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TEACHING DOSSIER

Second, I strive create a teaching environment in which students can feel safe enough to experiment with new perspectives and challenge their own thinking. As I encourage students to introspect and to theorize about their experience, this process can entail a degree of anxiety and I have found that each classrooms may require a unique balance of comfort and stimulation in order to begin this work. Toward this end, I develop and adapt pedagogical approaches in response to the needs of each class of students. I am careful to be sensitive to issues of race, culture, sexism, heterosexism and religious diversity and to address the shortcomings in the literature and in the history of psychology with respect to these issues. My lectures often are utilized to add research from other cultures and perspectives to complement textbook readings. To foster a safe classroom environment, I present myself as one source of information for them to consider instead of as an irrefutable authority. At times, I ask for student participation in the shaping of the class structure and dynamics. By communicating respect for my students’ opinions and decisions I believe that I create an atmosphere that is conducive to exploration. My purpose is to help students view their own experiences as valid sources of knowledge, to guide them to integrate new information into their understanding of the world, and to better contextualize the information they already have.

Above all, I teach psychology because self-reflection is key in my own value system, and because, through teaching, I can pass on to others my love for the critical analysis of human experience. To me, the engagement in this process is the most important element of my teaching and, indeed, is the core concept I strive to impart to my students.

COURSES DEVELOPED

2. Graduate Courses developed: Psychotherapy Process Research, Qualitative Research, Experiential Psychotherapy, Constructivist Therapy Practicum.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Teaching and Advising-Related Nominations & Awards

2006 Nomination for Student Group Advisor of the Year, The University of Memphis. One of three nominees in recognition of my work advising the Stonewall Tigers (formally the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Awareness Student Association).

2005 Distinguished Teaching Award Finalist, The University of Memphis. Identified as "one of the UM faculty members to receive the most nominations."

2001 Psi Chi Outstanding Teacher Award, University of Memphis.

1996 Student nomination for departmental teaching award, York University.

(Please use the link to my vita to view awards not related to teaching.)

Supervisee Awards

2007 Enrico E. Jones Memorial Award (Rachel Coleman). Society for Psychotherapy Research.

2007 Laura N. Rice Memorial Award (Ze'ev Frankel). Society for Psychotherapy Research.

2006 Distinguished Senior Project Award (Erica Gonzales). College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Memphis. Co-advisor with Dr. Holly Lau.

2006 Outstanding Student Paper (Jennifer Henretty). Division 32 (Humanistic Psychology) of the American Psychological Association. Awarded at the 114th American Psychological Association Annual Convention, New Orleans, LA.

2006 Award of Merit (Ayse Ciftci Uruk), Division 52 (International Psychology) of the American Psychological Association. Awarded at the 114th American Psychological Association Annual Convention, New Orleans, LA. Co-advisor with Dr. Tom Sayger.

2006 Program Directors' Graduate Student Award (Daniel Williams). Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis. In recognition of his research and publishing productivity.

2006 Student Organization of the Year, (Stonewall Tigers). The University of Memphis. Recognition for a student group that contributes to and improves campus life. Faculty advisor of this group since 2003.

2005 Kenneth Howard Memorial Award (Jennifer Henretty). Student Research Award. The North American Society of Psychotherapy Research ($200).

2005 Graduate Student Service Award (Daniel Williams). Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis. Recognition of service in coordinating psychological services and acting as a departmental liaison to Job Corps.

2005 Jimmy Carter Presidential Award (Eric Sirignano, President of the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Awareness Student Organization). Awarded to one undergraduate student each year by The University of Memphis. Recognizes the student's record of volunteerism, leadership, and service to university communities.

2004 Constructivist Psychology Network, Student Paper Award (Daniel Williams). Chaired master's thesis. "Therapists or Crypto-Missionaries: An Analysis of Psychotherapists' Management of Values." ($200)

2004 Association of Women in Psychology Student Paper Award (Nicole Knickmeyer), Paper presentation. Association of Women in Psychology.

2001 Student Affiliates in School Psychology Awards (Nicole Begg), Division of School Psychology, American Psychological Association. Chairing master’s thesis Homeless youths and learning strategies. ($500)

2001 First place research award (Katherine Hiestand), Poster Presentation. Chaired honors theses that was presented in a research competition that included master’s and doctoral level student entries at the University of Memphis conference, The Multiple Meanings of Safety. ($100)

2001 Second place research award (Elisabeth Gerrish), Poster Presentation. Chaired honors theses that was presented in a research competition that included master’s and doctoral level student entries at the University of Memphis conference, The Multiple Meanings of Safety. ($50)

IV. TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2006-2007
Lecturer, University of Memphis
Experiential Psychotherapy. Graduate level course.
Introduction to Qualitative Research in Psychology. Graduate level course.

2005-2006
Lecturer, University of Memphis
Psychology of Gender. Third year undergraduate course.
Introduction to Clinical Psychology. Fourth year undergraduate course.
Experiential Psychotherapy. Graduate level course.
Psychotherapy Process Research. Graduate level course.

2004-2005
Lecturer, University of Memphis
Psychology of Gender. Third year undergraduate course.
Introduction to Clinical Psychology. Fourth year undergraduate course.
Experiential Psychotherapy. Graduate level course.
Introduction to Qualitative Research in Psychology. Graduate level course.

2003-2004
Lecturer, University of Memphis
Introduction to Clinical Psychology. Fourth year undergraduate course.
Experiential Psychotherapy. Graduate level course.
Psychotherapy Process Research. Graduate level course.
Psychology of Gender. Third year undergraduate course.

