Fran Weiss

121 West 82nd Street
Suite 2B
New York, NY 10024
tel: 212.362.6019
fax: 212.624.0266
email: biddoc@franweiss.com

Service area:
Manhattan, the Five Boroughs
New Jersey, Westchester County,
Connecticut

Fran has a private practice on the Upper West Side, NYC, treating adults with a variety of emotional and interpersonal issues. As a psychotherapist with over thirty years of experience, I am always learning — from my clients and colleagues and from new research in my own and related fields. I am on the Faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NYC, and for three decades have been the Senior Psychotherapy Consultant to the New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in affiliation with Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, and Weill Cornell Medical College in Manhattan. I am a resource specialist for the Center for Sleep Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and have also been a resource specialist for the Joslin Clinic at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, NYC. In addition to clinical practice I am involved with NIH research projects. I am on the editorial boards of both the American Journal of Psychotherapy and Group, The Journal for the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society. I am also the book reviewer in eating disorders for the American Journal of Psychotherapy and have a continuous seminar series on PsyBC. When appropriate, I work closely with nutritionists, diabetes educators, endocrinologists, psychiatrists, sleep disorder specialists, and other physicians. I am adept at developing interdisciplinary treatment teams.

I am on the Board of Directors of the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA), and chair its Standards Committee. I am also a Crisis Support Consultant for Supportive Solutions, a crisis response service to the business community. I train, teach and run workshops nationally. I am published in peer reviewed Journals and was awarded “Distinguished Practioner” by the National Academies of Practice (NAP).

I work within healthy developmental concepts to optimize life. Central to this is the understanding of what elements make for lasting and meaningful connections with others. I like to view myself as a specialist in helping people move to a place where they can live their lives more fully. I “partner” with individuals to help them find a way to get beyond their internal road blocks in negotiating and resolving issues. Link to my Areas of Expertise to learn more.

Choosing a therapist is serious business. Credentials are important. These I have. However, it is the fit that counts. The work in therapy is co-created by both the therapist and the individual. I believe that change can happen. It takes time and effort on both parts, and partnering with someone who “gets it” and helps you move to where you want to go.

Traditionally trained in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic talk therapy, I have investigated, studied, and integrated when appropriate, many forms of therapeutic intervention into my practice. I have developed a large toolbox of skills from which to draw. Psychoanalytic thinking, neuroaffective developmental psychology, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, mindfulness skills, somatically focused psychotherapy such as sensorimotor psychotherapy for trauma, interpersonal neurobiology, and neuroscience research inform my current practice. My work reflects the best thinking and practices referenced from up-to-date research in the medical scientific literature.

I work individually and in groups, where a team effort supports quick results; in both modalities we dig deep for real answers. I also work with couples. Executives, professionals and academics benefit from an expectation of excellence. On the other side of the spectrum I work particularly well with those who are starting their careers and are encountering roadblocks, with those having interpersonal difficulty — whether looking for a relationship or being in a relationship that seems stuck or in trouble, and with those experiencing loss or stuck in a background of trauma. I’m particularly skilled in working with eating and weight regulation issues.

Optimally, therapy is a growth experience. Life can be transformed into something powerful and authentic. Successful treatment results in you moving on with your life, having gained a new ability to interact and connect with people in ways that work, make sense to you, and that you can be proud of. Living your life fully and richly.

Certification/Licensure

New York State licensed LCSW-R, BCD, DCSW, and CGP
New York State Board of Education
1972 to present

Board Certified Specialist with Children and Their Families
American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work
2009 to present

Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP)
American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA)
1994 to present

Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work
American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work
1988 to present

Diplomate
American Board of Psychotherapy
1988 to 1993

Diplomate, Clinical Social Work
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
1987 to present

Advanced Certificate: Behavior Modification Institute for Behavioral Education
(Director: Henry Jordan, M.D.)
1981

Certificate: Behavior Modification Institute for Behavioral Education
(Director: Henry Jordan, M.D.)
1980

Board Certified Clinical Social Worker
New York State Education Department
1972 to present

Academic Appointments

Associate Clinical Professor
Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (fka Mount Sinai School of Medicine)
2007 to present

Associate Clinical Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
2017 to present

Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (fka Mount Sinai School of Medicine)
January 1998 to 2016

Hospital Appointments

Senior Psychotherapy Trainer and Consultant
New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, in affiliation with Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, and Weill-Cornell Medical College in Manhattan (fka St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center, University Hospital of Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Medicine, New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center)
1979 to present

NIH Lifestyle Intervention for Two (LIFT) Study Program
St. Lukes’s Roosevelt New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center
2013 to present

NIH Diabetes Prevention Program
St. Lukes’s Roosevelt New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center
2000-2002

NIH Look Ahead Program
St. Lukes’s Roosevelt New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center
2001 to present

Theodore B. VanItallie Center for Nutrition and Weight Management
Joslin Clinic
St. Lukes’s Roosevelt New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center
1994 to 2001

United Weight Control Corp.
St. Lukes’s Roosevelt New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center
1990 to 1994

Weight Control Unit
St. Lukes’s Roosevelt New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center
1979 to 1989

Senior Psychiatric Social Worker
St. Luke’s Women’s Hospital, NYC
1971 to 1978

Social Work Assistant, Child and Youth Program
Roosevelt Hospital, NYC
1967 to 1969

Professional Organizations

Fran Weiss is a member of the following professional organizations:

• Academy for Eating Disorders
• International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP)
• American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA)
• Fran Weiss is on the Board of Directors of the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists (IBCGP) of AGPA and chairs its Standards Committee
• Eastern Group Psychotherapy Association (EGPS)
• Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy (NSGP)
• National Association of Social Workers, Private Practice Section
• Employee Assistance Society of North America (EASNA)
• Global Association for Interpersonal Neurobiology Studies (GAINS)

