Walter E. Spear, PhD

Walter E. Spear, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and owner of Walter E. Spear, Ph.D., based in New York, New York. He has dedicated approximately 40 years to the practice of clinical psychology, with a specialization in psychoanalysis, intensive psychotherapy, and couples therapy. His career reflects a deep and sustained commitment to thoughtful clinical work, professional collaboration, and the advancement of psychodynamic treatment approaches.

After earning his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University in 1978, Dr. Spear completed extensive post-doctoral training, including two years at Yale University (1978–1980) and two years at Cornell University in White Plains, New York (1980–1982). He later joined the faculty at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University, where he taught for four to five years. During this formative period, he also completed five years of rigorous psychoanalytic training at the William Alanson White Institute in New York, which has been central to shaping his clinical approach.

Throughout his career, Dr. Spear has maintained strong professional ties within the New York clinical community. His former Manhattan office on 72nd Street, near Central Park and Columbus Avenue, was located just steps from the White Institute, allowing him to build enduring collegial relationships. Over the years, he has participated in long-standing consultation groups, including a study group of five colleagues with whom he met biweekly for approximately 35 years to discuss clinical cases and exchange ideas. Early in his career, he also contributed published work to established professional journals and remains a member of the American Psychological Association and the William Alanson White Psychoanalytic Association.

Today, Dr. Spear continues his clinical work remotely in New York while maintaining active professional connections and receiving ongoing referrals from trusted colleagues built over four decades of practice. His career is distinguished by sustained clinical expertise, academic involvement, and a longstanding reputation for thoughtful, collaborative, and highly skilled psychotherapeutic care.

• Columbia University - PhD, Clinical Psychology

• Supporting Allyship and Anti-Racism at Work

• American Psychological Association
• William Alanson White Psychoanalytic Association

Dr. Spear published a number of articles in established journals early in his career, though he has not published in the past 35 years. He did not publish any books, but his articles appeared in various established journals during the beginning of his career.