ecological_psychotherapy

CENTER FOR ECOLOGICAL COUNSELING ADVISORY PANEL BIOGRAPHIES

Robert K. Conyne

Degree: Ph.D., Counseling, Purdue University , 1970

Postdoctoral Internship: University of California-Berkeley, Counseling Psychology
Discipline: Counseling and Counseling Psychology
Positions: Professor Emeritus and Past Director, Counseling Program;
Director, Center for Ecological Counseling (Both at University of Cincinnati )

Expertise: Group work, prevention, ecological counseling
Involvement that explicates or implies ecological orientation:

My career has been grounded within an ecological-preventive perspective. I co-wrote an article, “Psychotherapy as Ecological Problem Solving” in 1977 and another, “Environmental Assessment: Mapping for Counselor Action”even earlier, in 1975. My book (with RJ Clack), Environmental assessment and design (1981), was a precursor to the Conyne-Cook edited book, Ecological counseling (2004). I delivered ecological assessment and preventive consultation on college campuses through the 1970's and 80's, and after a lull in the action, worked with colleagues in the Counseling Program at the University of Cincinnati to gear our training conceptually around an ecological perspective. My work in prevention has involved many facets. My Preventive Counseling graduate course, now 22 years “old,” was one of the first in the nation. My 3-year prevention grant, with Mei Tang, “ Healthy Schools and Families,” implemented an ecological-preventive orientation in three impoverished urban schools. My Preventive Counseling text (2 nd . Ed., 2004, Brunner-Routledge) is frequently cited as a seminal source, and it emphasizes an empowerment/positive psychology approach. My work with Hage, Romano and others on developing Best Practice Guidelines on Prevention in Psychology will occupy an entire issue of an upcoming issue of The Counseling Psychologist . In 2006 I received the APA Society of Counseling Psychology's Prevention Section “Life-Time Achievement Award.” Founding the Center for Ecological Counseling represents an important way to work with others to develop ecological-preventive counseling research, training, and practice within a strengths-based, positive psychology orientation.

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F. Robert Wilson

Degree: Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Michigan State University (1976)

Discipline: Counseling Psychology
Positions: Univ. of Cincinnati: Professor of Counseling
Health Resource Center: Clinical Counselor and Supervisor
Expertise: Mental health counseling, group work, research methodology
Involvement that explicates or implies ecological orientation:
I organize my teaching of mental health counseling and group work around principles of ecologically grounded counseling. These principles are consistent with the evidence- based biopsychosocial and stress-diathesis models. In the clinical arena, ecological psychotherapeutic principles provide an organizing framework for developing strategies for work with impoverished and homeless persons with mental and emotional problems
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Mary Brydon-Miller

Degree: Ph.D.

Discipline: Environmental Psychology
Position: Associate Professor, Educational Foundations and Urban Educational
Leadership, Graduate Program Coordinator, Urban Educational Leadership
College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services
Expertise: Participatory action research, Freirean educational theory and practice, cross-cultural psychology, community organizing, research ethics, & social theory
Involvement that explicates or implies ecological orientation:
Given my background in environmental psychology and my long-standing commitment to working in community settings, the theory and practice that frame ecological counseling seem like a perfect fit. I believe that what I bring to the discussion is the organizational, community-level experience and a grounding in participatory action research. My current research focuses on work in the area of refugee resettlement, and in particular on work in the areas of women's empowerment and family literacy.

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Geoffrey G. Yager

Degree: Ph.D.

Discipline: Counseling
Position: Professor, Counseling Program, University of Cincinnati
Expertise: Counseling training and supervision
Involvement that explicates or implies ecological orientation:
I employ an ecological perspective in my understanding of client concerns and issues. This perspective, I believe, is evidenced in the manner in which I work with masters and doctoral counseling students on their conceptualizations of clients and their plans to aid in client change.
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Ellen Lynch

Degree: Ed.D.

Position: Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of Cincinnati.

Expertise: Her primary professional interests relate to the social inclusion of young children with disabilities, to the use of problem-based learning (PBL) in the college classroom, and to the
application of social constructivist theory to PBL.

Involvement that explicates or implies ecological orientation:

Dr. Lynch coordinates the faculty Problem-Based Learning community at the University of
Cincinnati. She has long incorporated ecological principles into her coursework by presenting a view of children that requires students to understand and interpret development using environmental and contextual variables. Within this framework, students are challenged to determine how
families, schools, communities, and cultures might intervene to support the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of young children.

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Wendy M Stone Scott

Degree: M.A. Counseling

Discipline: Counselor Education
Position: University of Cincinnati Doctoral Student and Graduate Assistant

Expertise: Individual and group counseling
Involvement that explicates or implies ecological orientation:
I incorporate ecological principles in counseling practice with individuals, couples, families, and groups. In addition, these principles guide my graduate assistant position with the Counseling Program and the Problem-Based Learning Steering Committee. I plan to conduct dissertation research that is based on ecological counseling.

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Mei Tang

Degree: Ph.D., Counseling, University of Wisconsin, 1996

Discipline: Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
Positions: Program Director and Associate Professor, Counseling Program
Assistant Director, Center for Ecological Counseling
(Both at University of Cincinnati)
Expertise: Career development, school counseling, assessment and research
Involvement that explicates or implies ecological orientation: I was involved in the conceptualization of ecological counseling principles with other counseling faculty at the University of Cincinnati at the beginning stage of developing a vision for the counseling program. I apply the ecological counseling principles in my teaching by bringing students' awareness of interconnected nature of various factors in clients' ecosystem and utilization of resources existing in their ecosystem. In my research, I try to integrate career development theories and ecological counseling principles to broaden the perspectives of understanding individuals' growth in ever-changing diverse society.

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Mark D. Newmeyer

Degree: Ed.D., Counselor Education

Discipline: Counselor Education
Positions: University of Cincinnati , Assistant Professor/Visiting Scholar
Expertise: Prevention, Group Work, Student Retention, Research and Assessment

Involvement that explicates or implies ecological orientation:

As a student participating in a family systems class, some ten years ago, I knew that I could never again view individuals apart from broader contexts and spheres of influence. Now as a faculty member, ecological principles have become axiomatic in my approach to conducting research, teaching and helping others. Most notably, I am co-authoring a group techniques book rooted in an ecological model. As well, I am involved in several projects which seek to build collaborative relationships among university faculty interested in community outreach efforts. One such effort includes identifying student strengths that if attended to by key university stakeholders will promote retention among college freshmen.