Below are links to previous members who were featured on the site.

2010 - January: Mitchell Hicks, Ph.D.

2010 - February: John Derbort, Ph.D.

2010 - March: Holly Sweet, Ph.D.

2010 - April: Jack Kahn, Ph.D.

2010 - May-July: Sam Cochran, Ph.D.

2010 - August-September: Bill Johnson II, Ph.D.

2010 - October-December: Judith Logue, Ph.D.

2011 - January-March: Chris Liang, Ph.D.

2011 - April-May: Michael Andronico, Ph.D.

2011 - June-August: Neil Massoth, Ph.D.

2011 - September: Jay Wade, Ph.D.

2011 - October: Larry Beer, Ph.D.

2011 - November: Danny Singley, Ph.D.

2011 - December: Jen Primack, Ph.D.

2012 - January: Brian Kassar, Ph.D.

2012 - February: Joel Wong, Ph.D.

2012 - March: Fred Rabinowitz, Ph.D.

2012 - April: Anthony Isacco, Ph.D.

2012 - May-June: Francisco "Cisco" Sánchez, Ph.D.

2012 - July: Ryan McKelley, Ph.D.

2012 - August: John Robertson, Ph.D.

2012 - September: Michele Harway, Ph.D.

2012 - October: Jonathan Schwartz, Ph.D.

2012 - November-December: Marina Epstein, Ph.D.

2013 - January: Matt Englar-Carlson, Ph.D.

2013 - February: Michael Cunningham, Ph.D.

2013 - March: Britney Brinkman, Ph.D.

2013 - April: Don McCreary, Ph.D.

2013 - May: Betsy Bates Freed, Psy.D.

2013 - June: Sam Wan, Ph.D.

2013 - July-August: Stephen Johnson, Ph.D.

2013 - September-October: Abigail Mansfield, Ph.D.

2013 - November: Robert Heasley, Ph.D.

2013/2014 - December-January: Joseph White, Ph.D.

2014 - February: Bryana French, Ph.D.

2014 - March: Jerrold Lee Shapiro, Ph.D.

2014 - April: Ryon McDermott, Ph.D.

2014 - May: Chris Kilmartin, Ph.D.

2014 - June-July: Ed Adams, Psy.D.

2014 - August: David Vogel, Ph.D.

2014 - September: Brian Cole, Ph.D.

2014 - October: Eduardo Morales, Ph.D.

2014 - November: Jose Toro-Alfonso, Ph.D.

2015 - January: Ola Barnett, Ph.D.

Mitchell Hicks, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

Core Faculty; School of Psychology at Walden University
Independent Practice; Arlington Heights, Illinois

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined the division in 2005, and had two major reasons for doing this.  The first is that I am passionate about helping men develop into healthy, whole persons who are able to experience and express the full range of human emotion.  I was looking for a community of practitioners and scholars who held this similar interest.  Second, I had become dissatisfied with how issues related to gender were handed in most of my graduate training.  While feminist scholarship has certainly laid a good foundation for a reconsideration of constrictive gender roles, the focus has been primarily on the experience of women.  I was introduced to the work of several of our members by one of my internship supervisors, Dr. Bob Rando at Wright State University.  I appreciated learning that it really was ok to appreciate feminism’s positive contributions while questioning how some versions of feminist thought remain insensitive to men. 

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

I appreciate the positive relationships that continue to develop with several members of the division – members who, I want to emphasize, have a diverse set of views, interests, and ways of living in the world.  I value being able to learn from those who hold various views as this expands and challenges my thinking.  It is wonderful to be able to pose questions and requests for resources to such a talented group of men and women.  I am quite pleased that we have so many women active in the division.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My major clinical interests are men and depression, issues with affective expression and dependency, major life and role transitions that affect identity, and what has come to be called sex addiction (though I find this label problematic, but when I use it people typically know what I mean).  I have been seeing more and more men who have struggled with malignant messages about what it means to be a man that have seriously hindered their capacity to balance family and work. 

What are your hopes for the division going forward?

The division owes quite a debt to feminism.  From a scholarship prospective, feminism has laid a good foundation for methods to examine, interrogate and raise awareness of constrictive gender role norms.  Practically, it seems unlikely that our bid to become a division would have succeeded without the support of Division 35.  However, we have grown in both numbers and in intellectual diversity.  I hope that there will be an increasing ability to tolerate the questioning of some tenants and positions of some feminists, which I believe is aided by presenting those questions and challenges respectfully.  Perhaps one issue is captured in the language that gets used;  I feel compelled to use a lot of qualifiers in writing this.  There are many feminisms, and not everyone who takes a challenging view is “anti-feminist.”  Nor are most feminists “anti-male.”  Similar issues can be found around the perhaps false dichotomy between essentialism and social constructivism.  When we remember this, we seem to have much more productive dialogue. 

Return to top

John Derbort, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am a psychologist (Ph.D. in 1987 from Syracuse University).  My primary professional role is as a psychotherapist in private (solo) practice in the downtown Boston area.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 many years ago (at least the early 90's or whenever it started up). I was drawn to the division for several reasons. At the time, I was working at Boston University in the Counseling Center. I found myself seeing many men dealing with a unique set of issues around academic performance, sexuality, and relationship confusion and dissatisfaction. I began to lead men's groups and realized how common the struggles were. So my interest in men began, and the early questioning around men's roles, needs, and definitions got my attention. Of course, the other reason I was drawn to Div. 51 is because I too was/am a man. I found a professional home where my academic and clinical interests dovetailed with my own personal questions, and together were addressed and examined.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

What I find most enjoyable and rewarding about being a part of the Division is to be involved in a cutting edge movement to better men and the relationships men engage in. It meets my scholarly needs by pointing me towards recent research and theory, my clinical needs by informing my practice of helping men, and my personal needs to better understand myself and take responsibility for becoming a better man.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My particular interests in men and masculinity are the role of sports in men's lives, men's relationships with men and women, and most importantly these days, fathering. And by fathering, I mean in part going through the process of redefining what it means for me to father (as in a verb) in a way that is best for my son, my wife, my community, and myself.

