INSIGHT Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 2

SPRING 2009

V OLUME 2

ISSUE 2

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE CHICAGO SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology & The Economy

h o w d id w e g e t he r e ? k id s a nd t he ec o n o m y p s y c h o l o g i s t t o e n t r e p r e ne u r

SPRING 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2

editorial staff: Judy Beaupre Kelli Langdon Matt Nehmer Beth VanDyke Contributing Writers: Richard Ackley Rosalind Dorlen Steven Nakisher Design: Bates Creative Group Contributing Photographers: Amy Braswell Kelli Langdon Ben Reed Joe Romero Risé Sanders-Weir Derrick Smith Cover illustration: Annabelle Breakey

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The economic challenges are all about psychology.

Dr. Lawrence Summers, Director, White House National Economic Council

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President Michael Horowitz Chief Operating Officer Tamara Rozhon Chief Financial Officer Jeff Keith Chief Academic Officer Patricia Breen Vice President of Information Technology Terry Merkley Vice President of Institutional Advancement Tim Shannon Dean, Southern California Campuses Michele Nealon-Woods Dean, Chicago Campus Carroll Cradock Dean, Online Campus Darcy Tannehill INSIGHT is published twice annually by the Department of Marketing and Communications at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

It is mailed to alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the school.

Address changes and correspondence should be sent to: insight@thechicagoschool.edu Visit INSIGHT online at : http://insight-magazine.org

SPRING 2009 V OLUME 2 IS SUE 2 T HE M A G A Z INE FOR A L UMNI A ND F R IEND S OF T HE CHIC AG O S CHO OL OF PROFE S SION A L P S YCHOL O G Y

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28 departments 3 President’s Letter 4 On Campus Expanded learning opportunities at all campuses: a contract school with an ABAcentered curriculum, a Forensic Center, new online Ph.D.s, and an apprentice model for Southern California students.

10 Faculty They are quoted in the media, debate the “hows” and “whys” of the economic downturn, and offer a behavioral economist’s perspective.

26 Class Notes Catch up with classmates and learn how one MACC graduate is putting his degree to work in the world of finance.

28 GIVING BACK From Psychologist to Entrepreneur: A Professional Evolution

29 Last page Observing 30 Years of TCS History.

22 FEATURES 16 The Happiness Recession: Psychology and the Economy The psychological toll of the financial meltdown: on families, businesses, and mental health professionals.

22 From Dragons to Depression: Kids Face Economic Woes In Their Own Way Parents, educators, and therapists grapple with strategies to help children and adolescents weather the recession.

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Dr. Horowitz addresses the Niagara Foundation in downtown Chicago, speaking about psychology and the economy.

lot has happened since the last issue of INSIGHT went to press. We witnessed a historic election and another peaceful transition of one presidential administration to the next. Moments like these are typically greeted by waves of optimism and renewal. The last six months were different though. Melancholy news of economic distress filled airwaves, newspapers, web browsers, and 24/7 cable news channels. All of us in the psychology community are seeing the results. As the financial and housing markets sink, reports of anxiety and depression rise.

Our profession has changed since the last major economic recession. Buried in all of the sour news of financial collapse and government bailouts last fall was a positive story that affects us all. On October 3, 2008, Congress passed, and the president signed, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Act. It was a major victory for millions of Americans living with mental illnesses who for years faced unfair discrimination. For the longest time, we endured a system where if you had an ailment that involved any other organ—heart, liver, kidney, etc.—the case was there for insurance companies to help. However, if you had a condition such as schizophrenia, which affects the brain, it was nearly impossible to get the same level of coverage. This has now changed. Research tells us that physical health and emotional health are connected. When you’re diagnosed with a mental condition, should it be viewed as less of an urgent matter or receive less treatment than, say, a broken arm or a heart condition?

Of course not. Our health care system needs to look at both mind and body to help us get better and live longer lives. This bipartisan bill is pushing us in the right direction. It’s a victory as well for the students, alumni, and faculty who serve our profession, not to mention a validation of how far we have come in our efforts to advocate for more attention to mental health issues.

In the short term though, the troubling economic cycle of cause and effect will surely continue—this issue of INSIGHT is devoted to the topic. But the news is not all gloomy. It was Einstein who said that “in the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” Resilience against hardship brings out the best in people. History teaches us that in hard times, a stronger sense of community emerges; people and families come together. Materialism dips and altruism rises. As psychologists, we can play a role in keeping this positive momentum going. We can help individuals cope and organizations realign, to become better in the face adversity. Communities, people, and companies need our training and skills now more than ever.

Michael Horowitz President

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 3

Amid economic turmoil, a victory for mental health

on campus

The Chicago School Here a nd Now

A One-of-a-Kind Contract School TCS Brings ABA–Centered education to east Garfield Park

Dozens of families gather at The Chicago School for the lottery drawing for GPPA’s first classes.

OPPOSITE PAGE: An electronic ribbon-cutting highlights the Forensic Center celebration.

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he Chicago School has teamed up with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) on an ambitious project to improve educational opportunities for children in one of the city’s most economically disadvantaged West Side neighborhoods while providing TCS students with unique practicum and internship experiences.

Garfield Park Preparatory Academy (GPPA), a contract school scheduled to open in September, is the result of a two-year effort by the Applied Behavior Analysis Department and TCS administrators to develop a training site built explicitly on the use of ABA principles. It will serve East Garfield Park, a community of low-income households, below-average education attainment rates (only 50 percent of residents have high school diplomas), and a history of modest academic achievement, with standardized test scores averaging in the 50th percentile.

“The goal of opening a school like this in an area like this is what brought me to Chicago,” said Dr. Denise Ross, ABA professor who will assume the role of principal at the new

school. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for our ABA students, as well as for students in our School Psychology and Forensic Psychology departments, but more importantly, it’s a means of bringing about powerful improvements in academic achievement.”

The curriculum Dr. Ross and her team are developing is built on principles that are fundamental to ABA—the systematic use of data to measure change and improve behavior.

Known as the Accelerated Independent Learner (AIL) model of instruction, it has been proven to increase learning substantially in numerous studies and settings. In developing the program, Dr. Ross is drawing on experience she gained while on the faculty of Columbia University Teachers College, which created the AIL model to work with children in underperforming New York City schools. Columbia is collaborating with Chicago School faculty on program development.

GPPA is believed to be the only CPS school that will explicitly and consistently apply behavior analysis techniques across all areas of education. While some teachers incorporate such practices into their classrooms, most often in special education settings, only a fraction of schools in the country use ABA in a cohesive, integrated way that involves all teachers and is used to solve all instructional problems.

Dr. Chuck Merbitz, ABA Department chair, points to the school’s status as a new initiative as a key factor in its ability to ensure consistency.

“Because we are building the staff from the ground up, we can put together a team that shares the same philosophy of learning,” he says. “Kids do a lot better when everyone is pulling the oar in the same direction. ABA solutions lend themselves to all areas of instruction and behavior—problems that other schools might solve in other ways. Our teachers and students will be in a position to use behavior analysis to its full potential.” Dr. Ross is looking to skilled ABA practitioners—including Chicago School alumni—to round out her team.

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 5

The final contract with CPS was scheduled to be signed in April. GPPA plans to open its doors in fall 2009 with 160 students in grades K-3, and will expand by an additional grade level each year until it accommodates some 360 students through the 8th grade. The initiative is part of Chicago’s Renaissance 2010 project, conceived by former CPS Superintendent and current U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and touted as a model for urban educational reform.

The ABA Department is also working with CPS on three additional school-based training sites. A high school operated in collaboration with the Center for Polytechnic Education will provide ABA students the opportunity to work with secondary students, while the Chicago Vocational High School, which contracts with the Springfield-based Hope Institute to provide special education services, will allow students to work with youth with a variety of disabilities.

Through its affiliation with Hope Institute Learning Academy, a new Renaissance 2010 school will be run by the Hope Institute as well.

Dr. Merbitz anticipates that the new training sites will provide field training opportunities for 70—or more than half—of the department’s students at any one time.

Forensic Center Opens Doors to the Community

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n less than two years, The Chicago School Forensic Center has evolved from an idea conjured by a small band of department faculty members into a major community resource that has already resulted in more than 1,200 hours of service and impacted the lives of some 100 individuals.

As the practice arm of the Forensic Psychology Department, the center connects students and faculty with local organizations on projects and programs that address issues such as delinquency, child maltreatment, transitional living for ex-offenders, and victim-related trauma.

“For us at The Chicago School, simply teaching psychology or creating a center is not sufficient.

It is our goal to be the leader, to take the profession to places it has not gone before,” Forensic Psychology Department Chair Mike Fogel told the 130 faculty, staff, students, and friends who gathered in January to mark the official opening of the center’s new home in the Merchandise Mart. Joining Dr. Fogel on stage at the event were the center’s executive director and director: Drs. Darlene Perry and Tiffany Masson.

At the heart of the center is the new Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Utigard and Transwestern Treatment and Observation Room, which supports the center’s initiatives including instruction in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). The facility is equipped with a one-way mirror and a separate observation room that will allow the use of a “bug-in-the-ear” communication system for discreet coaching by therapists to parents as they interact with their children. Because PCIT is empirically based, it carries the endorsement of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a recognized model for helping families with a history of abuse. It is a therapy that has been shown to be effective with abusive more »

on campus

The Chicago School Here a nd Now

families in several states but, until the advent of The Chicago School program, few Illinois practitioners were trained in its use.

“I am proud to say that I was a member of the first cohort to experience the great works of the Forensic Center,” said Crystal Mahoy (M.A. ’08), who served as the event’s alumni speaker. “I am well assured that its expansion and continued support will result in the changing of many lives.”

