Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Jerry Seinfeld. What do these people have in common? They all have a squeeze of lemon in their water. Doctor Frank Gaskill, a renowned child and family psychologist, likes to think of a person as a glass of water that has varying degrees of lemon flavor.
He helps people realize that though what sets them apart at first seems sour, it is what gives flavor and life to the world. Because he is sociable, wise, and relatable, Dr. G can connect with other humans in an incredibly special and unique way.
Doctor Frank Gaskill is a hero due to his ability to be incredibly sociable and cooperative. Though Dr. G describes his younger self as socially awkward, he would become known for his skill to connect with patients in the years to come.
When he was younger, he spent his free time alone: riding his bike, building plastic models, and of course, watching Star Wars. It was only in his teenage years that Dr. G would find his people, the friends who he could be himself around. Since he formed bonds with those people, he was able to pursue psychology.
After coming across and reading Foundation by Isaac Asimov, Dr. G was inspired to “learn about the humans.” Later, he would learn about them indeed, spending 10 years at UNC, starting a practice, breaking off of said practice, and then beginning his current endeavor, fatcatpsych.com. Because he connected with this group of like minded friends, he developed social experiences that played a crucial part in his success.
Because he is so wise, Dr. G is a calm and experienced mentor. Dr. G thinks of himself as a psychologist to be more of a mentor than a hero. “I see my clients as heroes. I see myself as a Yoda. Or sometimes Darth Vader. More of a guide I think.” Said Dr. G during our interview. This parallels well to Dr. G’s love of TV and movie heroes. Before I visited Dr. G I felt like Prince Zuko, full of anguish and stress, yet Dr. G’s straightforward and forgiving words were equal to those of the fire prince’s mentor, Uncle Iroh, and helped me become a better person. Dr. G’s unique personality makes him a friend as well as a mentor.
His personality also comes into play because he can relate to the hardships of everyday life and of being as he calls himself, an aspie (a person on the Autism Spectrum). Living in Iran during the lead up to the Iranian hostage crisis, Dr. G found himself on the vanguard of a revolution, narrowly escaping capture from a group of rebels. At 2 in the morning that fateful day, his home phone received a call from the American Embassy which stated that all women and children were to depart immediately. Due to the urgency of his departure, his father handed him a bag and told him to bring only the possessions he most cared about. Dr. G safely returned home, fleeing in the dark.
Living as an Aspie has also helped him start his own convention, Aspiecon. Aspiecon is a popular convention themed around and created by people on the autism spectrum. It has been called a mix between a comic convention and a community fair. Many activities such as meeting superheroes dressed in elaborate costumes, playing the fantasy game D&D, and building with LEGOs are meant to spark creativity and imagination in kids and adults. Aspiecon is a testament to Dr. G’s knowledge of children who are the same as him. As I stated, Dr. G can connect with his patients because his brain functions the same way.
In conclusion, Doctor Frank Gaskill is sociable, wise, and relatable because he has lived through the same things that kids are going through and isn’t afraid to relate to them. These traits have let him find the people who he loves, discover his passions, goals, and mentality in life, and help others do the same. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, he showed me how to become more productive, happy, and healthy. I have only met with him a few times, but the impact he has had on my life is immense. Dr. G is living proof that everyone could use a little bit of lemon in their water.