Return to top

Holly Sweet, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

Member of Division 51, was Member-at-Large 2007-2009, in charge of list serve for Women in division 51

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I first got involved Division 51 before it was Division 51, back in the early 90s – through the efforts of Louise Silverstein who introduced me to Gary Brooks and Jim O’Neil. I started attending the annual meetings of APA after that while I was working on my doctoral dissertation at Boston College – met with Jim O’Neil to go over use of his Gender Roles instruments, was fortunate to have Jim Mahalik was on my thesis committee. I found that Division 51 was a true home for someone like me who was interested in gender issues, particularly men’s issues, which I felt wasn’t covered well by any other division. My interest in men’s issues dates back to 1975 when I read Goldberg’s book The Hazards of Being Male. I taught a class at MIT on Sex Roles and Relationships in the mid 80s, but it wasn’t until 1990 when I went to my first APA conference in Boston and took a psychology of women workshop that I began to connect with folks who helped start Division 51.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

• It’s my home division at APA, it gives me a niche and an identity.
• I really like the people in this division – they are warm and welcoming, down to earth and collaborative, great to have dinner with!
• It has led me to connect with a group of women in the division who are wonderful and like-minded colleagues who are interested in how we, as women, can interact with men professionally as colleagues or clients in effective and respectful ways.
• I have been mentored by people in Division 51 who have helped me professionally in many ways: finish my PhD in the areas of men’s issues, get involved in writing about men’s issues, encouraged me to propose symposia for APA, invited me to do workshops and present papers with them outside of APA, brainstormed new ways of thinking about men’s issues and how they intersect with women’s issues (i.e. the midwinter retreat). As I get older, I hope I am seen as a mentor to some of the younger Divion 51 members and can help them the way others have helped me.
• I have been openly acknowledged and appreciated by Division 51 (i.e. spotlight on the home page, awards).
• Last but certainly not least: I have the opportunity to be around men who are role models for me of what men can be: strong yet nurturing, sensitive but passionate, able to be emotionally expressive (especially with other men), collaborative and connected - and who also demonstrate positive relationships with women in their lives.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

• Working with depressed men
• How women clinicians can work more  effectively with men
• Educating women (esp. my clients)  about men’s issues so that they can deal better with the men in their lives
• Improving communication and understanding between men and women, especially  awareness of the sex role strain each gender faces in personal and professional settings

Is there any other question you would like to be asked, or information you would like to share, that is relevant to the division?

I’d like to see several things happen more in our division:

• Get more women involve
• Get better connected with other professionals who deal with men that are not in APA (especially primary care physicians)
• Collaborate with non-therapeutic endeavors (such as the Good Man Project) that focus on men’s issues

Return to top

Jack Kahn, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am a professor and chair of psychology at Curry College in Milton, MA.  I also run a consultation business

in the Boston area called Consonance Collaborative (www.consonancecollaborative.com). 

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I am a recently new member of the division (joined approximately two years or so ago).  I was interested in joining for two primary reasons.  First, I wanted to find a way to hear about up and coming conferences and events relating to men and masculinity.  Joining the listserv has been very helpful in this regard.  Second, I wanted to stay on top of new research being conducted in the field of psychology on men and masculinity.  I am a member of several organizations that do this kind of work from a research and activist perspective and really value the history and perspectives shared via SPSMM.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

I have just begun to make some contacts within the division which have been very valuable. I am hoping those connections will develop over time. Finding folks who have shared visions and concerns and value methodological and epistemological approaches to understanding and assisting men and masculinity is definitely important to my work as a psychologist. I have not yet had the opportunity to attend or present at a conference, but hope to do so in the near future. 

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

Research

I am excited that this year I published my first text which is called “An Introduction to Masculinities” which has been getting some really nice reviews in the last few months.  Upon its completion, I have been working on material for my second text which includes the use of dialogical self theory to understand ways in which diverse groups of men construct alternative masculinities as a way to resist male dominance and form community spirit and pride.  Last year I focused on a group of young men of color working in a violence prevention agency and this year I am focusing on a queer theater organization.  My hope is to explore several other organizations and understand both what makes them unique and ultimately what ties them together as examples of diverse hegemonic-resistant masculinities.

Teaching

In my department I teach courses involving gender and counseling.  In fact, my course “Men, self, and society” was the inspiration for writing the intro to masculinities text.  I am now in the process of developing courses more closely aligned to community psychology which will encourage students to learn new content, participate in community action research, and act in ways that encourages community service, change and development.

Activism

In addition to my research work I also participate in activism and community work to apply the educational content to communities in which I live and work.  I am an active emember of the National organization for Men Against Sexism, Boston chapter (www.nomasboston.org) Through NOMASB my primary role has been in supporting, leading, and organizing profeminist discussion groups for male-identified people.  These groups have helped provide a place for men to challenge each other to find ways of living with others authentically and without dominance in a supportive and challenging environment.  The groups do not argue theoretical perspectives but rather focus on lived-lives and pushing one another to be better people.  NOMASB has been really wonderful and has grown a lot in the last three years.  We have also been active in supply drives, community trainings, book clubs, and other events that encourage men to work together toward the tenets of the organization which include profeminism, racial equality, lgbt justice and enhancing men’s lives.

