t. byram karasu, m.d.

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T. Byram Karasu, M.D.
Silverman Professor & the University Chairman
Biographical Sketch
Contact Info: karasu@aecom.yu.edu
See Faculty listing for more information

T. Byram Karasu, M.D. completed his psychiatric residency at Yale University. He is presently Silverman Professor and the University Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Psychiatrist-in-Chief at Montefiore Medical Center. The author or editor of sixteen books, author or co-author of more than 100 papers, editorial board member of nine journals, Dr. Karasu currently is the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Psychotherapy, and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Sigmund Freud Award and the APA's Presidential Commendation.

From 1979-1982, Dr. Karasu chaired the APA’s Commission on Psychiatric Therapies, which produced a critical review of psychosocial and somatic therapies. In 1981, Dr. Karasu was appointed chairman of another national task force comprised of over 400 scholars, researchers, and clinicians with the goal of producing a seminal document describing the treatment of each psychiatric disorder. This four-volume report, Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders, published in May 1989, has been praised as being: “...twenty-five years ahead of its time,” Atlantic Monthly and “the best psychiatric book ever,” Contemporary Psychiatry.

In addition, from 1991-1993, Dr. Karasu chaired the APA’s Work Group on Major Depressive Disorders, and in April 1993, its findings were published in Practice Guideline for Major Depressive Disorder in Adults. A revised edition of this work was published in April 2000.

His book Wisdom in the Practice of Psychotherapy, received outstanding reviews by leaders in the field:

"An extraordinary work" Judd Marmor, M.D., Franz Alexander Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, University of Southern California School of Medicine.

"A scholarly and astute distillate of years of sophisticated thinking" Jerome D. Frank, M.D., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Dr. Robert T. Fintzy gives the book an Olympic rating: "gold-medal, perfect ten."

"Karasu, [is] a master clinician and educator" writes Robert Michels, M.D., Dean of Cornell University Medical College; "the profession," he says, "owes him a debt for sharing this wisdom with us."

Another book, Deconstruction of Psychotherapy, received outstanding reviews by leaders in the field:

"Dr. Karasu has fashioned a detailed and illuminating map...that will serve as an invaluable guide for clinicians and investigators alike." John C. Nemiah, M.D.

Hans H. Strupp, Ph.D. says, "I greatly enjoyed it; not only that, I also found it very educational and stimulating."

Dr. Karasu's book, The Psychotherapist's Interventions: Integrating Psychodynamic Perspectives in Clinical Practice was hailed as:

"a unique synthesis" that "can serve as a basis for future development of the art and science of psychotherapy" Paul A. Dewald, M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, St. Louis University School of Medicine. 

"an original integration" which "moves eloquently from theory of psychotherapeutic technique to practical clinical interventions" Otto F. Kernberg, M.D., Director, Personality Disorder Institute, The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Westchester Division. 

Dr. Karasu's book, The Psychotherapist as Healer is reviewed as:

"What a brave book! Dr. Karasu confronts one of the most difficult and central issues in psychotherapy - and whether the therapist should wear the guru's mantle. He does so with wit and grace and astonishing openness." Peter D. Kramer, M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University.

Dr. Karasu’s book, The Art of Serenity is a national best seller and is translated to five other languages. It is praised by:

Thomas Moore ("Care of the Soul") for its "rich ideas"; by Deepak Chopra "as bold and brilliant"; and by Howard Cutler, co-author with the Dalai Lama ("The Art of Happiness") as "profound."

“A masterful presentation on achieving inner peace.” Wayne Dyer, Ph.D., author of The Power of Intention.

“The Art of Serenity is filled with gentleness and wisdom stories that bring tears or laughter. I am grateful to T. Byram Karasu for writing it.” Gary Zukav, author of The Seat of the Soul and Soul Stories.

Dr. Karasu’s book, The Art of Marriage Maintenance is reviewed as:

“In this lively and thoughtful exploration of the difficulties and satisfactions of marriage, the authors bring together a wealth of scientific facts and valuable psychological insights. The text is enriched by the shrewd, funny, touching, and sometimes devastating observations of novelists, social commentators, and struggling husbands and wives.” Judith Viorst, author of Grown-Up Marriage and Necessary Losses.

“A perceptive, insightful, and upbeat guide to marriage and how to make it work, written with wisdom, grace, and wit. Vivid anecdotes abound—drawn from the authors’ extensive clinical practices, from classical literature, and even from Sex in the City.” Judith S. Wallerstein, PhD, author of The Good Marriage and What about the Kids?

“A wise, sophisticated, and witty exploration of the paradoxes of intimacy.” Peter D. Kramer, M.D., author of Spectacular Happiness and the bestselling book Listening to Prozac.

In his book, The Spirit of Happiness is praised as:

“Like his earlier books,The Spirit of Happiness reveals Dr. T. Byram Karasu’s experience, wisdom and vision.” “Reading this book, I feel the assurance of Dr. Karasu’s remarkable intelligence in matters of the psyche brought to fruition in his grounded, well formed, and practical approach to the spiritual.” Thomas Moore, author of best seller, Care of the Soul.

"I am grateful [for] instilling in me the Spirit of Happiness, we all so desperately seek…I was so enamored I plan to read it again—slowly this time and more meditatively." Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, Founder of the Fellowship for Christians and Jews, author of the highly acclaimed The Journey Home.

“Picking up where his wonderful book, The Art of Serenity, left off, in The Spirit of Happiness Dr. Karasu offers a profound and inspiring exploration of the link between faith and happiness. Addressed to those who share a basic belief in God, the book is rich in practical wisdom and clear guidelines to help integrate that belief into the fabric of daily life.” Howard C. Cutler, M.D., co-author, with the Dalai Lama, of The Art of Happiness and The Art of Happiness at Work.

“A masterful work! In The Spirit of Happiness, Dr. Karasu continues his reflective journey toward spiritual enlightenment he so eloquently began in his previous book, The Art of Serenity. This companion volume is an even more courageous foray into the realm of the most fundamental and complex issues we all face: How to find meaning and purpose in life and what does it take to make life joyful? The Spirit of Happiness is a profoundly original book, executed with remarkable wit and skill. It is an outstanding contribution to the field of spirituality and an invaluable guide for the seeker in all of us.” Deepak Chopra, author of the best seller, How to Know God.

Of God and Madness (in press) has been praised as:

“What a beautiful and fascinating book. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. Even the readers who are not versed in the Ottoman history and culture will be enthralled by Adam’s extraordinary story.” Vamik Volkan, M.D., co-author, The Immortal Atatürk.

“What a provocative and evocative work!
This deeply moving book is a passionate tour-de-force of faith and psyche and a captivatingly transformative journey.” Deepak Chopra, author, How to Know God.

“This book, Of God and Madness, more than just an exquisite read, is a breathtaking experience…Often hilarious, a book for our times. Dr. Karasu’s….passion and eloquence engages our hearts and souls with every word.” Marcella Bakur Weiner, Ph.D., coeditor, Psychotherapy and Religion: Many Paths, One Journey.

“A masterpiece! Of God and Madness made me laugh, cry, and cherish every moment of my life. T. Byram Karasu is a master story-teller, a brilliant writer, and a tender guide into the mystery, depth, and power of love. Don’t miss this book.” Gary Zukav, author, The Dancing Wu Li Masters.

In addition to being a prolific writer, Dr. Karasu has been a visiting professor, scholar, and titled lecturer at many academic institutions, including: Hamilton Ford Lecturer at the Titus Harris Society; Harvard Bicentennial Lecturer at McLean Hospital; Hincks Memorial Lecturer at McMaster University; Ralph M. Patterson Memorial Lecturer at Ohio State University; Frederick L. Weninger Lectureship at the University of Pittsburgh; twice Royal College Speaker at the Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto; Winkelman Lecture at the Philadelphia Psychiatric Center; Frank O. Shobe Lecturer at Washington University; Nolan D.C. Lewis Visiting Professor and Scholar at the Carrier Foundation; Alfred H. Stanton Lectureship at Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital; Jeffrey Greenbaum Memorial Lecture at Long Island Jewish Medical; Center/Hillside Hospital; Suzanne Housman Memorial Lecturer at the New York University Medical Center; Jacob E. Finesinger Lecturer at the University of Maryland at Baltimore; and the Harry Stack Sullivan Speaker at Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital; Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University; John A. Graft Lecture at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.  

 

Some publications which highlight the scope of
Dr.  Karasu’s work include:  
 

Karasu TB. Of God and Madness. Lanham, MD, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2006

Karasu TB. The Spirit of Happiness. New York, NY, Simon & Schuster, 2006

Karasu TB. & Karasu SR. The Art of Marriage Maintenance. Lanham, MD, Jason Aronson, an imprint of  Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2005

Karasu TB. Psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, in Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry/VIII. Edited by Sadock BJ, Sadock VA. Baltimore, MD, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins pp. 2472-2498, 2005

Karasu TB. The Art of Serenity. New York, NY, Simon & Schuster, 2003 [translated into five languages]

Karasu TB. The "last therapist" – the healer. Issues in Psychoanal Psychology 24:37-49, 2002

Karasu TB. Response to Dr. Irvin Yalom (Oskar Pfister Award Lecture "Psychiatry and Religion.") Am J Psychotherapy 56:317-321, 2002

Karasu TB. Therapeutic factors, in Encyclopedia of Psychotherapy, vol. 2. Edited by Hersen M, Sledge W. New York, NY, Elsevier Science,  pp. 781-791, 2002

Karasu TB. The Psychotherapist as Healer. Northvale, NJ, Jason Aronson, 2001

Karasu TB. The advanced practice of psychotherapy. Harvard Rev Psychiatry 9:118-123, 2001 (also Greek translation, publisher, M. Pitsilidis S.A., 2001/2002)

