Lew Abrams, Ph.D.
Lew Abrams is a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in Maui, with a Master’s and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His interests include behavioral medicine, particularly the use of meditation, hypnosis, and guided imagery as an adjunct to cancer treatment, family systems and family therapy, couples counseling, transpersonal psychotherapy, and cross-cultural issues in mental health.
Dr. Abrams' interest in cross-cultural mental health has grown out of travels through Asia and Central America, work with Native Americans at the Seattle Indian Health Board and the Indian Health Service, where he was a counselor at the Nisqually Tribe and consulted to the mental health programs of seven other tribes in the Puget Sound region, and his work with Hawaiians of mixed ancestry. His 18-year marriage to a Latina from Honduras has also been a valuable source of first hand experience in bridging cultural differences.
At present, Dr. Abrams maintains a general clinical psychology practice, serving individuals, couples, and families as they grapple with sexual abuse, domestic violence, chemical dependency, pain management, and life threatening illness. His eclectic orientation draws upon solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral, communication skills, transpersonal, and Buddhist perspectives to help clients work through depression, anxiety, anger, and low self-esteem.
Dr. Abrams also has more than 25 years experience as a sculptor in clay and bronze, and is interested in the creative process and methods for transcending blocks to personal self-expression. He also sings, plays percussion and bamboo flute, and has explored the use of sound in healing with toning, Tibetan singing bowls, tuning forks, and other sources of pure vibration.
Dr. Abrams supervised clinical psychology interns and psychiatry residents as an Adjunct Faculty of the University of Washington School of Medicine. Since moving to Maui six years ago, he has also provided pre- and post-doctoral supervision to clinical psychology graduate students. Dr. Abrams sees serving as a mentor for IUPS students as a valuable and rewarding opportunity to support self-motivated learners in their pursuit of a meaningful, individually designed course of study.
The areas of specialization for students include: 1) Counseling Psychology 2) Relationship of Expressive Arts Therapy to Healing and Wellness 3) The Spiritual Dimension of Counseling and Coaching.