Through my consultation work I hope to take useful theoretical frameworks and assist organizations in finding hands-on ways of applying the ideas.  I have done presentations to (a) mental health agencies on social class, (b) colleges on profeminist sexual harassment training (c) community centers to understand the connections between heterosexism/transphobia and racism.  I very much enjoy this work as I find ways of working with other amazing professionals in the Boston area and developing new and unique programs for specific needs of our community.

Return to top

Sam Cochran, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am Director of the University Counseling Service and a Clinical Professor in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Iowa.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined the "Men treating Men" network that Gary Brooks and others organized through Division 29 that was one of the precursors of Divisoin 51. I joined Division 51 when it became an APA division. That was in 1997? What made you interested in joining? I have had a long-standing interest in psychotherapy with men and the psychology of men and masculinity, so it was a natural fit.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

The colleagueship and the journal are the two most valuable things about being a division member. I have met many men and women who share similar values about gender equality and about working to make the world a better place. The smaller size of the division makes it possible to create and sustain more personal connections around these and other shared interests. The journal is the flagship journal publishing work in this area. As an empirically minded and science oriented individual, I enjoy reading the journal and contributing as an editorial board member, and as an author when my writing 'clears the bar' and is acceptable for publication.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

Broadly, I am interested in psychotherapy with men and how to humanize the therapy process to be more inclusive of men who might otherwise avoid therapy. Helpseeking in men is a current interest. I have always been interested in understanding men's depression from both a clinical and research perspective. A newer advocacy and social justice interest of mine that fits here is work on men's violence-both against women and against other men.

Return to top

Bill Johnson II, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

Dr. Bill Johnson II

Clinical Psychologist

Lecturer of Psychology

Practicum Coordinator

School of Psychology

Australian Catholic University,

Locked Bag 4115, Fitzroy, VIC 3065

Tel: 61 3 9953 3117      

Fax: 61 3 9953 3205

Registered with the VICTORIA Board of Psychologists

Member Australian Psychological Society

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

My entry into the division came at a time when I was attempting to better understand diverse masculinities in general and grappling with the systemic implications of my personal socialization. In other words, I joined the division in order to understand myself better.  I also joined because I wanted to link with other men and women committed to confronting male privilege and eradicating gender based oppression. Lastly, I joined to add another voice to the experiences of men of color and other male groups who have historically been marginalized.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

The intimate nature of the division has enabled me to meet and forge relationships with other members of division 51. I have been blessed to interact with brilliant and personable scholars, and practitioners dedicated to promoting awareness on issues related to masculinities. It has been largely through connecting with like minded members that my understanding of what it means to be a male/man has been enhanced and my desire to positively impact the lives of other men has been solidified.

I have also found the journal articles published by PMM as critical to my professional/personal development. Furthermore there have been several occasions where I have used the literature published in PMM to directly inform my approach to teaching and practice. Personally, as an African American male currently living and working within Australia, reading the articles is one way which I stay connected with contemporary issues affecting men within the U.S. and across the globe.

Finally, it is my personal belief that connection is among the most essential ingredients of healthy living. Since joining division 51 I have felt a strong sense of connection to the members within the division, the scholastic ideas promoted by the journal and conference presentations and the administrative decisions implemented by the division’s leadership. As a result, I am proud to state that Division 51 is my home.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My research and clinical interest are a combination of exploring the ways in which men are socialized and confronting those aspects of male socialization harmful to both men and women. As a result I am interested in the clinical implications of male socialization, understanding the unique socialization experiences of men of color and confronting the ways in which these individuals internalize and perpetuate male privilege. My interests also include culturally sensitive approaches to counselling men of color. In addition, I am interested in the socialization of male sexualities as well as innovative clinical approaches to the treatment of male sexual dysfunction. Finally, as a clinician I have facilitated group counselling with men of color, sex therapy groups for men and groups for male batterers.

Is there any other question you would like to be asked, or information you would like to share, that is relevant to the division?

I would like to make a comment about the role of mentorship in my professional development. I am increasingly recognizing how important mentorship and guidance has been on my achievements. I am grateful to those members of division 51 who have been receptive to providing me with feedback and direction over the years. I am particularly grateful to men of color such as Joe White, Thomas Parham, Miguel Gallardo, Michael Mobley, Bill Parham, Jim Dobbins and countless others who encouraged me to embrace my personal and professional strengths. There is a severe shortage of Psychologists of color generally and male psychologists of color in particular. One method of addressing this injustice is through reaching out and offering mentorship to males within higher education. Personally speaking, the mentorship I received (and continue to receive) has been instrumental in my accomplishments. I also feel indebted members such as Aaron Rochlen, Jay Wade, Andrew Smiler, and Wizdom Powell Hammond who provided mentorship through their scholastic contributions.

