Dr. Steven Ball

I have been working in the field of mental health for over 30 years. During my career, I have integrated expertise in psychotherapy( MSW, PhD) and expressive art therapies (MA) to create a private practice that is equal parts men and women, straight and gay, and individuals and couples work. I have taught in graduate programs in mental health, education and social work at both NYU and Hunter School of Social Work. Over the decades, I have been a frequent speaker at conferences (see presentations), and published my experiences and research in HIV prevention, developing groups for special populations, and couples therapy (see publications).

Before venturing into the world of psychotherapy, I had an early career as an actor. My passion for understanding the human mind and human relationships sent me on a quest for new meaning and a new career, first as a drama therapist, then as a social worker, and finally as a psychotherapist. All this prior experience, which still informs my work today, led me first to an MA in Education, then to an MSW, and eventually to a PhD in Social Work.

Currently, I am writing my second book–a memoir–based on my research and practice experience with varied types of couples. It is an exploration of what gay couples can learn from straight couples and what straight couples can learn from gay couples as we evolve a vision of relationships for the 21st century.

Email Dr. Steven Ball

Publications

  • Coloring Across the Lines: Clinical Work with Male Couples.
    Dissertation Abstracts. 
  • Group Work with Gay Men. Social Group Work with Populations
    at Risk (Eds.) Grief, & Ephross. Oxford Press., 
  • Support Groups for HIV-Prevention. An Overview of AIDS
    and Mental Health Practice. (Ed.) Shernoff, M. The Haworth Press,
  • ‘Coming Out’ with New Books. In the Family, Volume 4
  • The HIV Negative Gay Man: Strategies for Survival and Emotional Well Being. Simultaneously published as special Issue. The Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, Volume 8, Number
    1. Haworth
  • In the Theraphy Room. Case commentary on Imago Couples’s Theraphy. In the Family
  • Serostatus and Counseling. Focus: A Guide to AIDS Research and Counseling, Volume 11
  • Positively Negative. In the Family, Vol. 1. No. 2
  • A Group Model for Gay and Lesbian Clients with Chronic Mental Illness. Social Work, Volume 39. Winner of the Jack Krasner Award for the best group therapy paper
“Steven is an excellent example of the clinician-scholar who joins innovative skill development with theory building. His development of extremely useful and unique practice principles ….have become a standard in the profession.”
Dr. George Getzel, DSWProfessor Emeritus Hunter- School of Social Work
Steven’s cutting edge book on “survival” was years ahead of its time, and continues to contribute to the literature. Dr. Ball is seen as a leader by professional colleagues in the field where he readily shares his substantive expertise.
Dr. Paul EphrossProfessor at University of Maryland School of Social Work

Select Speaking Engagements

  • Relationship Under Renovation: A New Model of Coupling fo the 21st Century – Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Clinical Work with Couples: What Straight Couple Can Learn from Gay Couples and Gay Couples can Learn from Straight Couple. The Counseling and Education Workshop Series for Professionals. The LGBT Center of New York.
  • Accesssing your Mental Health and EAP Benefits. An EAP training for CIGNA members, various corporations-including Hearst Magazines, Philip Morris.
  • Stress Reduction, Mental Health and the Work Place.
    Experiential EAP workshop presented for employees includes Satchi and Satchi, NY Teachers Union.
  • Psychotherapy under Managed Care: Keeping up with the Times. Short term consultation administration and staff-Postgraduate Center for Mental Health. NY.
  • HIV Negative and Positive Men-Together. Panelist on “Inside-OUt”. Gay Cable Network.
  • Education is Not enough: A model of HIV Prevention that Incorporates Cultural. social and Emotional Aspects of Sexual transmission. Invitational session, 10th annual conference on Social Work and HIV/AIDS, New Orleans, LA.
  • Therapeutic Recration Programming with Expressive Therapies for the Chronically Ill. Middle Atlantic Health Conference, Atlantic City NJ.
  • Bereavement and Grief: Special Challenges for Mental Health Professionals. AIDS/SIDA Mental Health Project, New York University, NY.
  • An Integrated Approach to AIDS Prevention Featuring Time-Limited Group Work. National Gay and Lesbian Health Conference, Seattle.
  • AIDS Prevention for the Second Decade: Survival Strategies for Creating a Future. Invitational intensive day workshop at The 8th Social Work and HIV/AIDS Conference, Atlanta, GA.
  • The Ongoing Effects of AIDS. Gay Pride Rally. NY, NY.
  • The Clinical Picture of HIV Negative Gay Men. National Gay and Lesbian Health Conference. LA, California.
  • Applying a Group Model to Youth at Risk. Workshop for teachers and principals, “Children from the Shadows: Youth at Risk” University of Conn., Hartford.
  • The Growing Needs of Uninfected Men. CNN interview, NY.
  • Gay and Lesbian Clients with Chronic Mental Illness: A Group Approach. National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference, New Orleans, LA.

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