Robert E. Alberti, Ph.D., has received international recognition for his writing and editing – often praised as the "gold standard" for psychological self-help. Recently retired from a long career as a psychologist, marriage & family therapist, book author, editor and publisher, Dr. Alberti’s now inactive professional affiliations include licensure as a psychologist and marriage and family therapist in California, Life Membership and Fellowship of the American Psychological Association, Clinical Membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and fifty years of professional membership in the American Counseling Association.
Sparked early by a stint as editor of his high school newspaper, Alberti's publishing achievements include eight books, newsletters for a number of organizations, dozens of articles, and the editing of more than one-hundred popular and professional psychology books by other authors.
His "formal" publications career began in 1970, with the first edition of Your Perfect Right, co-authored with Dr. Michael Emmons. That book, first (and often reviewed as the best) of dozens on the popular topic of "assertive behavior," helped fuel a virtual explosion of self-help books (and self-help book publishers!), and is frequently cited as a significant contributor to the advancement of women's rights in the US in the 1970s and 1980s. Now in its tenth revised edition, Your Perfect Right: Assertiveness and Equality in Your Life and Relationships has over 1.3 million copies in print in the US, and has been published in translation in more than twenty languages around the world.
Alberti also collaborated with the late divorce therapist Dr. Bruce Fisher on the third edition of Rebuilding: When Your Relationship Ends, a bestselling guide to surviving divorce, which has over a million copies in print and editions in ten languages. "A million families go through divorce each year in the United States. That's a lot of disrupted lives, a lot of pain, and a lot of human energy spent. Bruce left a legacy of at least a million more fulfilled lives and healthier 'second time' relationships," Alberti notes, "and Impact is carrying on his work with the Rebuilding Books series." (Now published by New Harbinger Publications.)
Much of Dr. Alberti's writing time in recent years was devoted to working with authors as editor-in-chief (now emeritus) of Impact Publishers, the firm he co-founded in 1970. Under his leadership, Impact published over four million copies of a hundred-plus books and audiotapes in popular and professional psychology. The firm was sold to New Harbinger Publications in 2015.
Also popular as a media psychologist, Dr. Alberti appeared on TV's "Donahue" (1975), "Oprah" (1990), "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus" with Cybill Shepherd (2000), and on many programs in local markets around the country. His work has been featured in Time Magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Human Behavior Magazine, dozens more magazines, newspapers, and other print publications. Numerous guest appearances on radio include interviews and call-in shows in all regions of the US.
Among his leisure and community service activities, Alberti plays trombone in local ensembles and a “college reunion” big band, and has served in leadership roles in local volunteer organizations supporting libraries, schools, youth work, disaster mental health and emergency radio communications. "Helping folks to 'communicate' has been one of the central themes in my life," he observes.
Dr. Alberti and his wife Deborah celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2008. They have two adult children and three adult grandchildren.
Sparked early by a stint as editor of his high school newspaper, Alberti's publishing achievements include eight books, newsletters for a number of organizations, dozens of articles, and the editing of more than one-hundred popular and professional psychology books by other authors.
His "formal" publications career began in 1970, with the first edition of Your Perfect Right, co-authored with Dr. Michael Emmons. That book, first (and often reviewed as the best) of dozens on the popular topic of "assertive behavior," helped fuel a virtual explosion of self-help books (and self-help book publishers!), and is frequently cited as a significant contributor to the advancement of women's rights in the US in the 1970s and 1980s. Now in its tenth revised edition, Your Perfect Right: Assertiveness and Equality in Your Life and Relationships has over 1.3 million copies in print in the US, and has been published in translation in more than twenty languages around the world.
Alberti also collaborated with the late divorce therapist Dr. Bruce Fisher on the third edition of Rebuilding: When Your Relationship Ends, a bestselling guide to surviving divorce, which has over a million copies in print and editions in ten languages. "A million families go through divorce each year in the United States. That's a lot of disrupted lives, a lot of pain, and a lot of human energy spent. Bruce left a legacy of at least a million more fulfilled lives and healthier 'second time' relationships," Alberti notes, "and Impact is carrying on his work with the Rebuilding Books series." (Now published by New Harbinger Publications.)
