Aperture Awareness: A Neurobiological Grounded Approach to Connected Conversation

Dr. Raissa Miller interviews Dr. Kathryn Ford about the centrality of openness in relationships. Dr. Ford discusses the relational neuroscience underlying her Aperture Awareness approach and offers practical and concrete strategies for fostering and enhancing openness. Dr. Ford shares specific examples from her clinical practice and provides listeners with ideas and resources for further learning.

Kathryn Ford, M.D. has been practicing psychotherapy for over 20 years. She has a private practice in Menlo Park specializing in work with couples and other relationships. She received her M.D. from Brown University Medical School and did her psychiatry residency at The Stanford School of Medicine. Kathryn trained in several models of group work, including training with Irv Yalom, M.D. at Stanford. She has led therapy groups and consultation groups and has served on staff at Tavistock Group Relations Conferences since 1994.

She has developed the Learning Partners™ model of couples therapy which emphases learning and adult development. A central part of this model is the emphasis on Aperture™ awareness.

She has for many years consulted to interns and trainees in a variety of settings, clinical and academic, including the counseling centers of Santa Clara University and Sophia University (formerly The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.) She offers private consultation to practicing therapists individually and in groups. In addition to private consultation with couples she offers workshops for couples and for therapists. She also offers workshops through Stanford Continuing Studies.

Kathryn’s teaching and clinical work feature methods she has developed for enhancing:

• The capacity for openness (Aperture™)and dialogue,
• In the moment awareness,
• The ability to tolerate the discomfort of learning and intimacy,
• The individual’s and couples’ alignment with their core values.

She brings to her work her experience and training in psychology, psychotherapy, meditation, somatic techniques, the arts…and life.

https://kathrynfordmd.com/services/

https://otter.ai/u/SUGQ4PFaYOsySM5dc7NUVp4OiCo

Miller, R. (Producer). (2022, May 4). Aperture Awareness: A Neurobiological Grounded Approach to Connected Conversation [Audio Podcast]. The Thoughtful Counselor. Retrieved from https://concept.paloaltou.edu/resources/the-thoughtful-counselor-podcast/aperture-awareness-a-neurobiological-grounded-approach-to-connected-conversation?hs_preview=qfZfvPeF-72673095226

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash