Gail Saltz

Gail Saltz, born Gail Michele Riess, is an American psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, columnist, and television commentator. Saltz is the author of several self-help and psychology books, including Anatomy of a Secret Life: The Psychology of Living a Lie (2006) and The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius (2017).^[1]

Early life

Saltz graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and served her internship and residency in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry at Cornell-Weill School of Medicine and The New York Presbyterian Hospital.^[2] She also holds a B.A. in Biology and Psychology from Lehigh University,^[3] where she was a member of the women's fraternity Alpha Gamma Delta.^[4]

Career

Saltz has worked as a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at The New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine^[5] and as a psychoanalyst with The New York Psychoanalytic Institute, and currently serves as health editor at the Child Mind Institute.^[6][7] She has a private practice on the Upper East Side of New York City.^[1]

She is the author of several books on mental health and wellness, including Anatomy of a Secret Life: The Psychology of Living a Lie (2006), described in the New York Times Book Review as "mostly pop-psychology narrative with a sprinkle of self-help,"^[8] The Ripple Effect: How Better Sex Can Lead to a Better Life (2009), and The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius (2017). She has also written two children's books, Amazing You! Getting Smart About Your Private Parts and Changing You: A Guide to Body Changes and Sexuality. NBC Producer Pamela Hamilton first brought Saltz to the network and developed her on-air skills and content. Saltz is now a frequent guest on Today and has appeared as a sex, health and relationship expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dateline, CBS News and CNN.^[3]

Saltz serves on the board of directors at the 92nd Street Y,^[9] where she has hosted, since 2004, a series of talks with celebrities and personalities on psychological issues. She has interviewed Woody Allen, Tom Brokaw, Katie Couric, Jane Pauley, Gail Sheehy, Tavis Smiley, and Rosie O'Donnell, among others.^[1]

Personal life

Saltz was born to a Jewish family. She is the sister of Nobel laureate Adam Riess and the granddaughter of journalist Curt Martin Riess.^[3] She is married to Dr. Leonard Saltz, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.^[10] They have three daughters.^[11]

Bibliography

• The Power of Different: the Link between Disorder and Genius, Flatiron Books, 2017, ISBN 125006001X.