WHO I AM.

I’m Richard (Dick) Bogartz, age 87 (in June, 2024), a retired Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UMass Amherst. I’ve become a Justice of the Peace because along the way I’ve learned some of what matters and doesn’t matter, in relationships and otherwise. I’ve learned things I’d like to share with people who’re starting out on a project that’s much more difficult than they imagine and for which our culture does little to prepare them. If they’re interested, I’ll offer a menu of topics (see partial menu below) and they can choose some or none of them. If they choose some, I’ll provide my take, either before the wedding or during the wedding. Their choice. If they choose none, I’ll be delighted to work with them to design a joyous wedding experience for them and their guests.

MY FEES
My fees are on a generous sliding scale. Be sure to ask.

WHERE I TRAVEL
I travel to Amherst, Pelham, Hadley, Northampton, Sunderland, Easthampton, Deerfield, South Hadley, Granby.

MY HISTORY

I grew up in New York and Los Angeles. I received a Ph. D. in Psychology from UCLA. I’ve taught child psychology, mathematical models, statistics, and consciousness in relation to spirituality, religion, and love at three major Research I Universities (U. of Iowa, U. of Illinois, and UMass Amherst). I’ve been in two long term relationships, the first a marriage for 33 years, the second a partnership ongoing now in its 34th year.

A PARTIAL MENU OF DISCUSSION TOPICS

1. The attempts by “experts” to convince you of things and your magical response.

2. How to be rich or poor at almost any level of income.

3. The four words that will save you from countless disagreements, arguments, and accusations. And a precious fifth word.

4. What are you and what is the world?

5. Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am god.”

6. The tools of happiness.

7. The best of the happiness tools.

8. How to stay together as the two of you inevitably becoming different from how you are now.

9. How to think about good and bad.

10. Things are just what they are.

11. What are you?

12. How do things become problems.

13. Why the truth is friendly.

14. Why it’s better to know than not to know.

15. Gratitude.

16. What is time?

17. Sticking with your self-contradiction.

18. On the word “mine” in reference to your spouse.

19. The truth about money issues.

20. The uselessness of the idea of fairness.

21. The magic of caring.

22. The magic of growing together while remaining two.

23. A guide to what to say and what not to say is the following.

24. Negative mental tape loops: where they come from and how to turn them off.

25. The importance of lifetime exercise and stretching. A great thing to do together.