Articles by Ellis Amdur & Associates

Articles on Psychology

Attachment Disorder: A Controversial Diagnosis
Psychiatric diagnosis, despite wishful thinking to the contrary, cannot be termed a pure science. Although the scientific method plays a considerable part, there is also a significant element of "human science" - making informed decisions that are validated by their utility, rather than proven by physiological evidence. more

Therapeutic Self-Defense: Training for Survivors of Violence and Abuse
Self-defense…is not simply a matter of the acquisition of combat skills. What is a valid defense of the self? I believe that the self is that which is most intrinsically human and personal within us. It is the self that is truly wounded in any assault. more

Who’s in Crisis? A Consideration of Those Helping Victims of Abuse
Is there a crisis? Yes, there is. But whose? All too simplistically, we focus on the victim’s. But I intend to talk here about ours. more

Articles on Martial Arts

Natural Movement and It’s Relationship to Martial Arts
There is an island where chimpanzees are resettled after a lab closes, or because of aggressiveness, or psychological and physical damage. more

Public Presentations of Skill in Traditional Japanese Martial Arts
Up until modern times, embu (public presentations of a martial art) were either honno embu (offerings to the deities of a shrine) or presentations to a figure of authority. more

Vectors in Aikido (Taikyoku Kuzushi (PDF)

This is a copy of the "Sword and Spirit" Newsletter of November, 2005. Robert Wolfe presents an excellent description of my method of training aikido to lay proper groundwork for the study of striking methodology, free-style practice, counter-techniques and eventually the inclusion of internal training. In recent years, the Itten Dojo has taken their training curriculum in a radically different direction from mine,, but Mr. Wolfe informs me that the methodology I developed still enhances their practice. 

Audio Interview: "Memories of Terry Dobson"

This 36 minute audio recording is the answers to a number of questions put to me about the late Terry Dobson, my first aikido teacher, and my friend.

Recommended Articles by Associates

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and the Christmas Day Attack:
Why Aren't Lessons Learned? (PDF)
by David Rubens of Meido Consultants

An excellent article on why we, in the West, keep making the same mistakes in regards to flight security, comparing our procedures to the exemplary security methods of the Israelis, who rely, far more heavily on behavioral (not racial!) profiling rather than always neutralized technological fixes.

Hollywood vs Reality Officer Involved Shootings

An excellent video prepared by the Eugene Police Department that should be disseminated as widely as possible to help explain to the public the realities of officer-involved shootings.  Due to a number of myths, the general public has a terribly skewed idea on what officers should or even can do.  This film does a lot to counter these misunderstandings