Louis R. Ormont PhD was one of the earliest practitioners of group therapy based on the psychoanalytic model. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dr. Ormont received his BA from Temple University and subsequently served in the US Armed Forces during WWII. He went on to receive his Master of Fine Arts from the School of Drama at Yale University and his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University. During his more than 50 years in practice, he led over 20,000 group sessions, published more than 30 professional articles and wrote 3 highly acclaimed professional books. An enthusiastic speaker and teacher, in 1974 he joined the faculty at Adelphi University's Gordon F. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. In 1970, Dr. Ormont was instrumental in the establishment of The Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies in New York; in 1989 he along with his wife, Joan Ormont PhD, and many associates established The Center for Group Studies to train others in his innovative treatment approach. Dr. Ormont was named "Group Psychologist of the Year" in 1998 by the American Psychological Association and became a Distinguished Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association in 2000. Dr. Ormont was also a prolific playwright and wrote over 50 manuscripts for theater, television and film.In all his endeavors, Louis Ormont's passion was focused on relieving inner suffering, fostering hope, creativity, resourcefulness and joy in his patients, students and audiences. His sense of humor was boundless; he worked enthusiastically without a pause, until his death in 2008.