Return to top

Judith Logue, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am in independent practice in Princeton, NJ, and a member of the faculty, former member of the board of the

Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy of NJ (CPPNJ, formerly IPPNJ, Institute for P’an and P’th of NJ.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined and got hooked on the interesting and thought-provoking contributions on the listserv. I was honored when asked to be a member of a Division 51 Symposium in 2006… “Symposium: Debates and Controversies in a Pro-Feminist Men’s Organization, APA, Div 51, Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA, August 12, 2006. Then, and at the business meeting, I met the members of the board and a number of the people who were posting on the listserv – a very warm, welcoming, and intelligent group. And that was it for me!.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

Learning the latest theories, research, and issues in clinical practice with men. I also learn about myself in relation to men. For me, a former radical feminist, who believed the classic paper, “the personal is political,” I believe “the personal is professional.” What I think and feel, and how I practice, has been affected by my history, psychology, and experiences.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I have taught many courses to graduate and postgraduate students and candidates in my almost 50 years of clinical practice. My latest interests have been in organizational psychoanalysis and psychology. I was president of a Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) section on Women and Gender, and have done a number of presentations for them, one for Division 51 at an APA meeting, and for the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) and the American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work (AAPCSW). 

I just wrote a chapter for Holly Sweet, the Division 51 leader of the Women’s Division. She is editing “Gender in the Therapy Hour: Voices of Women Clinicians Working with Men. I wrote “Gender Matters – Transference, Countertransference, and Men: A Psychoanalytic Perspective.”

Is there any other question you would like to be asked, or information you would like to share, that is relevant to the division?

Because the field of psychoanalysis is (finally!) doing more and more empirical research (cf. Jonathan Shedler’s paper in the APA journal), and because we do keep our practice contemporary and modern, Division 51’s listserv is an essential way to pass on information to my colleagues, and also to keep current myself. Despite the distorted and unpopular view of psychoanalysis, which is in many undergraduate psychology textbooks (cf. research by James Hansell, PhD, at the University of Michigan), psychoanalysis today is actually incorporating the latest in neuropsychology and LGBT, as well as information and techniques from complementary medicine, CBT, and other modalities.

Return to top

Chris Liang, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am currently an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of La Verne. At La Verne, I teach multicultural psychology and abnormal psychology to undergraduate students; research methods and multicultural counseling to MFT students, and community psychology: theory, research, and practice to PsyD students. I supervise dissertations and engage in scholarship on multicultural issues, including the intersection of racism and masculinity. Within Division 51, I am one of the out-going Member-At-Large. I am remaining involved in the Division through my role as Division Program Co-Chair for the 2011 APA Convention in Washington DC.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 in 2005 after attending the Division’s mid-year retreat. I had been interested in Men’s issues but had only learned about Division 51 after my interactions with Mark Stevens, my clinical supervisor at the University of Southern California. .

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

The Division has been a good home to me. Through my active involvement in the Division, I have gained a deeper understanding of the research literature on men and masculinity. I have been challenged to think about masculinity more complexly. And, I think I have been able to help the Division create additional spaces for dialogue on issues of import to men of color. On a more personal note, though, I have developed deeper and more meaningful relationships with the men and women of the Division. These relationships have, in turn, challenged me to think and rethink the ways I live my life as a man.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I incorporate issues of gender, race, and sexual orientation in nearly every course I teach. I stopped being apologetic about including articles on men and masculinity. Students need to understand that there is more to being a man than privilege. Incorporating the psychology of men and masculinity helps future clinicians and undergraduate students understand that the behaviors of men are sometimes influenced by the expectations that multiple cultures have of men.

With respect to research, I have spent most of my career focusing on issues of racism. Recently, I began to examine the intersections of race and gender. Specifically, I have studied how the experiences of perceived racism interact with masculinity ideologies to influence gender role conflict among Latino men. In an upcoming project, several colleagues will be examining the role of racism and gender role conflict on substance use, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and quality of life among Latino day laborers. My colleagues and I pretty excited about this project. Given the rise of anti-immigrant attitudes and the high profile cases of anti-Latino hate crimes, this project can help to shed light on how Latino men may experience pressures of masculinity and racism.

Return to top

Michael Andronico, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am in full time private practice in Somerset, NJ, a Fellow at the Graduate School of Applied Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University, and a former Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (UMDNJ) of New Jersey in Piscataway.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

Since my graduate school days, when I was a participant in an all male leaderless group of psychology grad students, I have been impressed with the value of the group experience, especially for men. Having led many men’s groups, I was very excited to learn that there was a group of psychologists who were organizing a movement to get a division for Men’s Studies into APA. I quickly sought out and joined that group who were to become both colleagues and dear friends. In the early years before the society became Division 51 of APA. I led several panels at the Annual Convention on Men in Groups in different settings. These panels were designed to give more attention to and gain recruits for our eventual Division 51. They also served as a basis for my book..

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

Even though there are interwoven, I most enjoy the warm relationships among the membership, particularly the “older” members with whom I have had the longest contacts. I also greatly enjoy the energy, enthusiasm and warmth of the younger members, especially the graduate students. The opportunity to interact with and discuss vital issues and concepts that are crucial to gender issues, particularly issues of masculinity, with others who are at the cutting edges of the exploration and writing of these issues is very exciting and enjoyable.

My participation and leadership in the society’s annual retreats has been of special importance to me. The interactions, support and caring that are typical at these retreats are representatives of the way we folks at “51” are with each other. My hope and wish is that we continue to value and react to each other in the same warm and welcoming manner for decades to come.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I have presented workshops on men’s groups to local, state, and national professional organizations. Helping single fathers, fathers in general and men who are prone to violence in their relationships as well as men who struggle with the constraints of the traditional male role places upon them is a prime interest of mine. How the support and insights of men’s groups can be helpful to them have always been of particular interest to me.

Return to top

Neil Massoth, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

Professor Emeritus, School of Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ (Retired 05/31/2011 after 45 years).

