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WORK TITLE: Overcoming Shame
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1965
WEBSITE: http://www.drmarkbaker.com/
CITY:
STATE: CA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
PASADENA OFFICE: 650 Sierra Madre Villa, Ste. 110, Pasadena, CA 91107; SANTA MONICA OFFICE: 3201 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 203, Santa Monica, CA 90403; Phone: (800) 483-9591.
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1965.
EDUCATION:Fuller Theological Seminary, master’s degree, Ph.D.; Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute, certificate in psychodynamic psychotherapy.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, clinical psychologist, marriage and family therapist, and certified life coach. La Vie Counseling Centers in Pasadena and Santa Monica, CA, executive director. Has appeared on television and radio.
WRITINGS
Also author of How God Heals Hurt and The Personal Power of Jesus, both Sextante (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.) Contributor to professional journals. Books published in Brazil, Korea, Portugal, and Poland.
SIDELIGHTS
Mark W. Baker is a psychotherapist and marriage and family counselor whose primary areas of interest include marital conflict and relationship issues, depression, anxiety, men’s issues, life transitions, executive coaching, and psychodynamic psychotherapy. Baker is also interested in psychotherapy in relation to spirituality. A contributor to professional journals, Baker often appears on television and radio to discuss psychology and spirituality.
The Greatest Psychologist Who Ever Lived
Baker’s book titled The Greatest Psychologist Who Ever Lived: Jesus and the Wisdom of the Soul, reprinted in paperback as Jesus, the Greatest Therapist Who Ever Lived, is an international bestseller with almost two million copies in print. Baker presents an analysis of Jesus that shows how his teachings are both compatible with the field of psychology and how they still maintain relevance in dealing with modern-day problems and struggles. Writing in the introduction to Jesus, the Greatest therapist Who Ever Lived, Baker notes: “My study of contemporary analytic theories has allowed me to understand the teachings of Jesus in a different light that has enriched my life and the lives of my patients. Rather than finding the teachings of Jesus contradicted by these new psychological developments, I have found them illuminated as profound psychological insights that I had not understood before.”
The book is organized into two sections: “Understanding People” and “Knowing Yourself.” Baker draws from biblical quotations and real-life stories to show how the the teachings of Jesus and the field of psychology intersect, such as the chapter titled “Understanding Sin and Psychopathology.” “The vignettes are intriguing,” wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor.
Overcoming Shame
In Overcoming Shame: Let Go of Others’ Expectations and Embrace God’s Acceptance, Baker draws from psychological research, biblical teachings, and his own clinical experience to examine the many debilitating aspects of shame. Baker begins by discussing the signals that indicate a person has a problem with shame, which often masquerades as guilt, envy, resentment, or pride. He then explores the causes of shame, noting that childhood traumas can lead to a life in which people are prone to shame, blaming themselves for a moral defect. Baker goes on to present various approaches to dealing with issues of shame.
Baker writes that there is a power in vulnerability and humility and discusses how guilt can sometimes be helpful. Nevertheless, according to the author, shame and resentfulness are consistently hurtful. Baker dedicates a chapter to an exploration of Jesus and self-esteem and addresses many Christians’ concerns over issues of shame. He provides approaches to dealing with shame that include how to restore relationships. Baker also emphasizes the imperative for people to try to change, bringing about an understanding of one’s worth. Insights are provided about a therapist’s goal in helping people deal with shame. “Baker’s clinical expertise will help Christian readers struggling with insidious, self-afflicting thoughts,” wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor.
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Baker, Mark W., Jesus, the Greatest Therapist Who Ever Lived, HarperOne (New York, NY), 2007.
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, February 12, 2001, review of The Greatest Psychologist Who Ever Lived: Jesus and the Wisdom of the Soul, p. 201; January 8, 2018, review of Overcoming Shame, p. 59.
ONLINE
La Vie Counseling Center Website, http://www.laviecounseling.org/ (June 9, 2018), author profile.
Mark W. Baker Website, http://www.drmarkbaker.com (June 9, 2018).
Dr. Mark W. Baker has received a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a Masters degree in Theology, as well as a certificate in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.
He is licensed as a Clinical Psychologist and as a Marriage and Family Therapist and is a Certified Life Coach. He is the Executive Director of the La Vie Counseling Centers in Pasadena and Santa Monica, CA.
Dr. Baker has published numerous articles in professional psychological journals and has appeared on television and radio programs to discuss his ideas regarding Psychology and Spirituality.
Dr. Baker’s first internationally best selling book, The Greatest Psychologist Who Ever Lived: Jesus and the Wisdom of the Soul was originally released by Harper San Francisco and now is available in paperback under the title, Jesus, The Greatest Therapist Who Ever Lived released by Harper One, with almost two million copies in print.
