Additional Publications
Articles by Dr. Gratch
‘Tamed Rebels’ make Good Managers
What makes an effective corporate leader? Among other qualities, leaders have an overriding faith in themselves and their own ability to succeed – a faith that may defy the practical odds, in fact. And with this faith, leaders seem to be characterized by a higher degree of ego development than that of the average person. Yet, successful managers do not attain the highest order of ego development – which may be just as well for their corporations. Read the Article »
Testing for Traits that Make a Merger
WHAT makes for effective management? Much of the early psychological research on this question was based on the assumption that managers possessed unique personal traits, such as intelligence, independence, self-confidence, etc., which set them apart from their subordinates. But this line of research led to disappointment. For one thing, it was felt that a list of such traits falls short of accounting for the unique aura that surrounds those in the corporate as well as the political world who truly lead. Read the Article »
The Psychodynamics of Peace
This chapter explores the possible contributions of psychoanalytic theory to sustainable peace. The chapter traces the development of psychoanalysis from a drive-based theory to a relational one, and the implications of both constructs to group and intergroup dynamics relevant to sustainable peace. Whereas the former involves the management of potentially destructive group defenses stemming from the struggle to contain the aggressive drive, the latter focuses on the employment of empathy and the developmental processes of separation- individuation and internalization. The roles of healthy and unhealthy narcissism, mirroring, mourning, and secondary aggression are also explored. Finally the chapter discusses some of the future implications and practical applications of the concepts presented. Read the Chapter »
Give Peace a (Last) Chance
As President Obama has said, recent events in the Middle East present both a challenge and an opportunity for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. For Israel, the opportunity might well be the last chance to beat the demographic and democratic clocks for a two-state solution. For the Palestinians, the urgency to stem the tide of misery among its people, certainly in Gaza, has never been greater. Unfortunately, every major effort at peacemaking to date — at Oslo, Wye, Camp David, Taba, Geneva, all twenty-six proposals and counting — have simply been co-opted by the conflict; criticized, politicized, used to polarize and mobilize spoilers, and have largely contributed to peace fatigue. Read the Article »
Reviews and Interviews
Trying to explain the Male Psyche
While coaching his son’s second-grade soccer team during a game here two years ago, Alon Gratch learned quite a bit about himself. His son’s team was losing and his son Jordan, then 8, began to cry. Frustrated by his son’s response, he furiously told Jordan to stop and pointed out that he was the only boy crying. Read the article »
If Men Could Talk
The first question for If Men Could Talk, by the psychologist Alon Gratch, is “Does it live up to its title?” And the answer is . . . yes, though not in the way you might expect. This is not a male-bashing book, as some people assume when they see its cover, nor is it a comic work. It is, however, a work of good humor and compassion with much of value for men and for women. Read the article »
If Men Could Talk: Here’s What They’d Say
Women drawn to this book by its promise to unlock men’s secrets will find that following Gratch’s premise requires more effort and sophistication than following the work of John Gray. Though this book holds insights into the male psyche and into the therapeutic process itself, readers looking for a quick fix or easy characterizations will be disappointed. Despite the clever title, Gratch serves up fairly serious theory flavored with dollops of Russian literature and only brief suggestions on dealing with men’s behavior. Read the article »
What a Gift
Its not that men dont talk, says Dr. Gratch, its just that they speak adifferent language. Breaking down male psychology into seven factors-Shame, Emotional Absence, Masculine Insecurity, Self-Involvement,Aggression, Self-Destructiveness, and Sexual Acting-Out-Dr. Gratch givesreaders the tools they need to listen, to interpret, and to understand theinner world of men. Read the Review »
Sometimes you’re sure something’s bothering your man, but you can’t quite put your finger on what the hell it is. And unfortunately, with the exception ofAmerican Idol‘s Simon Cowell, men have difficulty communicating negative feelings. “Men are hardwired to hide vulnerability,” says Alon Gratch, PhD, a clinical psychologist in New York City and author of If Men Could Talk. Read the Article »
Every chick knows how hard it is when she puts in serious time with a guy who refuses to commit… until he moves on to his next girlfriend, and then suddenly, he’s springing for a rock.Women assume that a guy will pop the question once he finds someone he’s compatible with, i.e., The One. But that’s not enough to push him over the edge, according to clinical psychologist Alon Gratch, PhD, author of If Men Could Talk. What, then, does it take? Read the Article »
Sometimes it can be hard to see the good in your guy when he’s getting on your nerves. “No matter how terrific your man is, he’ll have a habit that annoys you,” says New York clinical psychologist Alon Gratch, PhD. But believe it or not (we didn’t at first), those very things that bug the hell out of you can easily morph into endearing qualities by using a clever strategy. Read the Article »