The center will play a major role in providing training opportunities for the students in the department’s new Psy.D. in Clinical Forensic Psychology program (see sidebar). For more information about the Forensic Center, visit www.forensiccenter.org.

ISPA Settles Into New Home

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Mickey Fitzpatrick, Clinical Psy.D. student

he Chicago School took another step toward greater internationalization this semester as the Chicago Campus welcomed the International School Psychology Association’s (ISPA) central office.

The arrangement brings to 325 North Wells Street the devoted activities of an organization of nearly 500 international psychology professionals who work with school-aged populations or in school settings. Together, ISPA members promote the psychological rights of all children and the expanding use of school psychology— particularly in countries where psychology has not been prevalent. Members connect through

committee work, a yearly conference, the ISPA website, the School Psychology International journal, and a quarterly newsletter.

ISPA’s executive director, Dr. Robert Clark, helped facilitate the central office move when he joined The Chicago School’s School Psychology faculty earlier this year; he has since been named chair of the new International Psychology program.

“The Chicago School and ISPA represent a perfect match,” said Dr. Clark. “Not only is the school devoted to psychology, including school psychology, but it also has a strategic focus on advancing the profession internationally.”

ISPA activities now managed at the Chicago Campus include research, membership support and renewals, correspondence, website updates, clerical duties, and support for the annual ISPA conference, which will be held next year in Malta.

Mandi Croft, a first-year School Psychology student from Lincolnshire, Ill., sees the partnership as an opportunity to merge her interest in school psychology with international and multicultural psychology.

“I think it has opened my eyes to the field at a broader level,” she said of her work with ISPA. “I’ve been able to connect with people from all backgrounds. It’s been a great experience.”

According to Dr. Clark, goals for the central office this year include creating a series of professional development modules and online

ACADEMICUPDATEs: First Petra Reim Scholarship Awarded A Clinical Psychology doctoral student with a passion for social justice issues has become the first recipient of a scholarship fund established earlier this year to memorialize the life of Petra Reim, a Clinical Psy.D. student who died unexpectedly in February 2008.

Mickey Fitzpatrick, who shared his classmate’s interest in multicultural psychology and social responsibility, was chosen to receive the scholarship by Clinical Psychology faculty. He is the first of 10 scholars—to be chosen annually over the next decade—to benefit from a gift made by the Reim family and matched by The Chicago School.

“I had classes and several stimulating conversations with Petra, which makes this scholarship particularly significant for me,” Fitzpatrick said. “It will allow me to carry on, through my own work, Petra’s passion and commitment.”

In establishing the scholarship fund, the Reim family asked that the money be used to support students in Clinical Psychology’s Multicultural/Community concentration. Petra, who came from Germany to study at The Chicago School, had chosen to focus on multicultural psychology, as has Fitzpatrick.

“Petra was passionate about psychology’s responsibility in countering social injustice,” Fitzpatrick said.

“It’s important that future recipients of this award understand why the scholarship is in existence. I want them to know what The Chicago School meant to Petra.”

Counseling Centers Focus on Developing Solutions To SoCal Needs

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lumna Melodie Schaefer has come full circle. After earning her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1993 and building a three-decade career in mental health and in California professional psychology circles, she has returned to her alma mater as director of The Chicago School’s newly acquired counseling centers in Westwood and Irvine, Calif.

In her new position, Dr. Schaefer will direct and expand upon the services provided by two of California’s largest community counseling centers, which became part of The Chicago School through its affiliation with the California Graduate Institute last year. Participating in the development of regional solutions to an increasing demand for mental health services heads the list of priorities that she has planned for herself and the centers.

“Agencies that provide mental health services have been devastated by budget cutbacks that have come about as a result of the economic crisis, leaving many people unserved or underserved,” Dr. Schaefer said. “Through the Counseling Centers, we’re going to do our part in meeting this need and I look forward to working with other organizations to increase the availability of no-cost or low-cost services to the people who need them.”

Explaining that the impact of funding cuts has been felt not only by patients but by psychology students who are competing for a dwindling number of training sites, Dr. Schaefer is relying on her work as a California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC) Board member to increase the practicum and internship opportunities more »

ACADEMICUPDATEs: Recognizing a need for more trained professionals to understand and work with global challenges such as socio-cultural contexts, conflict, poverty, and natural disasters, TCS is chartering the nation’s first Ph.D. in International Psychology. The post-master’s doctoral degree is designed for working professionals and will leverage The Chicago School’s 30-year pedigree of psychology training rooted in diversity and multicultural studies.

The program comes at a time when, according to the World Health Organization, 450 million people worldwide suffer from a mental or behavior disorder. Of those, fewer than one in four has access to effective treatments; in some countries, less than 10 percent have access.

Joining Department Chair Robert Clark, Ph.D., as a program architect is Dr. Yael Danieli, a clinical psychologist who co-founded and directs the Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and Their Children in New York. Dr. Danieli, who serves as a distinguished professor of international psychology at The Chicago School, sees the Ph.D. in International Psychology as making a difference in the area of trauma studies and treatment.

“I envision this degree as a way to prepare professionals of all kinds—lawyers,

the clergy, nurses, and of course psychologists—to understand and meet the needs of people suffering from massive trauma,” Dr. Danieli said. “I see it as a program that will continue to evolve as we build important relationships and incorporate the most current information.”

Coursework for the Organizations and Systems concentration will be offered online with the Trauma Services concentration requiring a blend of online delivery and a weekend on-campus component.

Students will complete their training through dissertation work and two nine-day international field experiences. An optional extended field placement is available for those seeking additional international research, service, or practice experiences.

Offered through the Online Campus, the new Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership also begins in the fall. The program targets individuals who have career aspirations to be practitioner-scholars as well as leaders in their organizations, or those already in positions of leadership who seek enhanced knowledge and skills. With more of a research emphasis, students will be able to make their mark in the field and contribute to the growing knowledge base of workplace study through

dissertation and field work within an organization.

Students will complete the entire 60-credit curriculum online and will be required to attend two Chicagobased residencies designed to assist them with the dissertation component of the program.

Seven years after becoming the Midwest’s first graduate school to offer a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology, TCS is expanding its forensic offerings with a new doctoral program. Classes for the Psy.D. in Clinical Forensic Psychology will begin in September at the school’s Chicago Campus.

The Southern California version of the program started this past January at the school’s downtown Los Angeles Campus.

TCS Southern California has also announced its lineup of degree offerings for its locations in downtown Los Angeles, Westwood, and Irvine.

Licensure-eligible and post-master’s Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology programs are available at all three sites while nonlicensure Psy.D. programs that emphasize Marital and Family Therapy (MFT) will be at Westwood and Irvine. On the master’s level, license-eligible MFT programs are also available at each location.

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 7

materials for practicing psychologists throughout the world. He also sees potential in student exchanges to and from Chicago and the prospect of the city hosting an annual conference on international school psychology.

“Just by being located at a psychology school, ISPA can now enhance its professional development opportunities,” added Dr. Clark.

“Members will have the means to continue their training though the education offerings at The Chicago School.”

on campus

The Chicago School Here a nd Now

“ Agencies that provide mental health services have been devastated by budget cutbacks ... leaving many people unserved or underserved ... we’re going to do our part in meeting this need.” available to Chicago School students. She is cultivating direct service delivery experiences in a variety of areas including family and couples therapy, child and adolescent psychology, gerontology, and substance abuse. Additionally, she is exploring opportunities to provide mindfulness and stress reduction training, as well as coaching for community businesses that are adjusting to the impact of the economic crisis.

The acquisition of the two centers has expanded the resources that The Chicago School is able to offer students at the West wood, Irvine, and Los Angeles campuses.

Students benefit from a unique apprentice model that allows them to provide direct services under the supervision of licensed practitioners during their practicum experiences, while concurrently building their own client bases. Once they have graduated, alumni are then prepared to open private practices with an established group of patients.

Dr. Schaefer comes to her new position from Tarzana Treatment Centers, which provide integrated behavioral healthcare in Los Angeles County. While there, she served as supervisor of psychological services for the inpatient program and coordinator of mental health outpatient services, a program she developed. She also coordinated the doctoral and mental health training programs, and oversaw internship and practicum programs.

New Trustees Bring a Diversity of Backgrounds to TCS Board The list includes alumni, a former media personality, business leaders, community organizers, entrepreneurs, and a scientist.

In total, nine individuals joined The Chicago School Board of Trustees during the fall and winter semesters, representing diverse back-

grounds, professional expertise, and a national reach.

“Gone are the days where our governing body was regional,” said Board Chair Ricardo Grunsten. “The word is out. People want to be a part of what is happening at The Chicago School.“

New Trustees Include: Dr. John DelMonaco (Psy.D. ’96) is the

managing director of RHR International’s Boston office. RHR is a premier firm in the field of corporate psychology and a world leader in executive and organizational development. He previously served the school as a member of the Chairman and President’s Task Force on Mission and Scope.

Dorothy Farris joins the board from the West Coast. She is a senior sales executive with Wyse Technology, a manufacturer of thin client technology and infrastructure software in San Jose, Calif., and the immediate past president of the Leadership California board.

Kevin Kotecki is the president and CEO of Pabst Brewing Company, an American company founded in 1844 and currently headquartered in Woodridge, Ill. Dr. Joe Layng is the co-founder and senior scientist for Seattle-based Headsprout, which develops interactive learning technology that helps children master basic academic skills.

