Dr. Arnold Gilberg, 89, and the Myth of Aging

Dr. Arnold Gilberg opened his LA-based practice in 1965 and 61 years later, at age 89, he is still a practicing psychiatrist. He is known for being a psychiatrist to the stars and the last living person to have trained under psychiatrist Franz Alexander, a disciple of Sigmund Freud.  We spoke with Dr. Gilberg about aging, becoming an ordained rabbi later in life, and his new book, The Myth of Aging: A Prescription for Emotional and Physical Well–Being.

What is Dr. Gilberg’s prescription for emotional and physical well-being?

The mind and body have to be fused in order to be healthy and happy. My entire practice has always been very holistic. In other words, you can’t treat the mind if you’re not treating the body. There are some genetics involved in how you age, and I don’t think that we can dismiss that. But let’s say our genetics aren’t so great; there are ways of overcoming it. You have to stay cognitively aware and treat your body in a good way – through exercise, healthy eating, meditation, and mindfulness.

Happiness is part of the roller coaster of life. You can’t be happy every day because life tends to get messy at times. So, we have to be grateful when those happy days occur. That gets to the issue of forgiveness. In the book I talk about how we are so hypercritical of ourselves and in order to forgive others, we have to apply that same opportunity and forgive our own selves for whatever issues we’re feeling guilty about.

How has aging helped your practice?

I think as one gets older, especially as a psychoanalyst, we have our own life experiences and can use those in the treatment of your patients.

You became an ordained rabbi later in life.  Any advice for other older adults looking to do something similar?

I think that being totally retired is not a good thing for people to do, because we have to keep up our cognition, just as we have to keep up with our bodies. So doing something intellectual like that helps. And if you’re not religious, there are other things you can do to advance your life, such as getting into mindfulness (which all people should do).

What role does technology play in your practice?

I do use Zoom with patients. It works well! It’s a very effective way to provide psychotherapy. It doesn’t duplicate the in-person experience – it’s different. I think that the use of technology, especially as we age, is very critical. Otherwise, you will be left behind.

What does “aging with attitude” mean to you?   

To me, it’s a prescription to take care of yourself. You also have to be grateful when you get up in the morning for being alive and being able to wiggle your toes and hands. I think we lose sight of that too  often.

Photo Courtesy of Arnold Gilberg

Click here to purchase of copy of The Myth of Aging: A Prescription for Emotional and Physical Well–Being.

Pam Hugi is Senior Planet’s Community and Advocacy Manager. Based in Brooklyn, she is a contributing writer for this site.