Psychodynamic Aikido

On this episode on Ki to the City, I have (had?...I never know which tense to use) the distinct privilege of speaking with Dr. Steven Reidbord.Dr. Reidbord has been practicing psychiatry and psychodynamic psychotherapy in San Francisco for roughly 30 years.Alongside his extensive medical career—which includes formally teaching psychiatry residents the art of traditional therapy—he’s dedicated a quarter of a century to the sincere study of Aikido. His aiki journey began at City Aikido with the legendary Robert Nadeau sensei, and as we speak (spoke?) he’s patiently awaiting the official documentation of his Sandan to arrive.Dr Reidbord hosts a fantastic YouTube channel called “More Than Meds”, where he explores depth psychotherapy and humanistic psychiatry in a highly engaging, entertaining, and informative way, while emphasizing the importance of depth-oriented psychotherapy within a field that has become increasingly hyper-focused on medication and surface-level symptom managementWhat I find most uniquely vital is his elegant transference of Aikido-based wisdom into the realm of mainstream mental health.He has an entire playlist dedicated specifically to Aikido and Psychotherapy, featuring incredibly fascinating psychodynamic parallels revolving around ukemi, musubi, takemusu aiki, and much more… There’s even an interview (or two) with Richard Moon Sensei!I highly encourage you to head on over there before even listening to this.But still, please come back and listen to the episode of course.We get pretty deep.“Ki to the City” remains a reader-supported publication. If you draw inspiration from these dialogues and wish to help me keep this podcast alive, I humbly ask for your support. Please consider signing up to be a paid subscriber.If you would prefer to make a one-time contribution, you can email me directly at [email protected], and as a token of my immense gratitude, you will receive a complimentary copy of Don Dickie Sensei’s deeply reflective volume of poetry, Silent Winds of Aikido. Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe