About Me
View Dr. Bill Perry’s Complete Resume (.pdf)
Dr. William Perry is a psychologist in San Francisco specializing in alcohol and addiction recovery, depression and anxiety.
Located in San Francisco, William I. Perry, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY10384) with over twenty years experience providing psychotherapy, assessment and consultation. Dr. Perry is also a staff psychologist at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, where he provides supervision to psychology interns and psychiatry residents and consultation to other psychologists. Dr. Perry provides consultation and psychological services for local courts and other psychotherapists in the San Francisco Bay Area on depression, chemical dependency, alcoholism and other addictions.
Dr. Perry serves as a psychologist, evaluator and addiction therapist for alcohol and drug abuse or dependency as well as other addiction disorders. His other specialties include psychotherapy for depression, grief recovery, response to trauma, anxiety disorders, divorce recovery and the management of stress and anxiety. Dr. Perry is a court-appointed child custody evaluator in San Francisco and other Bay Area counties. He is a member of the California and San Francisco Psychological Associations and a past Chair of the Ethics Committee of the San Francisco Psychological Association. Dr. Perry is also a recipient of the San Francisco Bar Association Community Service Award.
Services are provided in English, Spanish or American Sign Language. Dr. Perry’s office is centrally located in the Pacific Heights district of San Francisco.
What is a psychologist?
A psychologist is a trained mental health professional with a doctorate degree (either a Ph.D. or a Psy.D.) in psychology. Unique from other kinds of mental health professionals, psychologists may provide a number of services: Psychotherapy, psychological testing, consultation and supervision. Psychiatrists are medical doctors. They prescribe psychotropic medication and often do therapy as well. Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) have Masters’ Degrees and are primarily trained in therapy for couples and families. Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) also have Masters’ Degrees and may work with individuals and families.
Psychologists vary widely in their approach, style and theoretical orientation. Psychotherapy may be active and direct, passive and reflective, or, most commonly, somewhere in between. Psychologists may be behaviorally-oriented or insight-oriented, or again, some combination. While it is important to choose a psychologist that works in a style that works best for you, research has demonstrated that the most important factors in predicting success of psychotherapy are the length of experience of the therapist and the personal chemistry between therapist and patient. Of course you want therapy that can best meet your needs. You will find that the best psychologist for you is the one who best fits with your own personality and preferred style and who is attentive to your needs.
Psychologists treat a number of problems, most commonly depression, relationship issues, loss, grief and anxiety disorders. In addition to working with these issues I also specialize in alcoholism, pre-alcoholism, addictions, and child custody evaluations.
What kind of psychologist am I?
As a psychologist and psychotherapist my style is interactive, direct and collaborative, drawing upon cognitive and behavioral approaches as well as relational and psychoanalytic (insight-oriented) psychotherapy. My focus is on the specific needs of each patient. My practice is dedicated to helping people live full and meaningful lives. I love what I do and I feel it a privilege to be trusted as a helper.
Coping alone or even with loving friends and family is very difficult if you are going through a loss, conflict or life change. I place my highest priority on providing you with a safe, supportive, objective, warm and confidential environment where I will help you overcome feelings of depression, anxiety and fear, always in the spirit of honoring and respecting your personal dignity and value.
If you think you may have a drug, alcohol, or sex addiction problem, I can help you, without judgment, as part of our “team,” to discover and examine your options and to make informed, realistic, healthy and growth-promoting choices. I believe in your capacity to change and I see myself as a facilitator of that change. My goal is to provide you with support, relief, resolution, and the tools you need to prevent relapse.
Honors and Awards:
- National Honor Society
- Dean’s List, University of Southern California
- Graduated Magna Cum Laude, University of Southern California
- Voluntary Service Award, V.A. Hospital, Loma Linda, CA 1983
- Alcohol Dependence Treatment Center
- Community Service Award, Bar Association of San Francisco
- San Francisco Aids Health Project, Service Award
Professional Organizations:
- Member, California Psychological Association
- Member, San Francisco Psychological Association
- Member, Child Custody Evaluation Best Practices Consultation Group
- San Francisco Psychological Association
- Past Member, Board of Directors, San Francisco Psychological Association
- Past Chair, Ethics Committee, San Francisco Psychological Association
- Affiliate Staff Member, Department of Psychiatry, California Pacific Medical Center
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