Descended From the Gods? An Inquiry into the Origins of the Anomalously Sensitive Person
David Ritchey's vocations have included: naval officer, businessman, fine art photographer, psychotherapist, researcher, and writer. His avocations have included: scuba diving, sailing, skiing, tennis, golf, gardening, woodworking, dogs, magic, bridge, and SCRABBLE. After being educated in economics at Yale University, he served for five years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, including a year in Vietnam. Back in civilian life, he initially became a businessman, but shortly thereafter followed his true inclinations and became a fine art photographer. While immersed in the art world, he became fascinated by the psychology/neurology of creativity, and returned to school to train as a psychotherapist. During his 15 years of clinical practice, specializing in hypnotherapy, he became especially interested in the psychodynamics of those clients who reported having had transpersonal ("metaphysical") experiences, and undertook a twelve-year project of researching and writing about such people, who he speaks of as "Anomalously Sensitive Persons." Later, he became his daughter's business manager at her art gallery on Cape Cod, and spent a few years simultaneously in the worlds of both business and art. Now "retired," he spends his time writing about those subjects that have been of special interest to him throughout his lifetime. He currently lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with his golden retriever, Katherine. He has two grown children, Harper and Mac, and a grandson, Brendan.