Dr. Steven Nakisher (Psy.D.’96) is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, entrepreneur, owner of the Center for Professional Development, and co-

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 9

founder of Cornerpiece Consulting. Dr. Nakisher returns to the board after a two-year hiatus to run the UIC Leadership Advisory Board. (See page 28 for a more complete profile of Dr. Nakisher.)

on many boards including DARE, the Musicians Assistance Program, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center’s COACH for Kids, and the Betty Ford Institute.

Elizabeth Thompson currently serves

Douglas Patinkin heads Limoge’s

Jewelry, also known as Mbm Company Inc., the largest purveyor of personalized jewelry on the Internet.

Dr. Mary Turner Pattiz (CGI Psy.D.’08) was the most popular female air personality on contemporary music radio from the mid-‘70s to the early ‘90s. Today she continues to be active as a counselor and group leader and serves

as president of the Steering Committee for Project Legacy for African American Males. Her other posts include Purdue University’s Diversity Steering Committee and The Women’s Board of The Goodman Theatre.

Estelle Walgreen is currently the

director of ENLANCE Chicago and the former president of Converse Industries.

faculty

BE YOND THE CL A S SROOM

Hope vs. Confidence: The Hidden Costs of Money for Nothing {by Dr. Richard Ackley} Professor of Psychology and Program Director, Business Psychology

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e are scaling a face of economic change not confronted since the Great Depression. We are framing this as a recovery. But usually a recovery uses optimism as the lubricant for change. Here a lingering, devastating resignation has settled over the nation. Each day it is reinforced with news about how dark things are: Unemployment rising, foreclosures increasing, banks collapsing, and the stock market limping; problems escalating and no clear answers apparent. The din of pessimism is not an unnatural reaction.

“ Hope isn’t always our ally. What we need is confidence. Confidence liberates.”

The president of the United States talks of hope. I’ll suggest that hope enables. Hope is the reason that people buy lottery tickets.

Hope isn’t always our ally. What we need is confidence. Confidence liberates. Hope is based on loss; it is the last grasp when all else has failed. Confidence is based on experience. ‘I’ve not handled this before but I have handled something close. Let me use those skills in this situation.’ It stems from understanding the connection between efforts and rewards: The stronger the connection, the more confident the person; the weaker the connection, the less confident the person. Eventually, learned helplessness can occur.

And this has a catastrophic effect as people give up. Energy is

depleted and productive effort vanishes. It is not that people do not do anything. But the efforts tend toward escape and other deflective behavior, even alcohol and drugs. We see progress evaporate as learning is inhibited. For only when we witness a connection between behavior and consequences can we learn from events.

The stimulus package is based on getting money to people, but it may not be effective in restoring a renewed sense of confidence.

People who performed poorly receive things they have not earned.

They will not acquire a stronger connection between their actions and their payoffs, which is the hallmark of personal responsibility.

What we’re seeing here is a case of quick-fix solutions that may be seen as practical today, but are they prudent in the long term?

This also applies to corporations getting TARP money or bailout funds. They have failed. Even if we continue to give General Motors money, its leadership may know what they’ve done wrong, but they still don’t know what to do right. Giving money alone won’t improve learning. Again, the question of practicality over prudence applies.

Rewards, fairness, and motivation need to be balanced. There are hidden costs of rewards without equilibrium. With bailouts and stimulus packages, people look at what they contribute and what they derive. When they evaluate this comparison, three outcomes are possible: 1. The two ratios are even, meaning fairness is experienced. 2. One party views his or her ratio less than the others, meaning under-reward is felt. 3. One party views his or her ratio as greater than the other, meaning over-reward is felt. Each of the last two scenarios produces tension.

If there is over-reward between equals, the resulting feeling is often guilt. An example, think about Valentine’s Day. You give a box of candy and your significant other gives you a Rolex watch.

What do you experience? For many, I suggest guilt. What would you do outside of giving the watch back? You will try to increase your contributions, perhaps act more friendly, pay for more meals, do more work, etc.

Now, if there is an under-reward, a more complicated state occurs. You gave the watch and got the candy. What happens? For many, a feeling of disappointment and anger occurs. Here you have two options: Expect a more positive reward next time or harbor a lingering feeling of resentment, which for some can lead to negative behavior that you feel is justified by being under-rewarded.

Let’s say, we call one party AIG and we call the other party homeowners. Here, it’s the insurance player who gets bailouts

right’ and ‘being heard’ are two different things. Being right is in the plan; being heard is in the message and its reinforcement.

Research indicates that conservatively 60 percent of change strategies fail. For example, we don’t have to look further than our stimulus efforts: the Obama administration is pouring money into a banking system that does not change the lending behavior of banks; or the Bush approach to distribute money to people who did not spend it. The lesson is: As obvious as the ways to use incentives to change behavior appear, there are hidden costs to rewards. Unless the pull of behavioral economics and social psychology is accounted for, errant public policy, even awry business strategies, will continue to undermine our impact and our confidence.

Do you have your own opinion on this issue?

Share it at www.insight-magazine.org/POV

F ac u lt y I n the News Michael Barr, assistant professor of business psychology, was quoted in an Associated Press story about employees who survive layoffs. The story appeared in multiple news outlets including MSNBC.com, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Tuscaloosa News, and The Hendersonville Times-News.

Dr. Nancy Dubrow, director of the Center for International Studies, appeared on the NPR program Tell Me More discussing her past work in the Middle East helping children affected by war trauma (1/8).

Dr. Ken Fogel, assistant professor of clinical psychology, was on the panel of experts in the February 2009 issue of Men’s Health magazine offering insight on why people pace when they talk on the phone. Finally, Dr. Fogel also appeared on Chicago’s NBC 5 to discuss the importance of one’s name to his or her identity (11/17).

Dr. Evan Harrington, associate professor of forensic psychology, was quoted in Salon. com (12/5) and UK Telegraph stories about conspiracy theories surrounding President Obama (3/2). He also was quoted in a Times Argus (Vermont) story about the “bystander effect” (11/30).

Dr. Michael Horowitz, president of The Chicago School, discussed the topic of psychology and the economy with multiple outlets including the national NPR program Day to Day (3/9), WCIU’s First Business (2/7), and WTTW’s Chicago Tonight (1/28).

He also commented in a Medill News Service piece about the Mental Health Parity Act (10/10).

Dr. Cynthia Langtiw, assistant professor of clinical counseling, was quoted in a Crain’s Chicago Business story titled “Travel divide: with kids or without?” (3/2).

She also was interviewed by Chicago’s NBC 5 for a story about the effects of violence in the movies (1/31).

Dr. Paul Larson, professor of clinical psychology, discussed the Gov. Blagojevich case in a Daily Herald story (12/11).

Dr. Christoph Leonhard, professor of clinical psychology, was quoted by Medill News Service and NBC 11 Atlanta about phobias (10/22).

Dr. Michele Nealon-Woods, dean, Southern California campuses, was quoted in Parenting magazine about teaching kids to say “I’m sorry” (1/19).

Dr. Mike McNulty, affiliate faculty, was mentioned in Michael Sneed’s Chicago Sun-Times column for his work in Sri Lanka training counselors (12/23).

Business Psychology Professor Nancy Newton and assistant professor Jennifer Thompson received

mention in The Vancouver Sun regarding a study they co-authored on executive workplace failure (12/25). The story also appeared in the Ottawa Citizen (Dec. 3).

Dr. Daniela Schreier, assistant professor of clinical counseling, discussed the Gov. Blagojevich case with a number of outlets including WTTW’s Chicago Tonight (1/26), CBS 2 Chicago—which appeared on the Drudge Report (12/10)—and the MSNBC national program 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. She also was profiled in a Medill News Service feature about how mental illness affects cancer patients and their caretakers (12/11), and was quoted in a USA Weekend story titled “Bullying: Like father like son?” (10/19).

Dr. Hector Torres, coordinator of the Center for Latino Mental Health, appeared on the WBEZ Chicago Public Radio program Eight Forty-Eight on the issue of Latino mental health in Chicago (2/25). He spoke on the same topic on Univision radio (1/29).

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 11

and is over-rewarded. Meanwhile, average Americans feel increasingly under-rewarded as they lose their houses and jobs.

AIG is not going to give the money back. In fact, it asks for more and feels deserving of $165 million in bonuses.

So we have guilt that is transformed into arrogance and anger that turns into attack and recrimination. We are identifying villains and victims. But nobody feels responsible. Recovery is based on accepting responsibility. In the end, actions such as bailouts do the opposite of restoring our confidence; they deter long-term trust in our government and financial sectors, two economic players that need the support of the public.

In business consulting psychology, we help leaders execute large-scale change. We have found that project managers are good at developing solid solutions to technical problems, then their implementation often disappoints. It seems that ‘being

BE YOND THE CL A S SROOM

How Did We Get Here?

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nd now that we’re here, shoulder-deep in an economic meltdown, what next? INSIGHT gathered a group of faculty to explore these questions, and to delve into the interrelationship of psychology and the economy. Joining in the dialogue were Dr. Ilianna Kwaske, Business Psychology Department chair, Chicago Campus; Dr. Michael Barr, assistant professor of Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology, Online Campus; Dr. Al Edwards, lead I/O faculty for Southern California; and Dr. Debra Warner, lead Forensic Psychology faculty for Southern California.

Dr .warner

Dr . kwaske

INSIGHT: We’re going to begin by reading two quotes; the first is from former treasury secretary and current director of the White House National Economic Council, Larry Summers, who says, ‘The economic challenges are all about psychology.’ The second quote is from political writer and commentator, George Will. He writes: ‘What this country needs is economic psychotherapy.’ Our first question is simple, do you agree?

