Learn more about Primal Therapy and our center’s purpose.
Call (310) 392-2003
Basic Theory
The following is taken from Why You Get Sick – How You Get Well by Dr. Arthur Janov and reviews some of the basic theory behind Primal Therapy.
“There is one neurosis, many manifestations and one cure ‘feeling.’”
Repressed pain divides the self in two, and each side wars with the other. One is the real self, loaded with needs and pain that are submerged; the other is the unreal self that attempts to deal with the outside world by trying to fulfill unmet needs with neurotic habits or behaviors such as obsessions or addictions. The split of the self is the essence of neurosis, and neurosis can kill.
That pain is the result of needs and feelings that have gone unfulfilled in early life. Those early unmet needs create what I call Primal Pain. Coming close to death at birth or feeling unloved as a child are examples of such Pain. The Pain goes unfelt at the time because the body is not equipped to experience it fully and deal with it. When the Pain is too much, it is repressed and stored away. When enough unresolved Pain has occurred, we lose access to our feelings and become neurotic.
“The number one killer in the world today is not cancer or heart disease, it is repression.”
Primal Therapy is important in the field of psychology, for it means, ultimately, the end to so much suffering in human beings. Discovering a way to treat Pain means there is a way to stop the misery in which so many of us are mired every day of our lives. After two decades of research, after dealing with thousands of patients with every imaginable psychological and physical affliction, we have arrived at a precise, predictable therapy that reduces the amount of time one spends in treatment and eliminates all the wasted motion. It is a therapy that has been investigated by independent scientists, and the findings are consistent. Primal Therapy is able to reduce or eliminate a host of physical and psychic ailments in a relatively short period of time with lasting results.
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying to THE PRIMAL CENTER as a patient, please read the sections below on medical matters, international or out-of-state applicants, non-English therapy, minors, insurance and living in Los Angeles.
Application Process:
- We will be happy to send you the list of fees upon your request.
- Please go to our online questionnaire link and fill it out thoroughly. Either send it to us by email or print out the questionnaire and mail it to us through regular mail.
- Write a 2-to-3-page typed autobiography in English to give us a general outline of your life.
- Mail or email (a) your autobiography, (b) a recent photograph of yourself, and (c) your questionnaire to:
THE PRIMAL CENTER
5801 Uplander Way
Culver City, CA 90230
USA
Phone: (310) 392-2003
Fax: (310) 392-8554
E-mail: info@primaltherpy.net
Medical Matters
For those who are under current medical treatment, a release and a report of the patient’s condition must be sent to us prior to starting therapy. The patient must agree to continue his or her medical treatment as prescribed. If necessary, we can recommend a psychiatrist in Santa Monica who works with Primal patients.
International or Out-of-State Applicants
The visa requirement came into effect on October 1, 2003.
The details are as follows:
- All passengers intending to enter the USA on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will be required to present a machine-readable passport (MRP).
- Passengers traveling to the USA with a non-machine-readable passport will require a valid US entry visa, even if they are citizens of a country within the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
- Children traveling on a parent’s passport (be it machine-readable or non-machine-readable) cannot benefit from the Visa Waiver Program.
- Applying for a US visa is a lengthy process that can take several weeks. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that:
- All Visa Waiver nationals who hold a non-machine-readable passport should obtain a machine-readable passport before their next visit to the USA.
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- Children traveling on their parent’s passport should obtain their own machine-readable passport prior to traveling to the USA.
We strongly advise you to check with the U.S. consulate in your country to find out your exact requirements for entry to the United States.
Intake Interview
In order to accommodate those applicants who come from far away and who cannot make two trips to Los Angeles, we can, upon request, schedule an interview close to a possible starting date.
We are also set up to do intake interviews via Skype. We will be happy to provide you with all necessary information.
Generally, if an intake interview is scheduled close to the starting date, there is already a fairly good possibility of being accepted, although this is by no means automatic. (Please indicate on the questionnaire where and how you want the intake interview to take place.)
International applicants must take individual responsibility for arranging housing and transportation. We will provide you with a list of nearby motels. However, applicants are responsible for making their own reservations. Please inform us where you will be staying.
Non-English Therapy
In some cases, we will consider doing the therapy with the help of a translator. Please note that the therapy fee will be increased, independent of the translator’s fee. The patient will have to retain and directly compensate their translator. Please check with us if you are interested in this possibility. Groups are conducted in English. Please know that in order to live in America, it is certainly preferable to have some ability in English.
Minors
For those applicants who are minors, parental consent is required. We have found that young people do very well in Primal Therapy so long as their home environment is suitable.
Insurance
Some insurance companies will pay at least in part for therapy. Please check with your insurance agent regarding this possibility and/or check your policy.
Living in Los Angeles
THE PRIMAL CENTER is located in Culver City, just outside of Los Angeles, CA. Find us on Google Maps.
We are often asked about the cost of living in the Los Angeles area. It is difficult to say exactly, but the expenses of living in Los Angeles seem to equate with that of any other big city. Please note: We need all application items—including your autobiography—on file for your application to be complete. Thank you.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the application.