Frank Pittman

Frank Pittman is one of the leading voices of moral authority in the profession. In his columns for Psychology Today and Psychotherapty Networker, as wll as in his books about commitment in relationships, Pittman is not shy about expressing his views about what is good for people.

Trained originally as a psychiatrist, Pittman embraced a family systems approach to his work early in his career. He has also devoted a significant amount of effort trying to understand the ways that boys and men are socialized into their gender roles. Consistently in his writing and speaking about issues of fidelity and intimacy, Pittman emphasizes the importance of being morally responsible for one's choices and behavior.

At first glance, you might imagine that his emphasis on taking responsibility for one's behavior is consistent with a more behavioral approach, yet Pittman is very much a studen of history and a respecter of larger family systems. In fact, in his popular movie reviews, he commonly examines contemporary films in the context of their historical orgins and how they reflect our culture.

In addition to being incredibly articulate, Pittman is just mischievous and provocative enough that he is often consulted by national talk shows when they want a mature, sober voice of authority about mental health issues. [adapted from The Mummy at the Dining Room Table (2003)]