DR. KWASKE: I don’t think it’s all about psychology. There are a lot of variables at play… policies and decisions made by our

I lose my job tomorrow, which my friend just did yesterday, then I’m going to need all of the money that I’ve got.’ So it really exacerbates the existing issues.

DR. WARNER: I just wrote down one word: fear. Unless that fear changes then nothing is going to change.

DR. EDWARDS: I absolutely agree and I think beyond fear, is what folks are looking at in terms of the market. I think a lot of that is tied directly to leadership in Washington, and I believe that those connections can’t be overlooked. I think that in terms of consumer psychology, much of it is tied to how they view leadership and do they believe that those in Washington now control and can handle these issues.

INSIGHT: How much of a groupthink factor do you think was at work here in relationship to the decision-making by lenders and investors—the ‘everybody is doing it, I guess it’s ok’ dynamic at work?

DR. EDWARDS: Oh absolutely, I believe group-think took place there. I mean, we can talk about group-think on the part of the consumer; we can also talk group-think on the part of the lenders.

Dr . barr

Q&A

government, decisions made by bankers, homeowners, executives, auto makers, investors, citizens. But anytime people are involved, there is psychology, and people drive the economy.

I think that when we talk about the economy and psychology, consumer confidence absolutely plays a part.

DR. BARR: One of the factors that makes the situation worse is that the more you focus on the bad news, the more people feel insecure about their own futures. And we frame things in the media in the most disastrous ways. What we forget is that 92 to 94 percent of the people are still employed. So we are looking at the picture as ‘the glass is half empty’ and it makes people feel very insecure. When you don’t feel secure about your job, you put off purchases. And when you put off purchases, you’re hurting the economy. You’re not spending money and people are not having cash flow in their businesses, and small businesses close. So you have this snowball effect, causing the …

I would call it hoarding behavior: ‘I am going to keep my money … I am not going to buy a movie ticket, because I have to buy milk, and I if

Dr . edwards

faculty

INSIGHT: There has been a lot of finger-pointing over the last few months, especially about behavior in decision-making, behavior

” In any sort of downsizing, there is the idea that the

psychological contract is being violated.” in investment bankers, in consumers, mortgage companies, the government, policy makers, and down the list. Is this blame game even fair?

DR. KWASKE: I don’t think so.

I think it’s very tempting to go into the blame game and, the thing is, I think we’re all guilty.

People were making money; living in these beautiful homes; driving these cars, etcetera.

No one was going to complain when the times were good. It’s only now as we’re going down that they are starting to complain. To me, let’s look forward: This is where we are and what do we need to do.

DR. BARR: I’ve been thinking about people in their early ‘30s, they have never seen these kinds of times. I’ve seen them because I lived through the rampant inflation of the 70’s when I was just entering the job market. When cash is flowing, bad management doesn’t look so bad. But when cash stops flowing, the companies doing it wrong are the ones collapsing because they didn’t have the conservative and sound business practices.

They were covering their bad leadership with cash flow, and it isn’t there now.

DR. WARNER: I think that the blame game is not fair; we all need to look at what part we’ve played in it—the government down to the consumer, down to the one-on-one interactions— and look at what we’ve done and what acts and behaviors we can change.

DR. EDWARDS: This might sound a little wacky, but I think, to the extent that the blame game has at least put a number of eyes on a lot of different variables, it’s a positive thing.

From that standpoint, maybe there’s a little upside to the blame game, not a lot. At least when you talk about lack of regulation, lack of oversight, things of that nature—as we start to engage in that kind of very robust conversation, I think that’s healthy and some fingers have to be pointed to start vetting a lot of this.

INSIGHT: What are some companies doing wrong as they adjust to these times?

DR. KWASKE: In any sort of downsizing, there is the idea that the psychological contract is being violated. It’s violated for the people who are laid off because they put in however many years of work, they’ve given their end of the bargain, and the company is not holding up their side of the bargain. For the employees who are left, the ones who may have survivor guilt or may not be motivated, their psychological contract has also been violated because they see their peers who have been working very hard being laid off.

I know someone who worked for a large organization here in Chicago, and they just did a mass layoff. The way that they handled it was, to me, so inappropriate.

They literally called names out over a loud speaker, paging people to a conference room to let them know that they were being

laid off. When you heard your name, you knew that was it.

DR. WARNER: This is Norma Rae kind of stuff!

DR. KWASKE: The person survived the layoff, but says she’s not motivated to work.

There was no rhyme or reason expressed for why they laid so many people off, and essentially, how hard you’ve worked and how many years you put in had nothing to do with whether or not you would remain at the company.

DR. BARR: What you said, Ilianna, is so important.

There needs to be a system for downsizing. A lot of these organizations have done slashand-burn, and the people who are left are faced with doing two or three people’s jobs and just hanging on wondering if their job is going to be here tomorrow because there is no apparent system. I think one thing that’s going to change in business is that there is going to be this whole idea of transparency in processes and procedures, because if they don’t, they will have zero loyalty. Once the market gets better, people with no loyalty will be gone. And they’re going to find that those people that they did save will take all their institutional knowledge with them and it’s really going to cut into their ability to compete in the marketplace.

INSIGHT: Let’s say an organization’s representative marches into your office declaring, ‘we must layoff 500 people.’ What consultation would you give to this person?

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 13

DR. BARR: Right, you also have the business pressures that go on. We think of our friendly loan officer as somebody who’s going to help us get a home but the bank thinks that that friendly loan officer is their sales team. And these people were given everincreasing sales quotas and relaxed regulations to enable them to get out there and make these loans that were technically not illegal, but they certainly were not conservative judgments that we expect from banks. And because they would be successful, they would be promoted. There were people going, ‘I don’t think this is a good idea,’ but if you’re going to be part of the global economy, you really are forced to participate because if it’s happening, and if you don’t buy it, somebody else will and then you’ll be out of market. I remember for years hearing people go, ‘You know, the housing market bubble is going to burst,’ and then it didn’t, so when the sky really was falling everybody’s going, ‘Oh, we’ve heard that for years.’

DR. WARNER: Everybody wanted to live this ‘American Dream’ in this land of opportunity. Well, if you are making $200,000 a year, maybe you should not be buying a $500,000 house. Meanwhile, there were market forces saying, ‘You need to meet your quota, you need to get people houses, you need to get people spending money for the economy.’

faculty

BE YOND THE CL A S SROOM

DR. EDWARDS: I think the first would be, we certainly don’t want to start paging people in for this. I think there has to be an overabundance of communication. You cannot communicate too much in these situations. I think the lack of communication is what feeds the rumor mill and gets the anxiety up. You’ve got to let folks know what’s going on. Secondly, I think that you have to have a process in place so that

end, once everything does turn around, those people are more likely to stay and maintain that loyalty to the company.

DR. BARR: If somebody came into my office and said we need to cut 500 jobs, I would say, ‘I need you to think about what your overall desired outcome is.

Are you dumping cargo so you don’t sink the ship, or are you off-loading extraneous weight so that we keep the ship afloat?’

There needs to be a longer-

” Are you dumping cargo so you don’t sink the ship, or are you off-loading extraneous weight so that we keep the ship afloat?” those who do survive clearly understand that it’s a new day, it’s a new age, it’s a new organization. There has to be a level of appreciative inquiry where we talk about how we move forward and what kinds of opportunities we have to move forward toward.

DR. WARNER: One of the supportive things you can do is have a really good EAP (Employee Assistance Program) for people who have issues that they cannot share with their supervisor, cannot share with a co-worker, and where they can get referrals.

When someone feels supported, they feel trained, they feel there is a structure; they feel that they are being taken care of. Their morale is up.

They are less likely to leave, and turnover will be a lot lower.

DR. KWASKE: What you are saying, Debra, is that the organization is placing value on the employees that are left, and on the work that they do. In the

term analysis of the impact.

I also think that the end goal is great organizational efficiency, so we want to involve as many line managers as we can in the decision-making process so that we can say, ‘what processes have you got? What processes are loaded with cost?

Are there other ways of doing things that we can review? Is there another way to reduce cost than letting off all these people?’

INSIGHT: Let’s move it down to the individual who marches into your office. What advice could you give this individual who still has a position to keep productivity up, to keep morale up, to do things in that position to keep things valuable and to preserve his job?

DR. KWASKE: My advice would be, stay as connected as they can to their own support network; to focus on what brings them joy in their work. Hopefully, their work brought them joy before the layoffs, so it

would help them to focus on the positive of what’s occurring.

DR. BARR: I think the most important thing is that the survivor understands that what they are feeling comes from two major sources. First, you’re feeling kind of a grief.

You have this loss, and the anger that goes with it. You can be depressed, you can feel stressed, and you need to take care of yourself when you are under stress. The other piece is your loss of your close friend who might have worked next to you for five years, and you feel guilty because you still have a job and they don’t. So that friendship, which was part of your support system, has now eroded. Understand that you did not cause this and that what you are feeling is anxiety, and a loss of control. So my question to that person would be, ‘What can you do to gain control over the factors of your life, and how can you reinvent yourself? How can you hook into something that you really like?

Are there other opportunities for you? Are you walking to work scared, or with your eyes open?

Are you maintaining your social network so that if there is an opportunity, can you take advantage of it? Is it time for you to think about going back to school or learning something different?’

DR. WARNER: I would also normalize what’s going on, because they can think that their feelings are abnormal for the situation.

One of the things I would ask is, ‘what do you need to feel supported and successful?’ Now that may not happen within the environment, it might happen by going back to school and getting more tools; it might happen by

INSIGHT: How can psychology professionals help with this in the future?

