About Scharff MD
We are the Scharffs, two physician-psychoanalysts who have been providing children and adults, couples and families with psychoanalytic and psychotherapy services for four decades. We teach and write on all aspects of object relations theory and practice, and are co-founders of the International Psychotherapy Institute, a not-for-profit institution for teaching and learning about psychoanalysis from an object relations perspective. Together, we are also series editors of the Library of Object Relations at Rowman and Littlefield, as well as Technology and Mental Health, Child Therapy, and Couple and Family Therapy at Routledge.
Dr. David Scharff, M.D., FABP
- Harvard Medical School MD 1966, Yale BA, 1962
- Co-founder and former co-director, International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI)
- Clinical Professor of Psychiatry: Georgetown University and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
- Senior Fellow, Tavistock Relationships, London, UK
- Supervising analyst, International Institute for Psychoanalytic Training (IIPT at IPI)
- Teaching Analyst: Washington Psychoanalytic Institute
- Board certified: adult and child psychiatry
- Certified: adult and child psychoanalysis by American Board of Psychoanalysis
- Past President: American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists
- Chair: committee on Couple and Family Psychoanalysis of the International Psychoanalytic Association
- Founder and Journal Editor: Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in China
Awards
1987: Outstanding Achievement Award. From the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. For services provided at the University's Medical School, 1981 - 1987.
1996: International Association of Marriage and Family Counseling Distinguished Presenters
2002: Georgetown University Decennial Medal for Loyal and Distinguished Service
2002: John A. Graf, M.D. Visiting Professors, Mayo Clinic
Dr. Jill Scharff, M.D., FABP, MRC. Psych
- University of Aberdeen Medical School, Scotland, MB.ChB, Abdn 1967
- Co-founder and former co-director, International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI)
- Clinical Professor of Psychiatry: Georgetown University
- Founding Chair, supervising analyst, International Institute for Psychoanalytic Training (IIPT at IPI)
- Senior Fellow, Tavistock Relationships, London, UK
- Teaching Analyst: Washington Psychoanalytic Institute
- Board certified: adult and child psychiatry
- Member: Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Certified: adult and child psychoanalysis by American Board of Psychoanalysis
Awards
1996: International Association of Marriage and Family Counseling Distinguished Presenters
2002: John A. Graf, M.D. Visiting Professors, Mayo Clinic
Our Approach
What is psychoanalysis?
Psychoanalysis is an intensive form of talking therapy designed to get at the source of emotional problems and change them fundamentally. It’s not only about the relief of symptoms of tension. It’s about knowing fully our upsetting impulses and conflicts—and mastering them. It’s about recognizing and modifying the way that early relationships affect our current relationships. Understanding at this level is what fosters growth and personality change. This is the way to find inner satisfaction and success in love and work.
What is psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy may be dynamic or cognitive-behavioral in approach. Dynamic psychotherapy applies psychoanalysis to couple and family therapy and to the individual treatment of those who want relief through understanding but who do not seek radical change. Cognitive behavioral therapy is short term, directive, and focused on changing your thoughts.
Dynamic psychotherapy is what we offer.
What does the term “object relations” mean?
Object relations is the brand of psychoanalysis that we practice and have written about in our books for therapists. It is an unfortunate name for a very human approach to psychological suffering. This theory stems from the study of relationships, beginning with the foundational infant-parent relationship. We are born with the ability to relate to our mother and other family members. As babies we are totally dependent on our parent for nurturing, warmth, closeness, protection, and a joyful response. We need to feel that we matter to them. But being dependent on another person means that as infants we learn to deal with frustration—harder for some than for others, depending on how mature the infant is at birth and how available the parent is.
Taking in and coping with frustrating experience sets up personality patterns that should mature at each developmental stage, but sometimes they get stuck instead of shifting to meet new challenges. So children and adults can feel held back, frightened, inadequate, anxious, sad, lost, and lonely. Psychoanalysis and psychotherapy reach in, unlock the logjams left over from the early years, and open the personality to new learning and new relationships.
Are you interested in private counseling?Our Services
Clinical Services
- Psychoanalysis for children and adults
- Individual, couple, and family psychotherapy
- Consultation, assessment, and referral
Consultation
- Organizational consultation
- Supervision and consultation for child and adult psychotherapists and psychoanalysts
Voluntary Service and Educational Outreach
- Speakers Bureau of the International Psychotherapy Institute
- Editors of freepsychotherapybooks.org
- Founding Director and faculty, The Continuous Course in Couple and Family Psychotherapy, with Fang Xin of Peking University, Beijing, China
- Founding Director and faculty, Couple and Family Psychotherapy with Tatiana Onikova at The International Psychotherapy School, Moscow.
- Founding Director and faculty, Individual Psychotherapy and Child Therapy programs online in Chinese at
- Co-chair and member, COVID-Response team, American Psychoanalytic Association
Professional Organizations