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I am a charter member.  Gender issues were always a strong interest of mine.  I had been working with traumatic brain injured individuals for more than a decade when Division 51 came into being.  Most of the TBI patients are males who suffered the injury as a result of high risk behaviors or habits of living.  The gender issues involved in both with the cause of the injury and with the adjustment to living as a disabled individual were obvious.  The need to incorporate gender issues into treatment of this population was also obvious; how to do it was far less clear.  I found in SPSMM both the literature to assist me as well as colleagues to serve as peer mentors.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

• The opportunity to mentor the next generation of psychologists interested in the psychology of men.
• Interaction with like-minded peers.
• The men’s retreat (the remainder of my life is filled with mixed gender groups, both professional groups and social groups).

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

• Men’s adjustment to chronic illness, disability, and injury
• Empirical measures of gender role ideology

Suggestions for the future

As much as we (SPSMM) have accomplished, there is still an insufficient recognition of men’s issues as an area of competency or specialization.  The application for my state association referral service includes a check-off of some 50 areas of competence.  Women’s issues is listed; men’s issues is not.  This is not unusual.  We need to do more outreach to be recognized as mainstream.

Return to top

Jay Wade, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am currently an associate professor in the doctoral program in clinical psychology at Fordham

University in Bronx, NY. I teach graduate courses in multicultural psychology, substance abuse

treatment, and clinical diagnosis. My undergraduate courses are Human Sexuality and Men and Masculinities. As part of the clinical program faculty, I also mentor students on their dissertations

and serve on dissertation committees.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

While I was a first year doctoral student at the University of Maryland, I attended my first APA convention which was in 1992 in Washington, DC. Prior to the convention I had contacted Jim O’Neil asking him to be a mentor to me, and he had told me to meet him at APA. While at the convention he took me to this meeting of folks interested in the psychology of men, mostly White men, like 99%. At that time, there was no Division 51 but there was talk of becoming an APA division. It was a very intimate and personal kind of meeting. People shared personal things about themselves. But mostly, I liked that there were people who came up to me and made me feel welcomed, particularly as the only Black man in a group of predominantly White men. Gary Brooks and Ron Levant were two whom I remember clearly as reaching out to me and making me feel welcome. But there were others as well.  That was really nice for a first convention meeting, where there were thousands of people and I didn’t really know anyone there. So, most every time since when I would go to the convention I would go to the social and oftentimes the “business meeting.” I joined because I liked the people and wanted us to be a division of APA.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

What I have found most valuable is the connections I have made and continue to make with others, both personally and professionally. It has been very nice, supportive mostly, to have a place within my profession where others have the same scholarly interests that I have in men and masculinity. I am a counseling psychologist that works in a clinical psychology program. The interests of clinical psychologists are different from mine, and so my job fulfills some professional needs but not those that concern my particular area of scholarship. I find that what I need personally from my work as a psychologist is gratified through teaching and research, but also through my professional associations, or my colleagues, that are a part of Division 51.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I teach an undergraduate course on men and masculinities and it is the course I most enjoy teaching. My research involves validating my theory and measure on male reference group identity dependence. I developed the theory and measure for my dissertation and have continued to collect data ever since.  I have used the measure with diverse male populations to see how my theory on male identity relates to various psychological and social constructs. Both the theory and measure were published in The Counseling Psychologist as a Major Contribution in 1998.

Is there anything you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Return to top

Larry Beer, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am the president of Child and Family Psychological Services in Kalamazoo, MI.  I have more than 40 clinicians who work in the practice that I founded in 1989 and continue to manage.  I see about 30  patients a week through this practice. I am a self-described capitalist when it comes to the practice of psychology and feel proud that I have been able do do well for myself while helping many others at the same time.  I am also an adjunct asst. professor at Western MI u.  I am a licensed psychologist and a licensed professional counselor.  My web site is childandfamilypsych.com.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I am proud to be a founding member of the division.  I joined because i have a special interest in men's issues and I liked the others who were a part of this group.  It was a welcoming and personal atmosphere that I had found unusual within APA previously.  I have done my best to continue to promote this atmosphere.

To date I have I have served 2 terms as division secretary, president-elect, president, past-president, awards chair and cookbook editor (the cookbook raised over $700 for the division.)  I have received the Distinguished Service Award from the division in 2003 and I was also awarded Practitioner of the Year in in 2009.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

What I value most about this group is the connection that I have with the other members of the division.  I love the sense of history that I have with the division.  My family has grown up during the time of my involvement and I have known some members of the division now for close to 20 years.  I also love seeing new members such as yourself who have a passion for men's issues come into the division and make your own outstanding contributions to what is already there.  It has been a very rewarding experience overall.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I am not a researcher, but I love helping men learn about themselves and about how they can have more fulfilling relationships with both others and themselves.  It is through these relationships that men are able to obtain the happiness that they have been searching for.  I teach practicums in the master's programs in counseling psychology at Western MI U and I use what I have learned through my own practice to help them.  I have a special interest in helping couples deal with the transition of becoming parents since it is a very difficult time.

Is there anything you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Return to top

Danny Singley, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am the Vice President of Curriculum Development and Research for Essential Learning, LLC – an

e-learning company that provides trainings for organizations in a variety of markets including behavioral health, corrections, developmental disabilities, and early childhood education.  I also have a smallish

private practice focused on men’s issues and do research consulting.  Finally, I teach a class for expectant and new dads in partnership with a local hospital.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined in 2008 – the year after Jeff Jones (former Chair of the Men’s Issues Committee of the San Diego Psychological Association) had encouraged me to attend a number of

Div 51 events at APA.  I immediately resonated to the Div 51 members’ enthusiasm about academic pursuit while also valuing personal connections with each other.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

The camaraderie and the intellectual curiosity of the members.  Beyond the great conference talks and conversations I’ve enjoyed, each time I get a new issue of the Division’s journal, I am really excited to learn what the movers and shakers in the field are involved in – and to then turn around to apply what I’ve learned in my own practice.  Plus, I never get tired of having this interaction:

Somebody: “So, what areas of psychology are you interested in?”