DR. BARR: One of the things that I’ve seen as a recent trend is the professionalization of the HR department. I think that’s a long-overdue trend and is going to be a major factor in

redefining the role of HR from a strategic standpoint and an organizational effectiveness standpoint. I think HR is going to get past the ‘it’s the personnel department’ and into being a strategic player in terms of planning the appropriate strategies around human capital development, succession planning, decision making, policy making, and procedural fairness. So, the more companies that become exposed to a professionalized HR department, the better they will weather these kinds of issues around downsizing or reorganization, because basically if you’re not doing it from a longer-term strategy—a ‘what’s my outcome supposed to be’ thoughtfulness —you can do a lot of things that hurt you much worse than not doing anything.

DR. KWASKE: The key word that Michael mentioned is the idea of human capital, the idea is that it’s not just financial capital needed in an organization. Downsizing can be a good thing for a company —‘getting lean’ as they are saying now—operating with the minimum employees, but you can over-downsize. People who have an understanding of how to manage human capital so that in five years or ten years you still have that…

DR. BARR: You have a company.

DR. KWASKE: Yes, you have a company. Exactly.

DR. EDWARDS: I think back to 2005, an article that appeared in Fast Company entitled, ‘Why We Hate HR.’ It was a scathing article about basically how worthless HR professionals were to the organization. And I absolutely agree that if the HR

professionals truly are going to have a seat at the table and be more strategic, we have to look more at skill acquisition in that area and development of the HR professional. Then on the human capital side, I think that organizations would be able to benefit from more planning in terms of succession management planning and ensuring that the competencies that are needed to sustain that organization are identified and developed, as the organization continues to move forward without senior leaders that can move into positions and continue to manage and lead the organization.

INSIGHT: Does anybody want to touch on the role a psychology professional can play in consulting executives?

DR. EDWARDS: The biggest trend that I see in leadership development is the issue of trust— building trust as a leadership skill. I think that over the past couple of years, organizations have understood that a lack of trust in an organization has serious financial consequences. It’s the biggest buzz-word in executive coaching that I have seen: What can I do to build trust?

DR. WARNER: I agree with the trust factor. You have to get people to trust you, you have to get people who continue to trust their organization, and you have to look at how that message is being sent out with your employees and throughout society.

Have an idea for faculty Q&A? Email insight@thechicagoschool.edu.

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 15

being with their family; it might happen by reconnecting with people at work. But you need to look at where they are, meet them where they are, and find out what they need.

DR. EDWARDS: There is the whole concept of appreciative inquiry—to the extent that people can start to look at what gives life to them in terms of that job and that environment. How can they then start to dream about a new situation going forward?

And in terms of how that new situation looks, have them— maybe with a coach—start to design it. Get them involved.

That brings to them a certain level of empowerment so that they think that there is a destiny for them in that organization. And the organization doesn’t look the same as it once did, it won’t look the same ever again, but that there is still a place for them and that they do have some empowerment and control within that environment.

DR. KWASKE: The organization may not look the same in the end. The people that are going through this are not going to look the same in the end. And that’s OK. What comes out at the end—the new organization, the new person—might be a reinvention but it might also be something more positive.

the roller coaster ride—seemingly jammed in a downward-plunge trajectory—shows few signs of leveling, little hope of slowing. The volatility and uncertainty that have come to characterize 2009 maintain a whiteknuckled grip on psyches across demographic divisions.

Numbers tell the story, often more succinctly and more concretely than words can.

to come for—today it’s just about crisis management.”

Y

et, it is not only the Dow—spewing daily evidence of infrequent rallies and steady declines—that reflects what is happening in America, and abroad, these days.

Another, newer measure, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, tells the story of a global economic crisis in the language of psychologists: the human toll, the effect that the financial downturn is having on people.

“We’re in a happiness recession,” says economist Justin Wolfers, associate professor of business and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. “We have found the most robust determinant of

economy. Low points plotted on their “happiness charts” occurred in 1973, 1982, 1992, and 2001, each a year at the center of an economic recession.

Many psychologists, however, are quick to distinguish the current economic crisis from previous recessions. Dr. Nancy Molitor, a psychologist in private practice in Wilmette, Ill., and a public education coordinator for the American Psychological Association (APA), says that the levels of stress she is seeing in “virtually all” of her clients exceed anything she has seen in 22 years of practice.

“It’s hit everyone—CEOs, teachers, small-business owners, whether they’re 25 or 65,” she says.

clients steadily deteriorate.

“In the fall, I saw a lot of anxiety as the economy worsened. But now what I see is depression, and often absolute despair. People are terrified—terrified of losing their jobs or their houses, terrified of needing help and not being able to afford it. People aren’t interested in the deep psychotherapy they used to come for—today it’s just about crisis management.”

Dr. Rosalind Dorlen, a psychologist in Summit, N.J., agrees.

Summit’s location—directly across the Hudson River from Wall Street—places her practice at “the epicenter of the financial downturn” and accounts for the large number of investment profes-

Psychology & The Economy happiness to be the current state of the economic cycle.”

Dr. Wolfers and colleague Betsey Stevenson have studied three decades of data produced by the Gallup-Healthways Index and several earlier polls that measured subjective well-being (the Gallup World Poll, the World Values Survey, and the U.S. General Social Survey) and identified strong parallels between general well-being and the ups and downs of the

“It’s far worse than after 9/11.

Then, there was a bad guy to blame and it gave everyone a common purpose. And after a while, anxiety began to fade because what had happened was in the past. But now, there’s no end in sight, and no clear fix that people can pin their hopes on.”

As it has become increasingly apparent that the recession is a reality that cannot be ignored, Dr. Molitor says that she has watched the condition of her

sionals among her clients.

“I’ve had many clients who have lost their jobs, and at least one whom I had to hospitalize because he let his drinking get so out of control after losing his job. Hitting bottom has sparked such intense reactions in so many. I have no patients who are not affected.”

Clients who are turning to psychology professionals for help in navigating the emotional consequences of the recession

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 17

“ People aren’t interested in the deep psychotherapy they used

THE HAPPINESS RECESSION

Happiness and Output Gap in the United States I n a paper presented at the Brookings Institution in 2008, University of Pennsylvania researchers Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers compared the ups and downs of subjective well-being in the United States with economic conditions, and found profound similarities.

Output gap & happiness index

4

0.10

Output gap (left axis)

2

0.05

0

0.00

Happiness (right axis)

-2

-0.05

-4

-0.10 1972

1976

1980 1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

2008

Sources: General Social Survey, 1972–2006; Bureau of Economic Analysis; authors’ calculations. a. “Output gap” is the difference between real GDP per capita and its trend, estimated using a Hodrick-Prescott filter on annual data on the logarithm of real GDP per capita, with the smoothing parameter set to 6.25. Happiness data are aggregated into a happiness index by running an ordered probit regression of satisfaction on year fixed effects.

run the gamut: out-of-work executives brought in by their spouses because they were unable to pull themselves together enough to make the appointment; workers who still have jobs but live in fear of being included in the next round of company layoffs; sixty-somethings who have saved diligently for retirement only to find their 401(k)s worth a fraction of what they had anticipated.

For many on the brink of retirement, it’s about more than their withered stock portfolios though, Dr. Molitor says. Often they find themselves stuck with a big house that they can’t sell, adult children who are losing their jobs and moving back home and—because they have lost their nest eggs and can no longer afford to retire—fear of losing their own jobs.

The stress that psychologists are seeing was documented in a recent APA report, “Stress in America,” published in October 2008. While data for the study was collected before the brunt of the financial meltdown, it demonstrates Americans’ growing concern about the economy and their ability to provide for their families. Nearly half of those surveyed reported that their stress level had “increased significantly” over the past year, with as many as 30 percent rating their average stress levels as “extreme.” Money and the economy topped the list of stressors for eight out of 10 people surveyed, and those concerns increased steadily during the six-month datacollection period. Stress about the economy jumped from 66 percent in April to 80 percent in September, while concern over housing costs increased from 56 percent to 62 percent, and job stability fears rose from 48 percent to 56 percent.

The Gallup-Healthways Index confirms the stress levels documented by APA, stating its findings in terms of the percentage of Americans who are “thriving,” “struggling,” and “suffering.” In early November—just weeks after the Lehman Brothers collapse that many point to as the pivotal point in the crumbling economy—the poll showed that 60 percent of Americans were struggling, up a full 14 percentage points from January. At the same time, the weekly average of thriving Americans hit a new low of 36 percent.

Meanwhile, the percentage of people suffering—unable to afford the bare necessities—has inched up from 4 to 5 percent.

The Gallup data is particularly significant because of its magnitude. Since January 2008—when the index was launched—1,000

individuals have been surveyed every day. With 350,000 annual interviews to work with, researchers have access to exceptionally rich data that can be “sliced and diced” in numerous ways. The questions asked provide information for six separate indexes, including two—a mood scale and a life evaluation scale—that feed into the happiness numbers.

“Both are pretty sensitive to the economy,” says Jim Harter, chief scientist for workplace management and well-being at Gallup.

“Life evaluation is intended as a more long-term measure—meant to gauge how people feel about how their lives will be five years out. Mood, on the other hand, reflects the daily ups and downs that we all experience.”

November and December represented the lowest points for life evaluation, he said.

“But while mood bounced up and down and hit all-time lows in early February, we saw the life evaluation numbers gradually climb as we approached—and then passed—the presidential inauguration. The numbers coincided with Obama’s approval rating and, I think, reflected the hope people were beginning to have for the future.”

