Get to Know a Face of PESI - Lindsay Gibson, PsyD

Get to know Lindsay Gibson, PsyD, this month’s Face of PESI!

Lindsay is the Amazon #1 Best Selling Author of Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting or Self-Involved Parents, a book that has helped thousands of people reverse their toxic psychological legacy and reclaim their lives. Her unique contribution to the field was recognizing that the anxiety, obsessions, and depression her clients experienced was often rooted in distorted beliefs and emotional coercions induced by emotionally immature parents.

We interviewed Dr. Gibson to learn why she got into therapy, her hobbies, and more.

Why did you get into therapy?

I think therapists are made, not chosen. I probably became a therapist because I have this insatiable curiosity. I want to know the truth about what makes human beings tick and what we're all about.

What are your hobbies?

My ultimate favorite hobby is art. I started out in college as a studio art major, so I love to draw. I love to paint, but I don't have time to get set up and move in and out of that now with everything that I'm doing. Now, my favorite hobby is needlepoint.

What are your favorite therapy books?

I actually have two. The Transforming Power of Affect by Diana Fosha, which I can't even read anymore because I have so many underlinings and sticky notes on it, so it's a complete mess, but that book has been just thoroughly digested. My other favorite book is not a therapy book per se, but it has really re-calibrated my approach to therapy and life. It's called The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist.

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

I would say I'm more of an early bird now. We live at the oceanfront and when the sun comes up, you get up because the sun is right there to wake you up. I would prefer to be a night owl, if I could afford it the next morning.

Do you prefer cats or dogs?

20 years ago, I would've said cats but then Ernie came along. Ernie is a miniature poodle and I call him my "spiritual master" because he's taught me more about love, devotion, and presence than many people I know. Thanks to Ernie, I'd have to say dogs.

How do you overcome challenging clients?

I tend to be a very emotional and sensitive person who is very interested in ideas and insights. And I had these challenging clients who were people tring to basically just survive. I finally discovered that this was a mismatch for my energy. It was so hard on me, that I ultimately began to screen my clients for people that I thought I could help with the methods that were most comfortable for me. By doing that, I kept my interest doing in the field and managed it so that I wasn't getting burned out.

What advice do you have for new therapists?

I'm trying to get new therapists into a mindset that reflects the ability to see someone as psychologically real - to really honor their inner world, their thoughts, their feelings, and their way of looking at life. Of course, that's based on their life narrative and how they, to this point, have come to understand what happened to them and what their role is in their own lives. When I'm trying to convey to new therapists what's most important, it's always about the stance they have vis-a-vis the client. I stress that because it's got to be the opposite of what the emotuionally immature parent does.

What is something people don't know about you?

People don't know how much of an introvert I really am. For some reason, public speaking, teaching, interviews, and podcasts show me as being quite extroverted and comfortable being on screen, but that's not always the case.