Tag Archives: functional thinking

The ACO Sociopolitical Discussion Group: Addressing Polarized Political Views



With the social and political divide that intensified in the U.S. after the 2016 election, doctors Peter A. Crist and Edward Chastka, two ACO psychiatrists, started a sociopolitical discussion group in February of 2017. They wanted to give people an opportunity to look at varying social and political views in our country and in the world using principles from their therapy practices that would allow participants to discuss opposing views with an open mind and get to the heart of the problem. The two doctors taught the group basic principles about how people think and express themselves, so that participants were then able to apply those precepts to working with others in the group, in other social and political situations, and in their personal lives. Listen in to hear an interview with the doctors about the group and their experience.

Question or Comment?

A Different Kind Of Psychiatry

ACO – Orgonomy.org


Quiet Quitting: What’s The Doctor’s Diagnosis?



In this episode, Dr. Burritt interviews Peter Crist M.D., about the concept of “quiet quitting,” a term proliferating in recent articles across the political spectrum about how workers look at their jobs. Dr. Crist touches on the concepts of work-life balance, the desire for meaningful employment and how different generations view their work lives in this timely interview. Looking at “quiet quitting” as a physician with a functional approach, he explains that before we can come up with a solution or treatment we must first diagnosis or identify the problem. In his characteristic way, Dr. Crist takes us below the surface and gets to the heart of the problem.

Question or Comment?

A Different Kind Of Psychiatry

ACO – Orgonomy.org


Therapy Changes the Chaotic Life of a Troubled Teenager



This episode features the audio from one of the ACO case presentation series webinars. Salvatore Iacobello, M.D. tells Chris Burritt, D.O. about his patient J.D. who was suffering from tics, anger and an inability to get along with peers or his parents. Dr. Iacobello was tasked with working with J.D., his parents and his school to calm the chaos in his family, alleviate the conflicts between him and his school, and improve how J.D. functioned in the world around him. Listen in to hear how Dr. Iacobello was able to connect with and offer relief to this young man who previously had no success with numerous professionals, multiple medications or hospitalization.

Question or Comment?

A Different Kind Of Psychiatry

ACO – Orgonomy.org


Observation vs. Conclusion



In this episode, Dr. Burritt interviews Peter Crist M.D., president of the ACO. Dr. Crist, an observer by nature, emphasizes the importance of distinguishing observations from conclusions and highlights this simple yet profound distinction as part of the foundation of functional thinking. He explains that what drew him to Wilhelm Reich’s work and orgonomy was Reich’s method of functional thinking. One must, as Reich put it, “observe, observe, and observe,” no matter how difficult it might be to not let feelings, preconceived notions or uncertainty cloud any judgments, and allow conclusions to spontaneously come to the observer.

Question or Comment?

A Different Kind Of Psychiatry

ACO – Orgonomy.org