Much of Dr. Alberti's writing time in recent years was devoted to working with authors as editor-in-chief (now emeritus) of Impact Publishers, the firm he co-founded in 1970. Under his leadership, Impact published over four million copies of a hundred-plus books and audiotapes in popular and professional psychology. The firm was sold to New Harbinger Publications in 2015.
Also popular as a media psychologist, Dr. Alberti appeared on TV's "Donahue" (1975), "Oprah" (1990), "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus" with Cybill Shepherd (2000), and on many programs in local markets around the country. His work has been featured in Time Magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Human Behavior Magazine, dozens more magazines, newspapers, and other print publications. Numerous guest appearances on radio include interviews and call-in shows in all regions of the US.
Among his leisure and community service activities, Alberti plays trombone in local ensembles and a “college reunion” big band, and has served in leadership roles in local volunteer organizations supporting libraries, schools, youth work, disaster mental health and emergency radio communications. "Helping folks to 'communicate' has been one of the central themes in my life," he observes.
Dr. Alberti and his wife Deborah celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2008. They have two adult children and three adult grandchildren.
Michael L. Emmons, Ph.D. (1938-2016), enjoyed a distinguished career as a counseling psychologist, consultant, and author. He served as counselor, professor, and trainer of marriage and family counseling interns at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. He also maintained a limited private practice, and became an in-demand consultant to educational, government and business organizations. He is recognized worldwide as author/co-author of seven books in popular and professional psychology. Dr. Emmons and assertiveness training became synonymous following his co-authorship of Your Perfect Right: A Guide of Assertive Behavior, with Dr. Robert Alberti, in 1970. He devoted much of his life’s work to furthering and understanding assertiveness and self-expression. Although his focus on assertive living took center stage, he also was an innovator in holistic – mental/physical/spiritual -- approaches to dealing with mental health issues.
Emmons practiced meditation daily for decades, in later years often in the garden by a Koi pond. His personal experience with the benefits of meditation led him to develop for clients the system he called “meditative therapy.” His 1978 book, The Inner Source: A Guide to Meditative Therapy, first detailed this holistic method. In 2000, a second book, Meditative Therapy, expanded on the approach, offering to professional therapists systematic procedures for helping their clients to achieve wide-ranging mental, physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.
Emmons’ varied career as a psychologist in private practice, a professor, a consultant, and a community volunteer was focused primarily on California’s Central Coast, but his impact extended nationwide – and indeed worldwide -- through his media appearances and publications.
Before his retirement, Dr. Emmons shared an office with his wife Janet, a Marriage and Family Therapist, at their small ranch, “Dancing Oaks.” They enjoyed hiking with their four adult children and six grandchildren. Emmons also practiced his assertiveness skills through dressage, with equine partner, Sullivan. Based on fairness and respect, dressage provided a natural extension of his passion for equality in relationships. He was often accompanied by his two Papillion canine side-kicks, Lucy and Lola who, he liked to say, "perfected their right to do exactly as they please."
Emmons practiced meditation daily for decades, in later years often in the garden by a Koi pond. His personal experience with the benefits of meditation led him to develop for clients the system he called “meditative therapy.” His 1978 book, The Inner Source: A Guide to Meditative Therapy, first detailed this holistic method. In 2000, a second book, Meditative Therapy, expanded on the approach, offering to professional therapists systematic procedures for helping their clients to achieve wide-ranging mental, physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.
Emmons’ varied career as a psychologist in private practice, a professor, a consultant, and a community volunteer was focused primarily on California’s Central Coast, but his impact extended nationwide – and indeed worldwide -- through his media appearances and publications.
Before his retirement, Dr. Emmons shared an office with his wife Janet, a Marriage and Family Therapist, at their small ranch, “Dancing Oaks.” They enjoyed hiking with their four adult children and six grandchildren. Emmons also practiced his assertiveness skills through dressage, with equine partner, Sullivan. Based on fairness and respect, dressage provided a natural extension of his passion for equality in relationships. He was often accompanied by his two Papillion canine side-kicks, Lucy and Lola who, he liked to say, "perfected their right to do exactly as they please."