Professor Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine State University of New York 1984-95 Buffalo, NY Consulting Psychologist Erie County Mental Health Corporation 1984-88 East Aurora, NY Clinical Supervisor second and third year Residents in Psychiatry School of Medicine State University of New York 1985-95 Buffalo, NY Co-founder and co-director Amherst Clinical Associates private outpatient clinical psychological service 1988 Buffalo, NY Co-founder later Vice President of Quality Assurance Behavioural Healthcare Network Inc. a private practice mental health group of 42 psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric social workers 1990 Amherst, NY Director of Psychological Services West Seneca Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic 1998-2002 West Seneca, NY Founder of Diabetes Anonymous in the US an organization conducting 12-Step based groups for diabetics struggling to live well with their illness.

 Consulting and Staff Psychologist Wilson Banwell/Human Solutions/Homewood Health 2002-2016;  Private Practice, 2002- present, Vancouver. 

Professional Associations/Publications

Professional Associations College of Psychologists of British Columbia Member of British Columbia Psychological Association Publications/Presentations/Academic Awards Canada Council Fellowship, 1974-76 Klein, B., and Williamson, P.M., Pre-morbid adjustment and affective symptomatology in schizophrenia. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 1981, volume 169, number 8 ,pp 497-502. Williamson, P. M. Comparison of cognitive coping strategies and modeling in the treatment of phobias. Proceedings of the 81st convention of the American Psychological Association, 1973, Montréal, pp. 537-538. Williamson, P. M. and MacPherson, D. Dissociative adaptation to ritual abuse, psychiatric grand Rounds, presentation at Erie County medical center, May, 1992 Buffalo, New York Williamson, P. M. and Reid, J. G. Psycho phobia – the fear of deep self-exploration, reflection and self-expression in relationships. Medical grand Rounds presentation, St. Paul’s Hospital, May 2003, Vancouver B.C.