He has co-authored with New York Times best-seller author Carmen Renee Berry the book, Who’s to Blame?: Escape the Victim Trap & Gain Personal Power in Your Relationships, which was released by Pinon Press. Dr. Baker’s other books include How God Heals Hurt and The Personal Power of Jesus, which were both published by Sextante in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Mark W. Baker
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Mark W. Baker, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist PSY#9219
Office Locations: Pasadena, Santa Monica
Phone: (800) 483-9591 ext. 107
Fax: (626) 351-9493
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MARK W. BAKER, PH.D.
Dr. Mark W. Baker is the Executive Director of La Vie Counseling Centers. He received a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a Master’s degree in Theology from Fuller Graduate School of Psychology, as well as a certificate in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy from the Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute.
Dr. Baker is licensed as a psychologist and marriage and family therapist. He has published numerous articles in professional psychological journals and has appeared on television and radio programs to discuss his ideas regarding psychology and spirituality.
Dr. Baker’s bestselling book Jesus, The Greatest Therapist Who Ever Lived has sold almost 2 million copies worldwide.
Areas of Clinical Interest: Marital Conflict and Relationship Issues, Depression, Anxiety, Men’s Issues, Unresolved Personal Problems, Life Transitions, Executive Coaching and Individual Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.
Modality: Adults, Couples
Rate per Session: $275
Accepts Insurance: PPO, Out of Network
Flexible Fee: No
quote from introduction
Overcoming Shame
Publishers Weekly.
265.2 (Jan. 8, 2018): p59.
COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Overcoming Shame
Mark W. Baker. Harvest House, $14.99 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-0-7369-7130-0
Baker (Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life), clinical psychologist, family therapist, and executive director
of La Vie Counseling Centers in Los Angeles, aims to free Christians from toxic thinking in this clear-eyed
denunciation of self-loathing. Baker begins with guilt: "To manage your guilt, you must do things
differently. Being honest about wrongdoing, repenting of it, and seeking forgiveness are things you can do
in response to your guilt," he writes. "But to deal with your shame, you must actually be different. That is,
you must be vulnerable and experience what it is like to share feelings honestly with others in ways that
change you." Baker describes how early childhood traumas have often left a lasting impact on adults who
live a "shame-prone" life--he defines these adults as people who believe their feelings of shame are "a toxic
confirmation of a moral defect in [them] that cannot be changed." Baker encourages Christians to explore
the power of vulnerability, view humility as a positive character trait, resist giving way to resentment, and
address feelings of envy and jealousy in order to dispel feelings of shame. The text is also replete with case
studies that bring to life his principles so that readers can witness how a "shame-prone" attitude can
negatively impact lives and relationships. Baker's clinical expertise will help Christian readers struggling
with insidious, self-afflicting thoughts. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Overcoming Shame." Publishers Weekly, 8 Jan. 2018, p. 59. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A524503034/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7e02a227.
Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A524503034
5/17/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1526577875220 2/2
THE GREATEST PSYCHOLOGIST
WHO EVER LIVED: Jesus and the
Wisdom of the Soul
Publishers Weekly.
248.7 (Feb. 12, 2001): p201.
COPYRIGHT 2001 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
MARK W. BAKER. Harper San Francisco, $22 (240p) ISBN 0-06-067088-6 (Christianity/Psychology)
"Some psychologists view religion as a cult that limits human potential," says Christian psychologist and
therapist Baker, "and some religious people view psychology as a cult for the very same reason. This book
is based upon the premise that, instead, the fields of theology and psychology intersect through the
teachings of Jesus, who "understood people." Baker utilizes brief, one- to three-page vignettes from his
clinical practice to illustrate a particular Bible verse and an accompanying spiritual principle. For example,
to interpret the verse, "Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15), Baker tells the story of a surgeon
who realizes that he's spent his life trying to avoid criticism, which has worked well in his career, but is not
helping his marriage. When, through therapy, the surgeon starts trying to change his feelings about avoiding
criticism, his marriage improves. Baker closes this vignette with the spiritual principle that "The wise are
always prepared to change their minds; fools, never." V ignettes are organized into chapters such as
"Understanding Sin and Psychopathology," which are in turn organized into the two larger sections of
"Understanding People" and "Knowing Yourself." While the vignettes are intriguing, their connections to
particular Bible verses and spiritual principles often seem tenuous, and the spiritual import therefore
becomes superficial. Because chapters contain ten or so vignettes and no concluding section to tie them all
together, the overall effect is disjointed. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"THE GREATEST PSYCHOLOGIST WHO EVER LIVED: Jesus and the Wisdom of the Soul." Publishers
Weekly, 12 Feb. 2001, p. 201. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A70654116/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=1d7a6935. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A70654116