Healing Psych

Dr. Katrina Wood's psychotherapy blog

  • About
  • Psychotherapy centers
  • Business consulting
  • Twitter
  • Contact

My father the POW, ‘Fighting on Film’

August 13, 2024 By Dr. Katrina Wood

british actor

I am the daughter of a British army prisoner of war at Changi, a notorious WWII camp in the jungles north of Singapore. My father, Percy Herbert, went on to become a film actor. His early movies included the Oscar-winning "The Bridge on the River Kwai," directed by David Lean. Ironically the film was based on the very same concentration camp where my father was held for four years. Forced to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: families, stress and trauma Tagged With: media

At the movies: the observer and the observed

May 13, 2024 By Dr. Katrina Wood

psychiatrist movies

Hollywood has long presented psychotherapists and analysts as villains or saintly saviors, but around the turn of the century they became central characters in a handful of popular and hilarious comedies. Consider “Analyze This” (1999) and its sequel “Analyze That” (2002), both starring Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro. Then there’s “What About Bob?” (1991), pairing Bill Murray and Richard … [Read more...]

Filed Under: families, relationships Tagged With: media

When gratitude is in short supply

November 1, 2022 By Dr. Katrina Wood

Clint Eastwood movie

How often are small kindnesses extended without a second thought, simply an automatic gesture between human beings, just because. … Probably millions of time daily around the world. What a wonderful image this suggests. People offering help, care, love and consideration. Society values and rewards such gestures. Studies have shown time and again how gestures of kindness and consideration … [Read more...]

Filed Under: communication, relationships Tagged With: media

The Beatles, psychologists of rock

January 19, 2022 By Dr. Katrina Wood

Beatles Let It Be sessions

Humming along to "Eleanor Rigby," I began listening more acutely to the astounding lyrics of this Beatles song from 1966. How profoundly insightful their music was when it came to the the human condition from a psychological point of view. The Beatles were the pop psychologists of their times! "Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been. ... All the lonely people, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: communication Tagged With: creativity, love, media

A modern-day Children’s Crusade

September 23, 2019 By Dr. Katrina Wood

In the year 1212, a crusade of more than 30,000 Christian children led by 12-year-old Stephen of Cloyes and young shepherd Nicholas sought to regain the Holy Land from the Muslims. The children's mission was to "peacefully" convert Muslims while securing Christians' right to the Holy Grail and Jerusalem. They were sent by the priests, backed by parents and the village communities of Northern … [Read more...]

Filed Under: children, stress and trauma Tagged With: childhood trauma, media, society

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

New video interview

In January 2025, Rachael Lassoff of Meddkit, above, interviewed Dr. Katrina Wood for her "Provider Spotlight" series. They discussed trauma, healing and the power of communication. Listen in.

Business consulting

Dr. Katrina Wood offers business consulting services with a focus on assisting entrepreneurs with startup mental health group practices. General consulting and coaching in the workplace for optimum performance. Learn more.

About Dr. Katrina Wood

Southern California psychotherapistKatrina Wood is an author, lecturer and certified life coach focusing on psychotherapy and emotional healing. She lives in Los Angeles, where she runs the Wilshire/Valley psychotherapy center. ( More )

Search for content

Couples intensive therapy

Wilshire/Valley Therapy Center's make-or-break sessions help couples get back on the love track … or enable them to move on. Katrina Wood, Ph.D., has developed these sessions and their content. Learn about the Couples Connect sessions.

Dr. Wood’s ‘Faerie’ tale

Children’s fantasy adventure : Katrina Wood’s “The Night of the Faerie Rade” is now available at Amazon. A wonderful gift for kids ages 6-10.

Dr. Wood at LACPA

View Katrina Wood's talk on suicide prevention at the L.A. County Psychological Association convention.

Top psychotherapy videos

Help with the holidays

Inner child exercises

Marital & premarital therapy

Help for children in divorces

View the Dr. Katrina Wood channel

My mental health centers

Wilshire/Valley Therapy Center & Management Services 

> Locations in Southern California
> Our therapeutic specialties

Topics: Mental health

About depression
Therapy: Getting help
Panic attacks
Co-parenting
Anxiety and GAD
Sexual abuse
Stress and trauma

Topics, categorized

Disclaimer

This blog discusses psychotherapy issues in a general way. Readers should address pressing concerns via their personal-growth support system. Some problems covered here are best handled directly by mental health providers.

Copyright © 2025 Dr. Katrina Wood · All rights reserved · Web direction: Internet Forestry · Privacy · Contact