On this website you can find information about different types of psychotherapy,  advice about how to find appropriate psychotherapeutic treatment for various symptoms of personal and emotional problems and how to select a qualified therapist. 

You can also hear my comments about various common psychological issues by clicking on the following link:  Listen to Audiotapes

Do the underlined words in the left hand column ring a bell for you? Click on them or on any of the underlined text below for immediate information on the subjects of interest to you.  Click on Marvin S. Beitner, Ph.D. for information about who I am, about my education and training,  about my practice as a psychologist and about my approach in couples and marriage therapy and about my office locations.

Which type of therapist is best for you? For information about choosing between a psychologist, marriage counselor, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, hypnotist, hypnotherapist, or clinical social worker, see Types of psychotherapists. Also see Orange County Psych Assn for helpful information about choosing a psychotherapist and about the different training and expertise of these professional groups.

Psychologists provides information about the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist, as well as information about what a clinical psychologist is, about the importance of making sure you see a licensed psychologist and about the differences in education,  training and skills between an M.D. and a Ph.D. degree.

Marriage therapists provides information about marriage counseling, couples therapy, about getting help with relationship problems and how to enhance and improve communication, empathy and emotional satisfaction in personal relationships.

Hypnosis provides information about the difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy and the uses of these procedures. It answers common questions about how hypnosis works and addresses  misconceptions and fears about hypnotherapy. An experienced and well qualified psychologist may be able to use hypnotherapy to help you control symptoms of panic attacks, fears or phobias. Hypnosis may also be useful to help a person to stop smoking, to lose weight or to control chronic pain. "Test anxiety," fears of flying or driving, improved motivation for academic, sports and work performance are other possible applications of hypnosis.

Types of  symptoms will give you general information about how to identify various symptoms of emotional distress, including panic attacks, fears, phobias, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD). You will also find information about tranquilizers, medications for anxiety, for ADHD and other problems here.

Anxiety and panic disorders provides more specific information about common symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, including shortness of breath, heart palpitations, agoraphobia, feelings of faintness, other physical symptoms, and fears of flying or driving and feeling as if you are about to die.

Eating disorders provides information about anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is the opposite of compulsive over-eating. It occurs most commonly in teenaged girls, but can affect other age groups and males as well. Anorexics "look fat" to themselves no matter how much weight they lose. They go on perpetual starvation diets and sometimes exercise excessively. Bulimics overeat and then secretly vomit or use laxatives in attempt to lose weight. Both of these conditions represent serious health threats and can be life-threatening. 

Child therapy provides information about dealing with problems of childhood and adolescence. Excessive fears in social situations, low self-esteem, depression, problems with authority figures, rebelliousness, poor academic performance, school phobias, alcohol and drug abuse problems are issues that may be involved.

See self-improvement for information about enhancement of healthy psychological function,  improving self esteem and strengthening  motivation and confidence. Improving work performance, social skills, academic performance and competitive sports performance are issues that psychologists can address.

See Self-Help Books for educational reading material that may help you with various psychological issues and problems. 

See  multiple personality for interesting information about the differences between multiple personality and schizophrenia and for information about the recovery of repressed memories of sexual abuse.

See sexual problems for information about reduced sexual desire, impotence, premature ejaculation, sexual compulsions, addictions to pornography, confusion in sexual identification, childhood sexual abuse and other types of sexual dysfunctions.

See stop smoking about using two office visits and a recording of a personalized hypnotic procedure that you can use at home to stop smoking.

See weight control about how I provide a structured,  four office visit form of psychological intervention using hypnosis and behavior modification to help you lose weight. I make a recording of a hypnotic procedure designed to fit your motivation and personality. The hypnosis is done during an office visit and recorded for your continued use at home. It provides information about the "yo-yo" effect that causes people to typically regain all the weight that they have lost on a seemingly successful diet program.

See executive & life coaching for information about maximizing your level of functioning, achieving your full potential and making positive changes in professional, career, or work related areas or in personal and life-style areas. Executive coaching, career coaching  and life coaching involve a process related to, but not the same as mentoring.  It is a method of enhancing optimal functioning in an achievement oriented, well functioning person, not a method of treatment of emotional problems.

Gay & Lesbian Issues provides information about general and special issues in  psychotherapeutic treatment and counseling.

Do you have questions about selecting a psychologist? Click here about how to check the qualifications of a psychologist, psychiatrist, marriage counselor or psychotherapist: 
Check Qualifications.

Psychology News provides information about events that have been in the news and publications in psychology. Is the HBO series In Treatment a good representation of how psychotherapy really works? What about the issue of attraction to a patient and how it is handled in this series? See Psychology News  about this. There is also information there about the Dr. Phil - Britney Spears controversy. 

See managed care, for information about maximizing access to psychotherapeutic treatment under managed care programs.

You may see comments by some of Dr. Beitner's patients  at his Internet telephone listings by clicking on the following links:
YellowPages     Superpages  
You may have to page down to read the comments at these sites.

For information about my private practice, my background, training and experience, click on my name: Marvin S. Beitner, Ph.D. My locations are:  Long Beach, California and in Orange County: Fountain Valley, California.