Herbert L. Gravitz, Ph.D P: 805.963.9309 F: 805.687.1977 2020 Alameda Padre Serra STE 217 Santa Barbara, Ca 93103 About Us    Biography    Products / Publications    New Client / Patient Info    E-Mail Us    About Dr. Gravitz Herbert L. Gravitz, Ph.D., received his masters and his doctorate in psychology from the University of Tennessee in 1969. A licensed psychologist with a local clinical psychology practice in Santa Barbara, California, he specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of the effects of illness, trauma, and addiction on the individual and the family. During graduate school, he briefly worked at Chestnut Lodge in Rockville, Maryland, an internationally known treatment facility for psychotic individuals. In the 1970s he headed the University of California at Santa Barbara Counseling Center’s Crisis Team. In the 1980s he consulted on staff development with the Santa Barbara Psychiatric Emergency Team (PET). At the same time, he was the psychological consultant to Sanctuary House, an alternative treatment facility where he worked with schizophrenic, bipolar, depressed, and dissociative patients. He started the first group therapy program for Sanctuary House. Dr. Gravitz is widely known for his work in systemic traumatology, specifically the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia on the whole family. He has authored or co-authored books and articles on trauma, healing, and recovery. During the last 25 years he has led a wide variety of workshops and seminars on the traumatic impact of alcoholism as well as major mental illness on the family throughout the United States, including workshops for the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, Esalen Institute, the California Psychological Association, and the Third International Ericksonian Congress. In addition to his busy private practice and consultation services, he is a founding Board of Director of the National Association of Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) and served on its Advisory Board. He is currently a founding Board of Director of the Memory to Action Project, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to commemorate genocide, encourage tolerance, and promote commitment to social action. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Healing Center Foundation in Santa Barbara. He has earned Diplomates in Psychotherapy, Traumatic Stress, and Forensic Psychology and is Board Certified in Illness Trauma. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, the highest honor the Academy can bestow. Herb has over 35 years of clinical experience with people of all ages. He is known for utilizing the family as the core context for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. His interventions take into account the impact of illness, addiction, and trauma on the whole family, even if only one member of the family is present. He stresses the importance of intergenerational healing, and strives to incorporate as many generations as possible in his innovative treatment protocols. Known for his pioneering work in “timeless” therapy, Herb conducts sessions with families and couples which do not stop until everyone in the room agrees. He has the rare capacity to see what the family--or couple or individual--looks like after they have healed and utilizes this as a virtual, proactive, and positive guide. He quickly learns what the person wants, helps the person distinguish what he or she needs, and constantly uses what the person or family is doing right. He knows the family is as strong as its strongest member, and he knows how to elicit the best in all members. He has a knack for getting people to listen to what’s good for them by holding them accountable to what they, not he, wants. These are the hallmarks of the commitment and integrity he brings to his work. Herb loves his work because he loves people. Services Individual Psychotherapy/Consultation Group Psychotherapy/Consultation Couple Therapy/Consultation Family Therapy/Consultation Intergenerational Healing Timeless Sessions Traumatic Event Processing Clinical Hypnosis Workshops/seminars Public Speaking Author Expert Witness: Trauma, Illness, and Addiction Comprehensive Referral Network View Complete Curriculum Vitae