After 20 years of practicing as both a psychotherapist and a life coach in Baltimore and Chevy Chase, Md., nationally known psychologist Dr. Michael Hurd, has recently relocated to Bethany Beach to continue his practice. (Hurd still sees his remaining Chevy Chase patients one day each week.)
Special to the Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT:
Dr. Michael Hurd has recently opened an office in Bethany Beach.
Hurd’s nostalgic memories of his childhood summers in this area were a large part of his motivation to move his practice to Bethany Beach.
“I’ve always loved the area,” said Hurd. “I have been coming to the Rehoboth area since I was a little child.”
Recognizing the therapeutic nature of the beach, Hurd has encouraged his patients to come to the shore to see him. He even arranges for patients who have seen him several times to receive discount rates at Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach or Ocean City hotels.
“A lot of my former patients in the D.C. area have expressed interest in this offer,” said Hurd. “It is certainly a useful tool.”
Hurd distinguishes himself from other psychologists by encouraging his patients to develop tools to help themselves. Specifically, he asks his patients to “examine their feelings and determine whether those feelings correspond to objective reality.”
Contrasting his emphasis on “objective reality” with other therapists’ emphasis on “subjectivism,” Hurd said he believes that subjectivism is detrimental to patients insofar as it allows them to define the world only in terms of their emotions, in lieu of their thoughts.
Hurd said he feels that his role as a therapist is to “help people put things in perspective and help them solve problems.”
The psychotherapist has expressed his views on contemporary psychology in his book “Effective Therapy,” published in 1997.
Describing the book as a guide that helps readers avoid the dangers of modern therapies, Hurd explained that he thinks contemporary psychotherapists “make you think like a helpless victim, which is not healthy. Instead, they should try to challenge and question you, too.”
Another of Hurd’s books in which he has encouraged readers to help themselves by thinking independently is “Grow Up America!,” published in 2000. In that book, Hurd expresses his belief that happiness will result when one takes responsibility for one’s actions, instead of placing the blame on others or external circumstances.
While Hurd uses a cognitive approach focusing on behavioral modification in his practice as both a psychotherapist and a life coach, those two roles are fundamentally different, he said.
Through life coaching, he helps patients reach short-term objectives, such as managing time effectively or coping with difficult people. He said he finds that such coaching can be handled via e-mail or phone calls just as effectively as through face-to-face consultations with patients.
On the other hand, Hurd uses psychotherapy to treat more serious problems, such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, death, divorce and depression. If those sorts of problems become such that the patient requires medication, Hurd can refer him/her to a psychiatrist.
Trained in solution-focused therapy, Hurd’s basic method is to let his patients (individuals, as well as entire families) look at their problems from more than one perspective.
Hurd has spread his message not only through his books but also through his radio talk show, which aired from 1999 to 2002 in Phoenix, Ariz., and in Rhode Island.
The show dealt with a variety of issues, ranging from current events, such as terrorism, to people’s everyday anxieties. Although the show is no longer on the air, live streams of the show are available on his Web site and still attract thousands of listeners.
Explaining why the show is no longer on the air, Hurd cited the demands of the show and his practice. “I thought my time would be better spent dealing with patients, instead of putting them off for weeks at a time,” he said.
Additionally, Hurd has been circulating his Living Resources newsletter since 1992. The newsletter, published six times a year, offers an outlook on everything from politics to psychological well-being.
Hurd’s interest in psychotherapy was sparked when he met a psychologist during his high-school years.
“She told me that no two days and no two hours are ever the same,” said Hurd. “I have since realized that no two people are exactly the same. As a psychotherapist, it’s very gratifying to see people help themselves.”
Anyone wishing to meet with Dr. Hurd for a consultation may call him at (302) 539-5986. His office is located at 17 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 4. Additional information about his practice and writings is available on his Web site at www.DrHurd.com.