Howard, Stephen
HOWARD, Stephen
Stephen Howard, MD, 79, passed away on October 22, 2020, from complications of a stroke and cancer. He practiced Experiential Psychiatry for more than 50 years, the last 38 years in private practice in Atlanta. A natural-born teacher, he conducted Continuing Education workshops for hundreds of therapists across all disciplines of psychotherapy and mentored many younger practitioners. A consummate listener, he brought warmth, kindness, and unconditionality to all the people in his life. A life-long learner, he approached his interests in music, history, politics, and world religions, with intensity, passion, and purpose. All of those interests and his Psychotherapy practice were sacred to him and brought him tremendous joy. He was always eager to share what he learned, and he was known lovingly by his family as "Esoteric Man," for the enormous amount of information he readily shared, including the name of Napoleon's dog. For decades, he was an active member of his beloved American Academy of Psychotherapists, and wrote many articles for Voices, the journal of that association. Steve faced many adversities in his life with determination and grit. He survived an injury in Vietnam that left him in a full leg cast for a year. During his recovery time, he taught himself photography, and, on crutches, hobbled downstairs to the basement to his darkroom. He bounced back from multiple serious illnesses . He knew he was recovered when he could climb a staircase 3 steps at a time. Although he cut back on his practice, he was able to see patients and continue supervision until he retired in 2018. After a stroke, he learned to write with his left hand, and, despite paralysis, he did almost everything independently until the time of his death. He and his wife, Arlene, left Atlanta, moving to Mount Pleasant, SC, with the ocean nearby, in late 2018. Even when he was in decline there, he led courses in Classical music to the delight of the residents in their apartment complex. He will be dearly missed by all whose lives he touched. Above all, the love for his family was sacred and joyous to him. Besides his wife, he leaves his devoted daughter, Marisa HowardKarp and her wife, Isadora, his grandchildren, Emmett and Lucy, brother Kenn Howard and partner Lisa Squiers , sister and brother-in-law Phyllis and Mike Ivers,, aunt Iris Chester, and his adored nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his mother, Pearl Howard, 103, by 17 days. He loathed Donald Trump. Donations may be made to the ACLU Foundation, 125 Broad St., 18th Floor, New York, NY 10004
