How did your journey start with the Department of Psychology?
In 1981, I came to U-M for a Clinical Psychology Ph.D.. At the time, the Clinical program was psychoanalytic in focus, and that’s what I was looking for. My plan was to eventually become a psychoanalyst and to teach at a small, liberal-arts college. It didn’t quite work out that way!
What kinds of classes did you most often teach in the Department, and why do you think you ended up teaching those courses specifically?
As a graduate student, I taught intro and more intro. Intro was a highly sought after teaching gig at the time: Because each of us was fully responsible for our own class (!), intro paid considerably more than did being a traditional teaching assistant. Post-Ph.D., I continued for several years to teach whatever I was asked to teach, including intro, gender, and clinical assessment. Then I spent 30 years working for the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry. In 2016, as I was preparing to retire, I kept thinking about the possibility of returning to U-M to teach forensic psych; and I was thrilled when that worked out.
Who were some of your own favorite professors as a student, and what did you learn from them that you brought to your own teaching?
As an undergrad psych major at Bryn Mawr / Haverford, I was lucky to have a number of extraordinary professors who made me feel comfortable asking questions and sharing my thoughts, challenged me to question my assumptions and biases, and encouraged me to consider the potential real-world implications of what I was learning, all done with warmth and humor. As a grad student and clinical trainee, I especially appreciated the many professors and clinical supervisors – among them, Al and Bobbi Cain, George Rosenwald, Irene Fast, Bob Hatcher, and Joe Adelson – who treated me as a colleague right from the start. Bill McKeachie served as a teaching mentor who offered practical tips for engaging students (and also fed me “fried cakes”). I’ve tried to bring all of that to my teaching.
What are some of the ways the Department and/or Clinical Science program has changed over the years?
To describe the changes would take a lengthy essay! What has remained the same is the Department’s commitment to our students and to excellence in, well, everything.
What are your plans for the future, post-retirement?
I don’t know yet! I have piles of books to read and lots of home maintenance to do. While I have no bucket list destinations in mind, I hope to do more traveling. I’m continuing to give CE presentations and guest lectures and to serve as a peer reviewer. I’ll continue to cheer loudly (and profanely) for U-M sports. Once my final court appearance has happened, I’ll add purple streaks to my hair.
