A Psychotherapist Reflects On The View –

Standing On The Frontier Of The Mind

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During the 20th Century, man walked on the moon, developed the computer chip and learned how to split the atom. Man also began to explore the human mind: how it works and how it makes us who we all are. For Newtown resident George Anderheggen, PhD, the exploration of the human mind has become a lifelong passion that has taken him to places no travel agent could ever arrange.

Dr Anderheggen, 72, sat down with The Bee earlier this week to talk about his career in psychotherapy. He started by reflecting on the advancements made over the past 100 years.

“We’ve scratched the surface of understanding the mind, and that is a wonderful scratch,” he explained. “We’re just on the cutting edge of learning how this wonderful, magnificent computer works. The human computer is so much more fascinating to me. We’re beginning to see how we react emotionally, spiritually, genetically and environmentally.”

Much of Dr Anderheggen’s exploration into the mind takes place in his office known as the Aspetuck-Newtown Counseling Center, which sits in a wing of his house on Flat Swamp Road. There he addresses the mind’s myriad issues, prescribing no medicine to his patients, but doling out advice and providing an avenue for people to express themselves.

“It’s just my passion. I really like to discover what’s going on with people. In the process, they discover what’s going on with them and are able to make a change,” he explained.

But this mild-mannered man is more than just a student of the mind. He is the father of five (ages 15 to 44), and an adventurous type who has lived life to the fullest. He’s a svelte 6-2 and may remind some of Sean Connery. He once flew planes, did some parachuting and dabbled in scuba diving. But he never played the role of 007.

Dr Anderheggen’s schooling includes degrees from several of the nation’s finest schools, but he says the lessons he learns in life help him to help his clients. He specializes in marital counseling, but also treats victims of crime, sexual abuse and other trauma, as well as people who simply feel they need to talk to someone.

 In Dr Anderheggen’s office, there is no such thing as the doctor – patient relationship.

“There is no ‘sick guy.’ We’re both equals,” he said. “The therapist must have a genuine respect and a genuine higher love for the human that’s sitting there. That way you don’t treat them like you’re a professional over them, but you treat them with dignity. Some people have some pretty serious things to deal with. They won’t do it until they have the feeling of a complete sense of trust that they’re honored as a human being.”

Born in Portland, Oregon, Dr Anderheggen moved around the country before settling in Connecticut with his family as a boy. At age 15 he dropped out of high school and joined the Merchant Marines where he traveled around the world.

“It was during the war so they needed bodies for taking supplies to places like England and the Philippines. I went through the Panama Canal, too,” he explained.

Soon after, he returned home and earned his high school degree. In time, however, he was drafted by the US Army and served as a member of the Army Corps of Engineers during the Korean War. Eventually, he was discharged and headed to the University of Connecticut where he majored in business.

 After landing a couple of jobs, including sales manager for Shoreline Industries, Dr Anderheggen headed to seminary school at Berkeley at Yale in New Haven. A couple of years later, the Newtown resident was ordained as a clergyman at the St John’s Episcopal Church in Bridgeport.

“I did that for a few years, then decided my real joy was as a psychotherapist,” he explained.

And with a soothing voice and a reassuring nod, Dr Anderheggen has been studying the human mind ever since. He has been practicing in Newtown since 1972.

Dr Anderheggen gets most of his patients by word-of-mouth and his fine reputation has helped him survive what he calls a financial crunch experienced by some in the business due to managed health care.

“Managed health care has destroyed the mental health care industry,” he said.

Dr Anderheggen doesn’t promise his patients any miracles, just a willingness to listen and offer a bit of advice where he can. In some cases, he is merely a facilitator between two people who can’t seem to agree on anything.

“I get them to talk calmly to me about what they’re feeling then try to get them to talk that way to each other,” he said.

The doctor often acts as a sounding board for people seeking a clearer picture of themselves. Never judgmental, the psychotherapist simply allows his clients to talk things through. He said people often do not change because they never have a chance to look at themselves in the mirror. Dr Anderheggen is skillful at reflecting that mirror back on to his client without having the client get defensive. Feedback is not effective when it causes the person to become overly sensitive, he said.

“We sometimes need to be an impartial self-observer,” the doctor explained. “There is always that little man on our shoulder judging us on whether we do or say the right thing.”

Dr Anderheggen says people might be happier if they did not get too attached to a particular belief system: I should look like this, or I should have a job that pays this, or this or that.

“I can not evolve into a higher being if I hold on to these attachments,” he said.

Dr Anderheggen has observed the closing and then pending sale of Fairfield Hills Hospital with great interest in recent years. He wonders whether closing down these institutions was ever such a good idea.

“Fairfield Hills was a farm. It gave these people an opportunity to work rather than have them as bag men and bag ladies,” he said. “It made them feel useful and worthwhile. Now they’re out in the streets. We just pay for it in a different way.”