Lasting Memories

Harriet Taran Schultz
March 22, 1938-Dec. 10, 2022
Palo Alto, California

Dr. Harriet Taran Schultz, 84, passed away on Dec. 10, 2022 at her home in Palo Alto, California. Dr. Schultz was predeceased by her beloved husband of 53 years, Dr. Stanley George Schultz, her parents Albert Taran and Sylvia Silverman, and other friends and family dear to her. She is survived by her devoted sons, Jeffrey (Carol), Kenneth (Heather), grandchildren Aaron, Colin, Kelly, Julian and Keira Schultz, all of Palo Alto, brother Richard Taran of Nashville, and brother-in-law, Jonas Schultz (Viviane) of Newport Beach.

Harriet was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 22, 1938. She graduated from Barnard College in 1959 with a degree in psychology. She received her Master’s Degree in education from Harvard in 1960. She married Stanley Schultz in late 1960 in New York.

Her husband’s military service and career in academic medicine precipitated moves to San Antonio, Boston, and Pittsburgh. When sons Jeff and Ken were in elementary school, Harriet was accepted into the University of Pittsburgh Clinical Psychology PhD Program.

In 1979, the family moved to Houston where her husband first served as Chair of the Physiology Department and later as Dean of the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. After completing her PhD in 1982, Harriet worked as a clinical psychologist at a multi-disciplinary medical practice, and then later in private practice, focused on anxiety and depression, including teen’s mental health, work in suicide and crises prevention, and nursing home resident’s mental well-being.

She was involved in many professional activities, including the Houston Psychological Association, where she served as President from 2001-2002, and the American Psychological Association (APA), where she served as committee chair for the Division of Media Psychology. A particular interest of hers was how fictional mental health professionals are portrayed in television and film. She was recognized by the APA for a chapter she wrote summarizing her work in an APA book called Featuring Females: Feminist Analysis of Media. Her writing focused on the difference between how psychologists versus psychiatrists are portrayed, as well as gender distinctions between male and female therapists.

Overall, she described her role as Grandma as her most treasured, and relocated to Palo Alto in 2014 to be closer to her grandchildren. It was a great blessing for her and her family to have her close by to celebrate holidays, birthdays, and other occasions for the last many years of her life.

In 2016, she moved into Palo Alto Commons. She made many wonderful friends there and enjoyed trivia contests and lively conversations about politics and current events. The family is especially grateful for the excellent care, support, and friendship she received there from both staff and residents. She will be missed by all.