Fran Weiss is on the Board of Directors of this professional organization and chairs its Standards Committee:

• International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists (IBCGP),
  American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA)

Editorial Board Member

American Journal of Psychotherapy
2015 — present

GROUP: Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society
2014 — present

Book Reviewer

American Journal of Psychotherapy
1986 — present

Fran Weiss — Publications

Original peer-reviewed papers

“Implications of Attachment Theory and Neuroscience for the Psychotherapeutic Treatment of Obesity and Overeating”
American Journal of Psychotherapy, Article in press.
2017

“Group as a Psychoneurobiological Regulator”
GROUP, Spring 2014, Vol. 38, No. 1.
2014

“Psychodynamic Group Psychotherapy for the Obese Disordered-Eating Adult: A Contemporary View”
GROUP, Dec. Vol. 30, No. 4.
2006

“Group Psychotherapy with Obese Disordered-Eating Adults with Body-Image Disturbances: An Integrated Model”
American Journal of Psychotherapy, Vol.58, No.3, pp.281-303
2004

“Private Social Work Practice for Obese Adult Clients”
Journal of Independent Social Work, Vol. 4 (1) 1989
1989

“Body-Image Disturbances among Obese Adults: Evaluation and Treatment”
American Journal of Psychotherapy, Vol. XL No. 4, October 1986
1986

Book Reviews

“Food and Addiction: A Comprehensive Handbook,” edited by: Kelly D. Brownell and Mark S. Gold, NY, Oxford University Press
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2013

“The Treatment of Eating Disorders: A Clinical Handbook,” Carlos M. Grillo, James E. Mitchell, Eds.
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2011

“The Creative Therapies and Eating Disorders,” by Stephanie L. Brooke
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2008

“Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders,” by Christopher B. Fairburn
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2008

“Clinical Foundations and Treatment” James E Mitchell, Michael J. Devlin, Martina 
De Zwaan, Scott J. Crow, and Carol B. Peterson
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2008

“Assessment of Eating Disorders,” James E. Mitchell, M.D. and Carol B. Peterson, 
PhD., Editors
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy, Vol. 60, No. 3, 2006
2006

“Too Fat or Too Thin? A Reference Guide to Eating Disorders” Cynthia R. Kalodner, 
PhD
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2005

“Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder,” by James Lock, M.D., PhD. and Daniel Le Grange, PhD
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2005

“Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Obesity: A Clinician’s Guide,” by Zafra Cooper
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2004

“Food and Loathing, A Lament,” by Betsy Lerner
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2004

“Body Image, Eating Disorders, and Obesity in Youth: Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment,” edited by J. Kevin Thompson and Linda Smolak
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.

“Hungers and Compulsions: The Psychodynamic Treatment of Eating Disorders & Addictions,” edited by Jean Petrucelli and Catherine Stuart
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy
2003

“Exacting Beauty: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment of Body Image Disturbance,” by J. Kevin Thompson, Leslie J. Heinberg, Madeline Altabe and Stacey Tantleff-Dunn
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1999

“Body Image, Eating Disorders and Obesity: An Integrative Guide for Assessment and Treatment,” edited by J. Kevin Thompson
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1999

“Your Dieting Daughter: Is She Dying for Attention,” by Carolyn Costin
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1997

“Men, Women, and Infertility,” by Aline P. Zoldbrod
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1994

“Psychodynamic Technique in the Treatment of the Eating Disorders,” edited by C. Philip Wilson, Charles C. Hogan, Ira L. Mintz
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1993

“Group Psychotherapy for Eating Disorders,” edited by Heather Harper-Giuffree, and K. Roy MacKenzie
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for GROUP, the Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society
1993

“Group Psychotherapy for Eating Disorders,” edited by Heather Harper-Giuffree, and K. Roy MacKenzie
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1992

“The Family Approach to Eating Disorders: Assessment And Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia,”edited by W. Vandereycken, E. Kog, J. Vanderlinden
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1990

“Bulimia: Psychoanalytic Treatment and Theory,” edited by H.J. Schwartz, M.D.
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1989

“Diagnostic Issues in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa,” by D.M. Garner, P.E. Garfinkel
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1988

“Bulimia: A Systems Approach to Treatment,” by Root, Fallon, Friedrich
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1987

“Eating Disorders, The Family Therapy Collections,” edited by J.C. Hansen, J.E. Harkaway
Reviewed by Fran Weiss for the American Journal of Psychotherapy Read review.
1987

Web-based Publications, Tutorials

“Diabetes: From Resistance to Resilience”
This article is about the struggle of being diagnosed as a diabetic: moving from shocked disbelief and denial to rebellion and ultimately reconciliation. This is a story of finding mastery and ultimately resilience to living with a chronic disease. This lecture is available in the Virtual Library of EatingDisorderHope.com
2017

“The Body Image and Body Self-Restitution Necessary for Lasting Weight Loss and Normalization: Beyond the Pseudo Cure and Hollow Victory”
This lecture is designed to cover definitions of body image, historic background of body image, a review of the literature, psychological factors in individual and group psychotherapy treatment regarding body image and weight regulation. This lecture is archived in the Virtual Library of EatingDisorderHope.com
2006

“Desperately Seeking Another Way Out”
This lecture is about eating disregulation and pseudo cures for weight loss. This lecture is archived in the Virtual Library of EatingDisorderHope.com
Read text of lecture.
2004

“Ask the Expert”
This lecture is about the emotional dynamics of weight regulation. This lecture is archived in the Virtual Library of EatingDisorderHope.com
2005

“Desperately Seeking The Truth”
Article by Fran Weiss about compulsive eating and the search for a solution. On the website of the Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center.
(2005)