In Dr. Harter’s view, the most significant finding has been the “sheer amount of fluctuation” that occurs in the mood of the country—plummeting from a high of 67 percent reporting “a lot of happiness without a lot of stress” on Thanksgiving to 35 percent on the days when the most troubling economic announcements were made.

A Burden on Psychologists The implications for the psychology profession are enormous, Dr.

who, in addition to her private practice, coordinates regional public education activities for APA. “Psychology is not a bullet-proof profession,” she says. “Those of us in the trenches practicing psychology have been affected as well. Even those who haven’t yet been directly impacted by declining reimbursements and patients’ inability to pay for services are experiencing anxiety about their practices.” To address the challenges that her colleagues are facing, she has compiled a list of strategies for practicing psychology in an economic crisis, published in the January/February issue of The National Psychologist. {see sidebar}.

The increasing demand for mental health services has hit nonprofit organizations as well as private practitioners. At Pillars, a Chicago-based social service agency that provides a wide variety of integrated behavioral health and educational services, the requests for crisis intervention services resulting from financial stress have tripled in recent months.

“We’re seeing more requests from people who are homeless, in need of food, and suffering from depression or anxiety due to job loss, financial stress, and foreclosure,” says John Shustitzky, president and CEO of Pillars. “We currently have a waiting list of more than 100 people, a situation that is made even worse by the fact that funding cuts have forced us to eliminate 30 staff positions. This means fewer available clinical hours, and increased caseloads—and stress levels—for the staff who remain.”

Connecting Psychology and Health A long-term consequence of recession-fueled stress that many psychologists fear is the impact

on the population’s overall health.

Some turn to alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms, while others allow healthy eating and exercise habits to fall victim to deflated moods and decreased motivation.

“Gallup’s next big well-being project is an in-depth analysis of the relationship between psychology and health,” Gallup’s Dr. Harter says. “We know that psychological outlook is a leading indicator of healthy behavior, but we want to understand more about how our good or bad moods might impact our physical health.”

P r acticing Psychology During an Economic Crisis, By Rosalind S. Dorlen, Psy.D. K now your own worth. Appraise your strengths; determine how to improve your skills to increase your value to your community, colleagues, and patients.

Engag e in a “financial checkup.” Identify your financial needs, expenses, and sources of revenue; develop a sound fiscal plan to accomplish your goals.

Think through your relationship with money. How we think about money has a direct effect on the actions we take in our professional and personal lives. Explore your own feelings so that you can assist patients for whom money is a major source of stress.

D iversify your practice. Develop new skills, alternate r evenue streams, and additional niche opportunities. Make connections with professional groups and business owners; keep your eyes open to new opportunities.

C ultivate and protect your optimism. Surround yourself with encouraging people.

Manag e your personal assets. Self care and sleep are often the first casualties of prolonged stress. Evaluate your own coping behaviors. If needed, obtain professional psychological help for yourself.

F ollow the money. If you have available time, take a course, learn a new skill, take advantage of a new practice opportunity, or attend a conference to reconnect with colleagues.

Be visible in your community. Continue professional writing,

public speaking, teaching, volunteerism, and pro bono work.

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 19

Harter says. Because many people identify their workplaces as major sources of stress, he suggests using that knowledge to design more positive workplaces—places where people can connect and satisfy their basic human needs for socialization.

“If we know what makes a good day for people, interventions can be designed that make more of those good days come about. We know that the best predictor of daily mood is the amount of social interaction time a person spends, and that it takes six to seven hours of social time to optimize a day.

If the person works in a negative environment, it takes even more.”

Evidence of the correlation between the financial crisis and wellbeing goes beyond the numbers produced by surveys, with requests for therapists’ services continuing to increase as the economy has faltered. At the end of 2008, ComPsych—the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs—reported that requests for psychological assistance had risen by almost 20 percent in the last three months. The company’s CEO, Richard Chaifetz, attributed the increase to mounting concerns about the financial situation.

APA has responded to increased stress levels with a public education campaign, through which information on coping with the economic crisis and its impact is disseminated. Professional psychologists report that they are networking more than ever in an effort to share strategies for helping their most distressed clients and dealing with the dramatic increased demand for psychological services.

“We’re working to get the message out that there are ways to manage stress, both for clients and therapists,” says Dr. Dorlen,

THE HAPPINESS RECESSION

The Well-Being Thermometer: What it Measures

Categories

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index™ is a daily report that functions much like the Dow-Jones industrial average. At least 1,000 individual interviews are collected every day, 350 days a year, and the data is used to provide a comprehensive, real-time view of the public’s well-being in the United States and abroad. Gallup terms it “the most ambitious effort ever undertaken to measure what people believe constitutes a good life.”

Questions asked

Life Evaluation

Evaluation of present life situation; anticipated life situation in five years

Emotional Health (Mood)

Y esterday, did you experience: smiling or laughter; being treated with respect; enjoyment; happiness; worry; sadness; anger; stress

Physical Health

Disease burden; sick days; pain; energy; disease history

Healthy Behavior

Smoking; healthy eating; exercise

Work Environment

J ob satisfaction; use of strengths to do best work; treatment by supervisor; trusting environment

Basic Access

ccess to food, shelter, healthcare, and safe/ A satisfying place to live

Ups and Downs of Happiness 68

Unemployment hits 26-year high

67

Stock market begins inching upward

66 65

Bear Stearns Bailout

64

Lehman Brothers collapse

63

Inauguration

62

Election Day

61 JAN 08

FEB 08

MAR 08

APR 08

MAY 08

JUN 08

JUL 08

In APA’s “Stress in America” survey, 77 percent of respondents reported stress-related physical symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, and upset stomachs.

And while a majority reported knowing that exercise is valuable in reducing stress and maintaining health, many cited more sedentary activities—such as listening to music, watching television, or reading—as the activities they chose to manage stress.

The gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it is not confined to eating habits and fitness regimens though.

AUG 08

SEP 08

OCT 08

NOV 08

Despite widespread (69 percent of those surveyed in the APA poll) recognition of the benefits of mental health support, only 7 percent sought professional help to manage the stress of the past year.

“It’s often difficult for someone—especially someone used to a position of authority at work or in the family—to seek help,” says Dr. Michael Komie, affiliate professor of clinical psychology at The Chicago School. “They’re used to being in control and so much of their identity is tied to that role; sometimes they just can’t get beyond it. If they do

DEC 08

JAN 09

FEB 09

MAR 09

reach out for support, they’re often more comfortable with what they regard as a natural support system—a church, synagogue, or mosque. When I do get calls to meet with them, they’re likely to come from a family member.”

During his years in private practice and as a vocational consultant to the St. James Cathedral Counseling Center in Chicago, Dr. Komie has worked often with the casualties of corporate downsizing, factory layoffs, and small business failures. He has witnessed the varying impact the economic hardship has had across demo-

The Happiest States of America Based on the data produced in the Well-Being Index, Gallup and Healthways published a list of how each state fared: Top 5: States with the highest well-being index 1. Utah 2. Hawaii 3. Wyoming 4. Colorado 5. Minnesota ottom 5: States with the lowest well-being index B 50. West Virginia 49. Kentucky 48. Mississippi 47. Ohio 46. Arkansas States with Chicago School campuses 31. Illinois 9. California

—blow on national well-being than earlier recessions. No longer a predicament of the working class alone, the recession of 2008-2009 has proved itself an equal-opportunity enemy.

The “happiness recession,” which he proclaimed when discussing his analysis of GallupHealthways data, is likely to be with us for a while, Dr. Wolfers says. Moods and life satisfaction

“ A white-collar Baby Boomer who has never seriously contemplated unemployment can face a more complicated coping challenge than a blue-collar worker who is paid by the hour and accustomed to more cyclical employment.”

“This is the first recession where the middle class has been as affected as the people working low-skill jobs,” Dr. Wolfers says, adding that the ramifications are being felt across age and cultural groups and documented in terms of both fiscal and emotional well-being.

measures are likely to continue mimicking the contours of more dollar-centric indexes, but as things start to improve, life evaluation may show itself to be a step ahead of the Dow. “Well-being tends to be forward-looking,” he says. “A lot of it is rooted in expectation.”

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 21

graphics—blue-collar workers and white-collar professionals; men and women; Gen Xers, Boomers, and seniors; Caucasians, Asians, Latinos, African-Americans, and immigrants.

While the response to job loss doesn’t vary greatly, Dr. Komie says, different demographic groups rely on different coping mechanisms.

“A white-collar Baby Boomer who has never seriously contemplated unemployment can face a more complicated coping challenge than a blue-collar worker who is paid by the hour and accustomed to more cyclical employment,” he says, adding that the task of finding new employment isn’t as daunting for someone who has been through it before and expects to do it again. This is particularly concerning, he says, because—as the nation has moved from a manufacturing economy to a service-based economy—layoffs are more than twice as likely to affect white-collar jobs as they were several decades ago.

While the APA survey reported that women are bearing the psychological brunt of the economic crisis—reporting higher levels of stress than men—Dr. Komie finds them to be more resilient in cases of job loss.

“Women tend to be more flexible about their work identities, largely because they’re used to balancing multiple social roles,” he says. “Men, especially the older men, see themselves as the breadwinner, and are much more likely to respond with a sense of guilt and shame that they’re not able to support their family.”

Psychologists and economists alike agree that the current economic crisis has wielded a larger—and less class-conscious

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 23

From DR AGONS TO DEPRESSION Kids Deal With Economic Woes In Their Own Way

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s she clutches her unicorn’s mane and flees the evil dragon, the princess concentrates hard on her wish: that the king will free himself from the dungeon and rush to her rescue.

