History of Training and Experience
1965-1969:
Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology. Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Graduated Magna Cum Laude, Extensive training in Humanistic, Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology.
1970-1975:
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Extensive Training in Cognitive and Behavioral approaches in psychotherapy. Extensive Training in Sex Therapy and Human Sexuality Research and Education
1970-1975:
Dr. Karr was teaching assistant and research assistant for Dr. Nathaniel Wagner,
who was an internationally known and published psychology professor, sex educator,
and sex therapist at the University of Washington . He assisted Dr. Wagner in
teaching each quarter, three psychology sections in human sexuality (400 students
in each section).
1975:
One-year full time internship at the VA Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Extensive training in treatment of drug addiction, alcoholism, and Post Traumatic Stress Syndromes with veterans, especially those returning from the Viet Nam war.
1975: August 1975:
Dr. Karr completed and was awarded his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the
University of Washington . He moved to San Francisco at that time and began a
full year postdoctoral internship at the University of California at San Francisco
Medical School , Department of Psychiatry, Langley-Porter Institute, Department
of Human Sexuality. He received extensive training in male sexuality and sex
therapy with men. He was brought on board and became involved in the Human Sexuality
programs educational classes for health care professionals.
1976-1981:
Dr. Karr became an Associate Staff with the University of California at San Francisco
Medical School , Department of Psychiatry, Langley-Porter Institute, Department
of Human Sexuality. He supervised interns in the Human Sexuality program sex
clinic and participated as an educator in the Human Sexuality program, classes
and workshops concerning human sexuality for health professionals. He was the
assistant to the director of the men's program, Dr. Bernie, Zilbergeld, who was
an internationally famous researcher and published author dealing with male sexuality.
Dr Bernie Zilbergeld's book, The New Male Sexuality: The Truth about Men, Sex,
and Pleasure, ISBN: 0553380427, is still considered the most important book dealing
with male sexuality.
1976-1984:
Volunteer therapist educator and clinical supervisor with Operation Concern and
Pacific Medical Center . Operation Concern is now known by the name of New Leaf.
There, Dr. Karr provided individual, couple and group therapy as a volunteer
therapist. Later, after being licensed, he was a clinical supervisor of interns
and developed various workshops and educational programs for San Francisco professionals.
1976-1980:
Volunteer therapist and educator at Pacific Center for Human Growth in Berkeley
, California . Dr. Karr was a volunteer therapist doing individual, couple and
group therapy.
1977- 1998:
In Classical Jungian and Freudian analytic practice, an analytic candidate undergoes analysis as the primary learning method in becoming an analyst. Dr. Karr went through an intensive long-term analysis with a well-known Jungian Analyst of the Jungian Institute in San Francisco in which he learned methods of being a Jungian Therapist. Dr. Karr uses such intensive Jungian depth approaches with some of his long term clients for whom that approach is appropriate. Jungian approaches include dream work, shadow work, archetypal approaches, psychodrama and psycho-play, etc. The Jungian philosophy is focused on facilitating client's consciousness and awareness of their wholeness. This may include clients becoming aware of their shadow and dark aspects as well. Also, clients learn through their own self-awareness and enhanced awareness of others that every man has a feminine side and that every woman has a masculine side. Jungian approaches facilitate non-judgmental accepting self-love vs. some other approaches that emphasize changing or fixing oneself according to the expectations of others.
1982-Present:
Dr. Karr was licensed as a Psychologist in March of 1982. He has focused his primary energy on a private practice in San Francisco and the East Bay since 1982.
1980-Present; Death, Dying and Living with the AIDS Epidemic:
A primary teacher of Dr. Karr has been his twenty-four years experiencing and
surviving the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco. This experience totally changed
him and taught him the meaning of life, love, death, and spirituality. Dr. Karr,
through his involvement and presence in the death of hundreds of friends and
colleagues has become an expert at dealing with death and dying issues and healing
people to look at their death and make their death a positive one. Dr. Karr has
experienced death being a great teacher of life not just for the person dying
but also for the people in that person's life. Dr. Karr is expert at helping
people process the death of a loved one or deal with a loved one's dying process.
Death teaches the importance of people, relationships, love, being in the moment,
and going for what you really want in your life. If one can become comfortable
with death, then all of the other fears and doubts in life become of minor consequence.
Dr. Karr's experience with so many people dying has brought him to the study
and practice of Jungian and Transpersonal approaches in psychotherapy. He has,
over the last 24 years, studied extensively Hindu, Buddhist, Native American,
and Western Mysteries traditions and philosophies.