Me: “Well, I’m really interested in men’s issues and masculinity.”

Sombebody: ”What?  I mean, with the long history of men at the helm of psychology, isn’t all psychology about men?”

Me: “Well, not really…”

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My clinical practice focuses heavily on men, and my biweekly men’s group is the jewel of my practice.  As a father of young kids, I’m particularly interested in issues relevant to new fathers and fathers-to-be.  I teach an ongoing, grant-funded class for new dads and always find myself energized by working with dads who generally just want to know how to stay engaged with their young babies.

The site for the dads class is: www.newdadsclass.com. Also, an article I wrote to fill out my interest/approach in working with dads is available here: http://newdadsclass.com/Articles/Danny_Singley_San_Diego_Psychologist.pdf

Return to top

Jennifer Primack, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University Medical School and a Research Psychologist at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center. My role in both places is primarily in research although I do some clinical work in the context of treatment development and clinical trials research. I also supervise students for the clinical assessment of study patients and am responsible for conducting risk assessments for some of our clinical trials. I am currently funded under a VISN1 (Veterans Integrated Service Network) Career Development Award to develop a depression treatment for male OEF/OIF returning veterans and am the project coordinator for a study of the longitudinal assessment of Anxiety disorders in Latinos.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined the division in 2002 as a graduate student. In 2003 I had the opportunity to become one of the first student representatives to the board of the division under the leadership of John Robertson and after graduating, I became the Early Career Psychologist Representative to the Board. I joined the division because Michael Addis (my graduate school advisor) encouraged me to do. I’ve stayed involved with the division for many reasons: because I truly like the people and because it’s one of the few places where I can talk to people about my research and collaborate with others doing similar work.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

Division 51 provides me with a great venue for my research whether it’s at the APA Convention, the Psychology of Men & Masculinity journal, the list-serve or the psychotherapy with men conference. As a woman who specializes in men’s mental health it has been a challenge to find people who understand my research, or even why I decided to focus on men’s health – I was once asked by another psychologist if I studied men’s health so I could “meet men.”  The Division is one of those rare places where I can discuss research ideas with people who understand the importance of working with men. On a personal level, I really like the other members of the division and I enjoy going to conferences not only because I can talk about my research but because I get to see people who are genuinely nice, intelligent, and supportive of men’s health research.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My main area of research is men’s depression and suicide. I developed a “non-traditional” treatment for men with depression (recently published in Cognitive and Behavioral Practice) and am now working on adapting that treatment for returning veterans with depression. I’m interested in depression and suicide because: 1) they are significant health problems and 2) men are particularly reluctant to seek treatment for depression since it is often conceptualized as a “feminine” disorder. So, I’m interested in tackling the problem of depression in a population that may be reluctant to acknowledge it as a problem and even less likely to seek treatment. I’m also interested in culture and the impact of cultural factors on treatment of depression and suicide, so my research often examines the impact of cultural and gender norms in the treatment of depression. I work with a wonderful group of people at Brown who focus on mood disorders have been great collaborators over the years. Our department website is http://moodtreatment.org/PsychoSocialResearch/Main.html

Return to top

Brian Kassar, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

Montana State University:

• Staff Psychologist, Outreach Coordinator, Coordinator of Men's Services at Counseling & Psychological Services

• Program Director, Men Stopping Rape, MSU VOICE Center

• Resident Faculty Fellow, Montana Beta RLC Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon

• Instructor, The Study of Men and Masculinity

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined Div 51 around 2000. I was finishing my graduate work and was beginning to become interested   in men's issues in psychology and masculine gender role socialization.  Div. 51 appealed to me because   of its pro-feminist views and the fact that many of the researchers whose articles I was reading were members.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

I really like the journal. It keeps me up to date on current research, and I use a lot of the articles in my class.  I've really appreciated many of the collegial relationships I've made with researchers in the field. The listserv makes it easy to contact those doing research, and I've received a lot of mentoring and guidance from several of the members.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My main areas of clinical interest include college men's development/mental health, outreach and preventive programming, and men's violence prevention. I see a fair amount of male clients with depression, anxiety, and sexual trauma, and I see several Veterans as well.  I am the advisor Men Stopping Rape, a peer education group who provides education on sexual violence awareness and prevention.  I developed the Study of Men & Masculinity course here at MSU, which is in its 5th year.  All of my interests and experiences culminated to one of my favorite jobs: Resident Faculty Fellow with the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. I provide academic support, developmental education, and mentoring to the members. Sigma Phi Epsilon's Balanced Man Program embodies a lot of similar principles to Div. 51, so it was a great fit for me personally and professionally. Every year I say I'd like to do research, but I never seem to find the time!  Contributing to research in the field is definitely one of my future career goals.