2002-2003
Lecturer, University of Memphis
Introduction to Clinical Psychology. Fourth year undergraduate course.
Experiential Psychotherapy. Graduate level course.
Qualitative Research Methods. Graduate level course.
Psychology of Gender. Third year undergraduate course.

2001 - 2002
Lecturer, University of Memphis
Personality, Third year undergraduate course.
Introduction to Clinical Psychology. Fourth year undergraduate course.
Experiential Psychotherapy. Graduate level course.
Qualitative Research Methods. Graduate level course.
Constructivist Practicum. Graduate level course.

2000 - 2001
Lecturer, University of Memphis
Personality, Third year undergraduate course.
Experiential Psychotherapy. Graduate level course.
Qualitative Research Methods. Graduate level course.

1999 - 2000
Lecturer, University of Memphis,
Personality. Third year undergraduate course.
Psychotherapy Process Research. Graduate level course.
Qualitative Research Methods. Graduate level course.

1999
Lecturer, University of Florida.
Abnormal Psychology.

1997 - 1998
Teaching Development Associate, York University.
Organized and implemented a discipline-specific teaching development program for graduate students in psychology, provided education on teaching and professional development.

1996
Lecturer, York University.
Abnormal Psychology. Third year undergraduate course.
Personality. Second year undergraduate course.

1993 - 1996
Lecturer, Humber College. Introduction to Psychology. First year college course.

1992 - 1998
Teaching Assistant, York University.
- 1997 -1998 Personality
- 1992 -1994 Abnormal Psychology
- 1993 Adult Aging and Development
- 1992 Social Psychology

1993 - 1996
Continuing Education Mentoring Programme, Humber College. Programme of peer-teaching supervision and seminars on teaching.

1990 - 1992
Literacy Instructor for the Learning Disabled, North York Learning Disabilities Association. Improving reading retention and recall of learning disabled adults.

Clinical Supervison and Research Mentoring

1999 - Present
Clinical Supervisor, Psychological Services Center, University of Memphis.
Training and supervising a group of three to four graduate student psychotherapists to practice experiential psychotherapy with adult individual and couples. This team meets weekly over a 12 month period to review psychotherapy tapes and formulate treatment plans.

2001 - 2006
Co-Director, Domestic Violence Research Team. The University of Memphis
Co-Facilitate a research team of four doctoral students and one master’s student. This team meets bi-monthly and has a variety of qualitative and quantitative research projects in process. Currently completing a special issue on domestic violence and spirituality/religion.
Co-director: Sharon Horne, Ph.D., counseling psychology faculty member.

2000 - Present
Director, Psychotherapy Research Team. The University of Memphis.
Directing a team of three doctoral and one undergraduate student on a variety of research projects all pertaining to psychotherapy process. This team meets weekly to discuss research progress and direction. Research topics include resistance, significant moments and silence in psychotherapy.

1999 - 2004
Director, Gender Research Team, The University of Memphis.
Supervising a team of two maste’s students and one doctoral student. Both master’s students completed a grounded theory analysis as their honors theses. One project in press, one under review.

2001
Constructivist Practicum, Co-supervisor, Psychological Services Center, University of Memphis.
Co-organized and led training group of five graduate practicum students learning to practice constructivist psychotherapy.
Co-supervisor: Robert Neimeyer, Ph.D., clinical psychology faculty member.

1998-1999
Director, Psychotherapy Research Team, The University of Florida.
Supervised an undergraduate research team of eight students to transcribe psychotherapy sessions for a project on significant moments. This team met weekly to discuss psychotherapy research issues. Research on this project is currently underway at the University of Memphis.

1997 - 1998
Teaching Development Associate, York University.
Organized and implemented a discipline-specific teaching development program for graduate students in psychology, provided education on teaching and professional development.

1994 - 1996
Leader for Counseling Skills Workshops, Teaching Practicum, York University.
Supervised upper-level undergraduate students in counseling psychology skills workshops for Psychology of Counseling course. Covered a variety of psychotherapeutic modalities.

Master's Theses and Dissertations Supervised

2006 Divya Kannan (Master's Thesis). Challenges Facing the Developing Psychotherapist with Feminist Beliefs. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

2006 Jen Henretty (Master's Thesis). Clients' experiences of moments of sadness in psychotherapy: A grounded theory analysis. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

2005 Ze'ev Frankel (Dissertation). Clients' Experiences of Disengaged Moments in Psychotherapy: A Grounded Theory Analysis. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

2005 Daniel Williams (Dissertation). Clients' Experiences of Differences with Therapists: A Qualitative Study. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

2004 Ze'ev Frankel (Master's Thesis). Which silences are golden: Giving pause to pauses in psychotherapy. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

2004 Daniel Williams (Master's Thesis). Therapists' Perspectives on the Process of Change in Psychotherapy. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

2004 Katherine Hiestand (Master's Specialty Exam), Butch Identity Development: The Formation of an Authentic Gender. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

2003 Nicole Knickmeyer (Dissertation), Co-Supervisor with Dr. Sharon Horne. The Bruised Reed, She will not Break: An Investigation of the Relationship Between Religion and Experiences of Domestic Violence in the Lives of Christian Battered Women. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

2002 Kim Ware (Master's Thesis), May God Help You: Faith Leaders' Perspectives of Intimate Partner Violence within Their Communities. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.