Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy theory and methodology are considered to be the territory primarily of analysts, patients, and professors of such academic disciplines as comparative literature, social science, philosophy, history and the likes. Gibbsonline.com aims to considerably broaden this base.

The central aim of this site is to help educate interested lay public about the basic assumptions, principles, organizing concepts and methods utilized by psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists in helping people create order out of their inner chaos.

Towards this end, Gibbsonline.com provides interested parties with knowledge about this powerful path-way for defining and exploring their inner-space aiding them in their quest to generate meaningful connections out of the raw data of their experience, potentially resulting in significant psychological change.

Perhaps the best way to convey my essential aim is to draw your attention to the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health on the state of mental health in America recently reported in the New York Times, December 13, 1999.

This report indicates that approximately fifty percent of the population of The United States between the ages of 18-54 suffers from some sort of mental illness. These include:

anxiety disorders     (14.9 %)
mood disorders        (7.1 %)
and schizophrenia    (1.3%)

Additionally, 8-15% of older people suffer from depression, and 8-15% have Alzheimer's disease. The statistics for younger people suffering from depression and various forms of addiction were not mentioned.

Remarkably, despite the enormity of these alarming statistics, relatively ''few people seek to treat mental illness.'' Among the reasons for this clear lack of needed treatment include:

(1) inadequate insurance coverage,
(2) a fear of being stigmatized,
(3) a fear of being labeled as 'crazy',
(4) a fear of violence,
(5) a bias against long term psychotherapy,
(6) inadequate focusing on prevention,
(7) ''fragmentation of the mental health system,''

and, I might add,

(8) a relative lack of clearly stated

objective information as to the basic theoretical and methodical assumptions underlying psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy - two major treatment approaches.

What can be done to stem the tide of mental illness, especially when each of these statistics represents a unique individual? To this end, the Internet is a golden opportunity to reach large numbers of people simultaneously. But if each is unique, of what value is the dissemination of information? Despite real differences, it is reasonable to conjecture that the vast amount of mental health sufferers are seeking a path which provides the hope of finding an effective way to obtain significant psychological change.

This brings us to the essential purpose of Gibbs On Line. Having directly experienced the power of long-term psychoanalysis as well as conducting psychoanalytic psychotherapy for nearly thirty-five years, I know that significant change is possible but that it is equally difficult to obtain and sustain. Therefore this site is dedicated to providing a forum for exploring psychological change – what it is, how it comes about, discussing associated key concepts and tools, and detailing what interferes with attaining it. (see Gibbs's Page ''On Significant Psychological Change'')

In this light, all interested parties are invited to take a trip with me into inner space, your inner space. My psychoanalyst described this inner journey as ''taking a ride in the Disney tunnel. In the dark unknown all sorts of strange creatures, odd noises and intense colorful lights dart out from seemingly nowhere at any time surprising the often scared newcomer.''

No need to panic as the trip is designed to have a safe ending. Then when shall we begin? As the time is ripe why wait any longer? So step in, buckle up, let's get started on our descent together. No better time than right now as your future begins with your next choice.