What is Smart Love?
Smart Love is a relationship-based approach rooted in the Intrapsychic Humanism theory of mind. At the heart of the theory is the belief that within each of us exists a "seed", or internal desire for inner well-being. Through compassion, understanding, and validation, the approach nourishes positive self-identity, challenges negative belief structures, and nurtures the seed of inner well-being. Our therapists, teachers, tutors, and consultants apply this approach across all of our services to help foster a happier, healthier future.
About the Developers and Authors of Smart Love
Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D.
Dr. Martha Heineman Pieper is an author and psychotherapist who works with children and parents, and serves as a consultant to agencies and other mental health professionals. She is a founding board member of Smart Love Family Services, for which she provides ongoing consultation and insight to the clinical and early childhood education staff. She also serves on the Board of the Intrapsychic Humanism Society. Both of these nonprofit agencies are based on Intrapsychic Humanism, the comprehensive psychology of child development, psychopathology and treatment developed by Dr. Pieper and her late husband, William J. Pieper, MD.
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Dr. Pieper authored two best-selling, award winning children's books, Mommy, Daddy, I Had a Bad Dream! and Jilly's Terrible Temper Tantrums: And How She Outgrew Them. And she co-authored with Dr. William Pieper the best-selling parenting book, Smart Love: The Comprehensive Guide to Understanding, Regulating, and Enjoying Your Child; the popular adult self-help book, Addicted to Unhappiness: How Hidden Motives for Unhappiness Keep You From Creating the Life You Truly Want, and What You Can Do (2nd Edition); and Intrapsychic Humanism: An Introduction to a Comprehensive Psychology and Philosophy of Mind. She has written and presented on Inner Humanism® psychotherapy, and also on applications of the theory of Intrapsychic Humanism to teaching, parenting, foster care, the question of free will, and children’s dreams and fantasy life, among other topics.
William J. Pieper, MD
The late Dr. William J. Pieper was a medical doctor and psychoanalyst who co-founded, co-authored and co-developed Intrapsychic Humanism, Addicted to Unhappiness, Smart Love, and the Smart Love Clinic and the Natalie G. Heineman Smart Love Preschool, with his wife and partner, Dr. Martha Heineman Pieper. Dr. William Pieper was a passionate advocate for children, and had an immediate rapport and empathy with young people. His honesty and willingness to see children as individuals made children adore and trust him. He was truly interested in what they had to say. He was a committed and caring clinician who loved his work.