Her therapist, Dr. Eric Green, listens intently and then suggests that the fantasy be recreated with different sets of circumstances: what if the king is already free and able to save the princess? And then, what if it’s up to her to save herself?

Dr. Green’s client, 9-year-old Lindsey, is coping with the metaphorical dragon that has been breathing fire into thousands of young lives of late; as the economy has deteriorated and more parents face unemployment, loss of health insurance, and foreclosure, children are sharing in the consequences.

From DR AGONS

TO DEPRESSION

Play therapy is important in helping young children express their feelings.

“when caretakers are in economic distress, the cascade of experiential anxiety eventually reaches the kids—kids who are often too young to comprehend the scope of what’s happening,” Dr. Green, associate professor and associate chair of The Chicago School’s Counseling Department, says. “Because they may not have a full understanding of what’s happening, they don’t know how to verbalize their fears and their feelings.”

Lindsey’s case is all too typical, he says. Her mother has lost her job, money is tight, and stress is playing havoc in their household. Through play therapy, Lindsey can create a world that is less threatening, a world in which she can attribute her anxieties to storybook characters rather than claiming them as her own.

“We stay with the metaphor they create,” says Dr. Green, who recently came to The Chicago School from Johns Hopkins University, where he developed a program in play therapy. “It allows children to see the world as safe, stable, and secure.”

Creating fantasies isn’t the answer for all children, though, especially those who have reached adolescence. Teens handle anxiety

very differently, says Dr. Breeda McGrath, associate professor of school psychology at The Chicago School. They also understand the implications of financial loss in ways that smaller children cannot.

“For them, it’s often about the college fund. Their initial reaction might be frustration, then loss of self esteem, and then they need to find someone to blame, asking the parent who lost his job why he didn’t choose a different career.” The dangers for adolescents are greater too, Dr. McGrath adds.

“Once a kid is vulnerable, the options for anyone interested in making his life more difficult are broader. He might be more open to experimenting with drugs, for example.”

In her role as a school psychologist at Glenview School District 34, Dr. Melissa Brown sees the stress many parents experience when confronted with decisions about additional services recommended for their children with special needs.

“It’s no longer an environment where parents say “we’ll just let the insurance pay for it’,” she says.

“They really want to do right by their kids, but they’re worried about the co-pays.”

Long-term Consequences While therapists, educators, and parents share a concern for what has been called the trickle-down effect that the recession is having on children, a longer-term worry hovers in the background: How will today’s crisis affect these same children as they grow up?

Psychologists Rand Conger and Glen Elder, who have spent decades tracking the long-term impact that the 1980s Iowa farm crisis had on the lives of children

whose families were impacted, believes that the way parents handle economic crises is the single most critical determinant of how the children fare.

The difficulties that families experienced—which often included a drastic loss of income and forced relocation, often to the homes of relatives—left psychological scars that were apparent for years. Not surprisingly, children from the hardest-hit families tended to suffer academically, socially, and emotionally through adolescence and early adulthood.

In turn, poor academic performance resulted in less rewarding and lower-paying jobs.

In follow-up studies of these families and others who have survived economic hardship, Dr. Conger—a distinguished professor of human development at the University of CaliforniaDavis—has found that the children who most successfully survived adversity were those with involved and caring parents.

“The emotional stress that parents experienced took on many different forms, including depression, heightened anxiety, irritability, anger, and alienation,” Dr. Conger writes. “When that happens, it creates real havoc in family relationships.” He adds that parents who put family first and continued to communicate despite the hardship were able to relieve some of the long-term effects on their children.

“Children weren’t terribly bothered by not having a lot of stuff,” Conger says. “What bothered them was when their parents became angry and irritable and withdrawn.”

Dr. McGrath agrees that a parent’s frame of mind can be crucial in determining how children react.

than any of our other surveys have ever received,” says Kathy Cowan, director of marketing and communications for NASP. “What struck me was the time so many school psychologists took to fill out the open comments section.” She describes the responses as “pretty consistent in their intensity,” citing increases in homeless students and transient families, and the

“There is a palpable strain on staff and teachers,” Cowan says. “Schools are dealing with a growing number of suffering families while also coping with decreased resources in their districts, and often their own crises as well. With budgets being cut and positions being lost, job security is an issue for everyone.”

“ A parent who is dealing with job loss may be using all of his cognitive resources just to cope, and has very little left over for the kids ... And while kids don’t understand all of it, they know something is missing. They feel a sense of loss.”

School Responses The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) acknowledges that parental resilience is a critical factor in a child’s ability to cope, and has developed a series of resources for parents, which are posted on its website. Tips listed in a document, “Helping Children Cope in Unsettling Times: The Economic Crisis,” could have been written by Dr. Conger.

They include suggestions such as acknowledging and normalizing children’s feelings, maintaining a normal routine, spending family time, and being optimistic.

Because schools frequently work the front lines, picking up the early signals when families are in crisis, NASP has responded to the deepening recession with a full-court press designed to support their member psychologists. The organization recently administered an email survey to members to accurately assess the impact schools were feeling.

“We were flooded with more than 700 responses—far more

need for more basic services.

“Some schools are opening up their locker rooms for students and families to shower,” Cowan says. “And I’ve heard stories about school nurses taking food that is left over from staff meetings and handing it out to kids to take home.” Dr. McGrath adds that many schools also watch for signs such as the increased use of breakfast programs so that they can make certain that those programs are strong enough to meet the greater demand.

High on the list of concerns that Cowan is hearing from NASP members is the potential for the elimination of many school psychology positions, and the impact such cuts would have on schools.

Because the law requires the development of individual education programs (IEPs) for all special needs students, she explains, the fear is that when districts lose psychologists, those who are left may have time only for IEPs, leaving the mental health needs of other students unmet.

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INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 25

“A parent who is dealing with job loss may be using all of his cognitive resources just to cope, and has very little left over for the kids,” she says. “And while kids don’t understand all of it, they know something is missing, they feel a sense of loss. Often they interpret it wrong, and think they’re at fault for what has happened with their family.”

class notes

S TAY CONNECTED, GE T IN VOLV ED

Alumni and Career Services Offices Help Graduates Expand their Network

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taying connected with fellow alumni is critical to a successful job search, I/O and Business Psy.D. graduates were told at a networking reception in late March. More than 75 attended the event, which addressed the challenges of the current job market. Jointly sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, the Office of Career Services, and the Business Psychology Department, the event featured tips for maximizing an alumni career network: • K eep your information up to date: This will ensure that you receive job notices, networking opportunities, and services from The Chicago School.

• Use the LinkedIn Chicago School Alumni Group to network with your peers, and find job leads.

• Check the class notes section on eGo (ego.thechicagoschool.edu) or the TCS Alumni group on Facebook to find out what your peers are up to; you may find people who have a shared work experience and can assist you in your job search.

• A ttend TCS career-building and professional development programs—great places to gain insightful and helpful information and the ideal opportunity to network with successful alumni who can offer advice on how to achieve the same success.

Clinical counseling:

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Latrice Drain Alagbala (M.A. ‘08) joined The Chicago School staff as a graduate student advisor for the ExCEL Program, Industrial/ Organizational Track. Alagbala will be working primarily with I/O students, managing them through the Applied Research Project Process.

Alagbala previously worked in the Financial Aid Office at TCS.

Clinical Psychology:

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Sayaka Machizawa (Psy.D. ’05) and current students Jennifer Shultz, Ann Bukowski, and Jem Jones will be presenting their research at the 2009 APA Convention in Toronto. They have been conducting community-based research with Erie Neighborhood House, measuring the effectiveness of Erie House’s mentoring program on the psychosocial functioning of the youth and evaluating how the program impacts the youth’s self-esteem, motivation, sense of con-

a l um n i pr o file :

Taking Aim at Investor Anxiety Nathaniel Siens (M.A.’06) Like many of his fellow Chicago School alumni, Nathaniel Siens spends his days counseling clients. He is well trained to deal with the issues he sees on a daily basis—anxiety, uncertainty, the challenges of dealing with life’s unexpected hiccups or, more often these days, its dreaded crises.

Unlike most of his classmates, however, Siens does not work in a clinic, or a nonprofit agency, or even in private practice. Possibly the only financial manager with a degree in counseling, he is vice president of the private client group at Chase, overseeing the stock portfolios of some of the bank’s wealthier investors.

“Working with people is really all about the relationship and trust you build,” he says. “Anyone can talk about the money side of things, but it’s just as important to know what is driving your clients’ behavior, to understand their wants and needs, and to be able to deliver.”

A 2006 graduate of The Chicago School’s M.A. in Clinical Psychology-Counseling Specialization, Siens says that proactive outreach

96|

Steven Nakisher (Psy.D. ’96) co-owns and operates Talbott Teas, a gourmet tea company.

The companies’ teas were part of this year’s Oscar gift basket for award-winning Slumdog Millionaire. Talbott Teas is also the official tea for Trump Hotels, The Spa at Harpo Studios, and the Joffrey Ballet.

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Emily Behrend (Psy.D. ’08) is now employed as a child psychologist at one of the largest community mental health centers in central Minnesota. Dr. Behrend provides individual and family therapy, administers psychological assessments, and is also involved in the

therapeutic foster care program (helping to reunite children placed in foster care with their biological parents) and the adult day treatment program. She was also given the opportunity to present on play therapy to business owners in the community to secure funding for a play therapy room, in which she will be conducting filial play therapy sessions.

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Marilisa Morea (M.A. ’05) is a postdoctoral fellow for The Chicago School’s Office of Clinical Services.