Karasu TB. et al: Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder (Revision) Am J Psychiatry. (Suppl) 157:1-45, 2000

Karasu TB. Editorial on the millennium: The procession of times and paradigms. (Lead article) Am J Psychotherapy 54:1-7, Spring 2000

Karasu TB. Spiritual psychotherapy. (Special Article) Am J Psychotherapy 53:143-161, 1999

Karasu TB. The Psychotherapist's Interventions: Integrating Psychodynamic Perspectives in Clinical Practice. Northvale, NJ, Jason Aronson, 1998

Karasu TB. Results and limits of the psychotherapy of depression. NÓOs. Aggiornamenti in Psichiatria 2(4):293-311, 1996

Karasu TB. Deconstruction of Psychotherapy. Northvale, NJ, Jason Aronson, 1996

Karasu TB. Transtheoretical practice of psychotherapy. (Lead article) Am J Psychotherapy 49:484-503, 1995

Karasu TB. Conflict and deficit: toward an integrative vision of the self. Visions of the Self section. Am J Psychoanal 55:279-288, 1995

Karasu TB. A developmental metatheory of psychopathology. Am J Psychotherapy 48:581-599,1994

Karasu TB. Depression: the relative merits of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, UK. Current Opinion in Psychiatry 6:184-190, 1993

Karasu TB. et al, Practice guideline for major depressive disorder in adults. Am J Psychiatry 150:1-26, 1993 (Suppl)

Karasu TB. Psychotherapy and depression. State of the Art in Clin Psychiatry I:4-26, 1992

Karasu TB. Wisdom in the Practice of Psychotherapy. New York, NY, Basic Books, 1992 (reprint, Northvale, NJ, Jason Aronson, 2001)

Karasu TB. The worst of times, the best of times: psychotherapy in the 1990's. (Lead article)  J Psychother Prac Res 1:2-15, 1992

Karasu TB. Developmentalist metatheory of depression and psychotherapy. Am J Psychotherapy 46:1-13, 1992

Karasu TB. Psychotherapy for Depression. Northvale, NJ, Jason Aronson, 1990

Karasu TB. La psychotherapie chez l'obsessionel. L'Encephale XVI:355-358, 1990

Karasu TB. Toward a clinical model of psychotherapy for depression, II: integrative and selective treatment approach. (Lead article) Am J Psychiatry 147:269-278, 1990

Karasu TB. Toward a clinical model of psychotherapy for depression, I: systematic comparison of three psychotherapies. (Lead article) Am J Psychiatry 147:133-147, 1990

Karasu TB. Psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, in Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry/V and VI. Edited by Kaplan HI, Sadock BJ. Baltimore, MD, Williams and Wilkins, 1989, pp 1442-1461; 1995, pp 1767-1788 

Karasu TB. et al. Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders: A Task Force Report of the American Psychiatric Association (Vols. 1-4). Washington, DC, APPI, 1989

Karasu TB. New frontiers in psychotherapy. (Festschrift Article) J Clin Psychiatry 50:46-52, 1989

Karasu TB. The psychotherapy of the future. Psychosomatics 28:380-384, 1987

Karasu TB. Psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy. Psychiatric Annals 16:522-525, 1986

Karasu TB. The psychotherapies: benefits and limitations. Am J Psychotherapy 40: 324-342, 1986

Karasu TB. The "specificity vs. nonspecificity" dilemma: towards identifying therapeutic change agents. (Lead article) Am J Psychiatry 143:687-695, 1986

Karasu TB. et al. The Psychiatric Therapies (Part I, The Somatic Therapies, Part II, The Psychosocial Therapies). APA Commission on Psychiatric Therapies. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1984

Karasu TB. Recent developments in individual psychotherapy. (Lead article) Hosp & Commun Psychiatry 35:29-39, 1984

Karasu TB. et al. Psychotherapy Research: Methodological and Efficacy Issues. APA Commission on Psychotherapies. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1982

Karasu TB. Psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy: towards an integrative model. (Lead article) Am J Psychiatry 139:1102-1113, 1982

Karasu TB. Editorial. Proving the efficacy of psychotherapy to government: a bureaucratic solution? Am J Psychiatry 139:789-790, 1982

Karasu TB. From Freudian psychoanalysis to experiential psychotherapies: an essay on recent trends. Academy Forum 25:13-17,31, 1981

Karasu TB. The ethics of psychotherapy. (Lead article) Am J Psychiatry 137:1502-1512, 1980 

Karasu TB. Psychotherapy of the medically ill. (Lead article) Am J Psychiatry 136:1-11, 1979 

Karasu TB. Psychological and behavioral therapies in medicine. Psychosomatics 20:578-583,1979

Karasu TB. Psychotherapies: an overview. (Lead article) Am J Psychiatry 138:851-863, 1977

Karasu TB. The world as a therapeutic community. Int J Soc Psychiatry 20:134-138, 1974