Return to top

Joel Wong, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I’m currently an Assistant Professor in the Counseling Psychology and Counseling/Counselor Education Programs at Indiana University Bloomington. I teach doctoral and master’s level courses in counseling theories, counseling skills, and social psychology. My main research interests are in the psychology of men and masculinity as well as Asian American mental health.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

At the suggestion of my former advisor, Dr. Aaron Rochlen, I joined D51 in 2003. I was relatively new to men and masculinity research, and I felt that it made sense to be connected to a group of professionals who knew much more than I did about the field.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

Although I’m a member of three APA divisions, I consider D51 my home division. I’ve found the division to be an easy place to connect with others with like-minded interests. The folks who show up at the D51 business meetings and social hours tend to be incredibly warm and supportive. Some of my most memorable D51 business meetings were those in which we sat in a circle and updated each other on our personal lives – what a refreshing way to conduct a business meeting! Perhaps the most profound impact that D51 has had on my life is that through the division, I’ve come into contact with folks who can talk the talk and walk the walk. As gender scholars, many of us talk about the potential negative effects of gender role socialization on individuals’ lives. But I’ve also met D51 members who model through their lives what it means to be free from these negative effects. I’ve met women and men who are caring, humble, non-competitive, and willing to be emotionally vulnerable. One example that stands out to me is my listening to a senior member of our division talk openly about his feelings of sadness at the recent loss of a friend during a D51 business meeting. D51 has taught me to be a better man, and this has in turn shaped my relationship with my wife and the way I raise my kids.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I maintain an active research program in the psychology of men and masculinity. Within this field, I have pursued three distinct but related lines of research. One line of research focuses on men’s emotional lives. Several years ago, I wrote an article with Aaron Rochlen (Wong & Rochlen, 2005) proposing a tripartite framework for conceptualizing men’s emotional behavior. I’ve spent the past few years testing different aspects of this framework. A second line of research centers on social constructionist perspectives on masculinity. Specifically, I’ve been fascinated with how men construct idiosyncratic meanings of masculinity that are quite different from the conceptualizations of masculinity proposed by scholars. A third line of research focuses on stereotypes about men of color. Based on my understanding of the literature as well as my personal experiences, I suspect that stereotypes about men vary considerably across racial groups. For example, stereotypes about African American men are probably quite different from stereotypes about Asian American men. In a new study, I’m hoping to test this hypothesis and explore whether stereotypes about men are associated with people’s perceptions of masculinity. I’ve also become a bit of a scale development geek. I’ve been involved in the development of new measures of gendered racism stress for African American men, perceived social norms concerning men’s emotional inexpressiveness, subjective masculinity experiences, and subjective masculinity stress.

Is there anything you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

My Indiana University Bloomington profile is available at: http://profile.educ.indiana.edu/joelwong/

Return to top

Fred Rabinowitz, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am fortunate to enjoy multiple roles.  Currently I am a Professor of Psychology and the Associate  Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Redlands in California. I also have been    in private practice specializing in working with men in individual, couples, and group therapy for the   past 26 years in Redlands.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

When I was in graduate school at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Sam Cochran and I started the first men’s group ever at the counseling center in 1981.  The field of men’s studies and counseling and psychotherapy with men was in its infancy. We became active members of the Standing Committee for Men in the American College Personnel Association and joined the Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity soon after to find like-minded colleagues who supported masculinity research and practice.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

By far the most significant aspect of the division is the comradery, friendship, mentoring, and activism.  I was a member of several other divisions, but realized that I got so many of my needs met be being involved in division 51 that I made it my total focus.  Not only was I excited by what we were studying, but I was able to get involved in the division early in my career as a newsletter editor, program chair, and eventually president of the division.  The midwinter retreats have been a highlight for me.  I have been co-leading them with Mike Andronico over the past eight years. I love the way that everyone drops their professional roles, and works on personal growth.  The hierarchical relationships drop away. Students, new professionals, and seasoned member all interact on a person to person level. By putting what we believe in into practice, the division has become not only a professional home, but has provided me with some of my best friendships in the world.  No other division comes close in providing the type of deep interpersonal atmosphere where we can discuss ideas, have disagreements, talk about our personal lives, get the work of the division done, and then go have a blast with each other.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My clinical interests involve working with men around issues of shame, midlife questions about mortality and meaning, and finding the passion in life.  Much of my recent writing involves group therapy with men and assessing and intervening with men who are depressed.  At the Third Psychotherapy Conference with Men in New York coming up in in June, I will be presenting on “masked depression” in men.

Is there anything you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Here is my website at the University of Redlands

There is a feature about my men’s group in Esperanza Magazine

The following books are also available:

Rabinowitz, F. E.  &  Cochran, S. V.  (2002).  Deepening psychotherapy with men.  Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Cochran, S. V.  & Rabinowitz, F. E.  (2000).  Men and depression:  Clinical and Empirical Perspectives.  San Diego: Academic Press.

Rabinowitz, F.E. & Cochran, S.V. (1994). Man alive: A primer of men's issues.  Monterey, California: Brooks/Cole.

Thank you!!

Return to top

Anthony Isacco, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am an Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA.  I teach, conduct research, advise, and mentor master’s and doctorate students.  I also coordinate all field placements for master’s students in Counseling Psychology and Infant Mental Health.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 in 2005-2006 as a graduate student.  I was interested in joining for many reasons.  The top reason was to meet the exceptional scholars that had written all of the articles that I was reading as I worked with male clients and started my dissertation on fathering.  My rock stars were people like Dr. Levant, Dr. Rochlen, Dr. Liu, Dr. Sweet, Dr. Jon Davies – not Mick Jagger!  Sometimes, big names are so busy to stop and talk at conferences, especially to graduate students.  Fortunately, that was NOT my experience in Division 51.  I was pleasantly surprised that everyone in the Division was so welcoming and took time to talk to me and answer my questions.  I was extremely interested in and excited about joining a network of students and professionals that are all committed to studying the psychology of men and masculinity. It’s been a perfect fit for me!