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Ellen Ganley (M.A. ’07) is a new admission counselor for The Chicago School’s Online Campus.

Forensic Psychology :

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Karen Reaves (M.A. ’07) successfully passed the North Carolina State Exam and National

has been the key to his success in allaying client panic since the economy began its downward spiral in 2008. Reflecting that “any investment advisor can handle the financial management piece,” he points to people skills—and especially the ability to relate to what clients are feeling—as a more critical competence in the current climate.

“The biggest problem I see is lack of knowledge,” he says. “Clients come in panicked because of what they’ve seen on the news or heard from others.” Sometimes changes can be made to provide more protection to their portfolios, he adds, but they have to be educated and, yes, counseled.

“Knowledge is comforting, and that’s a big part of my job,” he says.

Siens left a sales job in 2004 to enroll at The Chicago School; while he came from a different background and mindset than a majority of students in the program, he was convinced that a background in counseling could be valuable to him in any area of business. Understanding people and the way they think and react, he explains, couldn’t help but enhance his professional competence.

When he earned his master’s and entered the world of finance, he expected to use his newfound abilites in a role heavily skewed to sales, working with potential clients who were considering transferring their business to Chase.

Examination to receive her professional license, Licensed Psychological Associate (11/2008). She was recruited and successfully passed professional training to become a hostage negotiator for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She also teaches psychology and criminal justice classes part time at a college in Chesapeake, Va.

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Melissa Pecano-Jones (M.A. ’06) joined The Chicago School’s Online Campus as a graduate student advisor. She also joined the Alumni Council this fall.

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David Duke (M.A. ’07) is the new associate director of advisement for the Online Campus.

He joined the Online Campus in January of 2008 as its first advisor. David is responsible for revising the Applied Research Project process and creating support mechanisms for more than 350 fully online students.

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Stephanie Agost (M.A. ’08) was named project manager for The Chicago School’s Forensic Center this past fall. She also recently joined the Alumni Council and is serving on the recruitment committee for the council.

Industrial and Organizational Psychology:

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David Miller (M.A. ‘05) joined the Alumni Council this winter and is serving on the recruitment committee.

New Job? Exciting News? We want to know! Submit a class note to keep your fellow alumni up to date on your latest accomplishments and exciting news. Class notes can be submitted online through our online community eGo or sent to Beth VanDyke, assistant director of alumni relations at evandyke@thechicagoschool. edu. Please include class note in the subject line of your email.

“They would come in with a swagger and challenge me to sell them on why they would be better off working with me,” he says. “I used what I had learned about behavior to understand them and to come up with recommendations that would meet their needs.”

When the economy stalled, however, swaggers gave way to trepidation, and Siens found himself drawing even more deeply on his counseling background. His Chicago School practicum experience, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, proved more relevant than he had anticipated in preparing him for the work he is now doing.

“Many people’s worries are finance based, and their problems get deeper and deeper.” He says that working with clients at St. Elizabeth’s helped him hone the skills he needed to transfer what he had learned to the financial industry. It has proven a successful transition; during his first year at Chase, he ranked in the top 3 percent of financial managers in the company, and during his second year, his total sales were among the top 5 percent.

Despite the toll the financial collapse has taken on most investors, Siens says that none of his “100 or so” clients have experienced panic for more than a short time.

“We reach out to them before they have the opportunity to panic,” he says. “Proactivity goes a long way, and psychology helps us understand—and address—the difference in the kinds of reactions we’re hearing so that we can do what’s best for them.”

INSIGHT MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 27

nectedness, and academic self-concept.

The findings will be used for further improving the mentoring program to better support youth participants and facilitate their healthy self-concept and academic success.

Dr. Machizawa is also the associate director of Community Partnerships at TCS.

giving back

TH A NK S & RECOGNITION, OPP ORT UNITIES TO GI V E

Psychologist to Entrepreneur A Professional Evolution

Dr. Steven Nakisher, Alumnus and Trustee

T

he tribal masks adorning a wall in Dr. Steven Nakisher’s office serve as a reminder of —if not a metaphor for—the career he has carved for himself from the resources at hand: a clinical psychology degree from The Chicago School, a passion for mentoring, and a keen business savvy. A man who is repeatedly reinventing himself, he is at once psychotherapist, teacher, benefactor, and entrepreneur.

It wasn’t always that way. He completed his Psy.D. in 1996 with a plan: he would hang his shingle and wait for clients to arrive.

When they didn’t, he began to ponder the power of connections— connections that increase impact and minimize the solitary existence of one-on-one therapy.

“It’s hard to do anything really great when you’re working alone,” Dr. Nakisher says. “If you can collect talented people, all with a shared sense of purpose, you can accomplish far greater things.”

Thus was born the Center for Personal Development, which he founded in 1998. Now with two offices in Chicago and one in

Skokie, the center serves hundreds of clients a year and has had as many as 25 psychologists working together at one time. The range of specialties represented allows psychologists to easily refer clients to other practitioners as needs evolve.

The center’s success led him to share his knowledge and experience with Chicago School students and newly minted Psy.D.s who seek him out for advice on starting a private practice. A past president of the Alumni Council, he was instrumental in the council’s decision to create the Alumni Mentorship Program several years ago and has mentored clinical psychology students every year since then. He supervises TCS practicum students, interns, and post-docs, another activity that gives him the opportunity to do what he loves most: help new therapists develop a profession built on passion. (See sidebar for “The Nakisher 5: Tips for Building a Business.”)

“There are no trade secrets to being successful as a psychologist,” he says. “It’s all about following your dream. I was very fortunate to have been mentored myself by

people like John Benitez— and it’s a relationship that I would like to see all Chicago School students have.”

Steve is a champion for The Chicago School model, says President Michael Horowitz. “He reflects our core values—especially service and community—and has been responsible for connecting us to many resources over the years.”

As if donning the masks on his wall one at a time, Dr. Nakisher moves easily among the professional personas he has created for himself over the years.

He maintains a strong presence in two other business ventures: Cornerpiece Consulting, which he co-founded with I/O alumnus Jeremy Wicks (M.A.’07), and a gourmet tea company that designs beverages for Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump.

Wicks is one of many alumni who benefited as a student from Dr. Nakisher’s advice.

“The best tip Steve ever gave me came when I told him I was interested in starting a business of my own when I graduated and he advised me to tell everybody I met what I wanted to do and ask every one of them all for advice.”

Steve’s experience in building his own businesses has paralleled the evolution of The Chicago School, President Horowitz says.

“He learned early in his career to apply a growth model to his practice, and he had the foresight to connect psychology and business. This is exactly the pattern that the school is following, and for the same reasons of ensuring our viability and broadening our impact.”

The Nakisher 5: Building a Business “ When starting your own practice, view it as a career,” Dr. Nakisher advises new psychologists. He offers the following tips—referred to here as The Nakisher 5—to help jumpstart the process.

1) D ecide what you want and go after it. Ask yourself, “What kind of lifestyle do I want? What type of clients do I want to see?” The choices you make should be vital lifestyle choices, not afterthoughts.

2) F ind a mentor. We all need help to get where we want to be.

Go out and meet successful people in the field.

3) Stop hating the word ‘marketing.’ Like it or not, you are selling a service. Figure out what you are selling and how to sell it using your personality. You want people to say, “Wow! I need that!”

4) You are the product! Create an “elevator speech,” a quick summation of your professional self, and use it every chance you get to brand yourself. People stop listening after 45 seconds, so you have one chance to make a first impression.

5) Go after the exact clients you want. If a client comes your way whose concerns are out of your area of interest, refer that client to someone who specializes in that area. Do this enough times and these therapists will send you clients whose needs are in your area of specialty.

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1. Chicago School founders: Francis Chiarmonte, Michael Castell, Alan Rosenwald, Marjorie Shamberg, Jeffrey Slutsky, Bernard Gold, Melvin Perlman.

2. The Class of 1984, The Chicago School’s first: Terry Schwartz, Rick Kramer, John Kluczynski, Jim Guidi, Michael Weiss, John Lynch, Edith Hartnett, Dan Kozubal 3. A “History of Professional Psychology” timeline was installed last fall in Merchandise Mart space occupied by the Clinical Psychology Department.

It was donated by Board Chair Ricardo Grunsten in honor of the school’s three decades in service to the profession and the community.

Looking Back at 30 Years of TCS History It was the year of Three Mile Island, the American hostages in Tehran, the Steel City winning the Super Bowl and World Series, and Margaret Thatcher becoming Great Britain’s first female prime minister. 1979 also marked the birth of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. It was 30 years ago that a troop of seven psychology practitioners banded together to sign paperwork that formally incorporated a small institution that would eventually become the world’s leading graduate psychology university. Watch for a commemorative booklet—to be released in the fall—that tells the school’s story. If you have memories or photos to share—especially from the 1980s—contact us at insight@thechicagoschool.edu.

325 North Wells Street Chicago, IL 60654

It’s a great time to be a Chicago School alum, and it’s all because of you.

• You helped us establish the stellar reputation that paved the way for students and graduates who followed.

• You made—and continue to make—a difference in your community, a difference that helped us realize that, with carefully planned growth, we can positively impact even more lives.

• You helped define the soul of The Chicago School—a soul that will be explicit in the soon-to-be-unveiled Chicago School Model of Education.

• You helped raise the bar, evident in so many ways: the increased competitiveness of our programs, the higher caliber of students we accept; an intern “match rate” far above the average, and the maximum possible APA reaccreditation.

Thanks to you, your Chicago School degree is worth more than ever before.

For more news, visit www.thechicagoschool.edu/news.