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

I remember the first APA conference that I went to – I was overwhelmed with the size of the conference and felt lost most of the weekend roaming around without a home base.  Joining Division 51 gave me a home base within APA.  I have been extremely fortunate to receive valuable mentoring from Division 51 members such as Jay Wade, Jon Davies, Aaron Rochlen, Chen Oren, Britney Brinkman, and David Shen-Miller.  I have also been afforded opportunities to grow as a leader within the division while serving as this year’s Program Chair.  Reviewing all of the programs for APA confirmed and enhanced my passion for our Division – there is so much exciting work being done! It was so valuable to see the latest research and practical efforts aimed at contributing to our field.  In that context, I love our Division’s Journal (Psychology of Men and Masculinity).  It always has relevant articles that I can use in my teaching, research, and professional development.  Overall, as an early career psychologist, Division 51 has helped me transition from graduate student to professional in ways that I never imagined.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My main research areas are 1) fathering, father involvement, 2) improving men’s health, and 3) the role of religion and spirituality in men’s lives.  Last year, I taught a Counseling Men and Fathers elective in the master’s program – it was the highlight of my semester!  Clinically, since men are reluctant to seek help, I like to be creative and meet men where they are at so to speak.  Jon Davies, David Shen-Miller and I developed the “Men’s Center Approach” – it’s a cool model that guides the development of non-traditional interventions.  For example, we developed a 2 credit, leadership class for fraternity men that has been running for 4 years now and has taught approximately 40-50 guys, who wouldn’t normally come to the counseling center, about how masculinity affects their leadership decisions, non-violent conflict resolution skills, and how to be healthy men in order to be healthy leaders in their fraternities.  The model originated from the University of Oregon’s Men’s Center, which I was lucky enough to do my pre-doctorate internship at a few years ago. 

Is there anything you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

1)  I hope to see everyone at the APA convention in Orlando, Florida (August 2-5).  As always, Division 51 has a wonderful schedule of programs, with an emphasis on meeting the needs of students and early career psychologists.  Please come to the programs and take advantage of what Division 51 has to offer.

2)  You can check out my Chatham webpage for more information on my research and teaching. 

3)  Dr. Britney Brinkman and I co-direct a Psychology of Gender Research Team at Chatham University.  Check out our projects and some of our graduate assistants!

Return to top

Francisco "Cisco" Sánchez, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

Currently, I’m an Assistant Research Scientist in the Department of Human Genetics at the UCLA School of Medicine. This summer, however, I will be moving to Madison to join the Counseling Psychology Faculty as an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 in 1999 as a student affiliate. At that time, I was interested in men’s friendships and was hoping to learn more about that topic within the Division.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

As a psychological scientist, I truly value the work that is published within the Division’s journal, Psychology of Men & Masculinity. It has been a great home for my research, and I enjoy serving on its editorial board where I have helped Dr. Ron Levant (Editor) promote the journal’s impact. On a personal level, I enjoy the camaraderie among the members, especially at the annual APA Conference. It’s great to be able to interact with scholars interested in topics similar to mine and to develop new ideas and hypotheses for future study.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

Since graduating from the University of Iowa’s Counseling Psychology Program (2005), I have trained and worked in a genetics lab at UCLA. I have been leading an interdisciplinary team studying different aspects of human sexuality and sex differences. Of my several projects, the most relevant to the Division’s mission is my work on gay men and gender roles. Specifically, I am interested in the role that masculine ideals and masculine constructs play in gay men’s psychological well-being and their quality of life.

Is there anything you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Websites with more information:

The Center for Gender-Based Biology at UCLA

Google Scholar:

Key Articles on Men & Masculinity Issues:

"'Straight Acting Gays': The Relationship between Masculine Consciousness, Anti-effeminacy, and Negative Gay Identity"

Archives of Sexual Behavior

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22323055

“Genes and Brain Sex Differences”

Progress in Brain Research

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21094886

“Masculine Gender Role Conflict and Negative Feelings about being Gay”

Professional Psychology: Research & Practice

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20428323

“Reported Effects of Masculine Ideals on Gay Men”

Psychology of Men & Masculinity

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20628534

Return to top

Ryan McKelley, Ph.D.

Current title/affiliation/professional role(s):

I am an assistant professor of clinical/counseling psychology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. My primary roles are teaching, research, and service for UW-L. I also do private practice clinical work and some consulting on the side. I am currently serving as Communications Chair/Webmaster and Member-at-Large – Early Career Professional for the division.

When did you join Division 51? What made you interested in joining?

I joined in 2003 at the suggestion of my doctoral program advisor and strong Division 51 supporter, Aaron Rochlen, at the University of Texas at Austin. My first APA convention was in Honolulu in 2004, and he took me to several division events. At that time I was also interested in Divisions 13, 17, and 38 based on research interests and previous work experience. Aaron told me the division business meeting was something I didn't want to miss. It's funny how eight years later everything at that conference is still so vivid to me. I had attended a couple of business meetings prior to that and expected to sit in rows like a classroom while I listened to someone drone on through an agenda. Instead, everyone pulled the chairs into a circle and we went around introducing ourselves and sharing some personal highs and lows from the previous year. I was immediately struck by the warmth and comfort between the members in the room, and the openness to new folks in the circle. I knew at that moment I would stay in this division, and have yet to experience anything like it in other divisions.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

The strong sense of community. APA is a gigantic organization where it is easy to get lost in the bureaucracy; however, I've only missed one APA convention in the last eight years because I don't want to miss out on division programming and social events. I've really enjoyed several Midwinter Meeting & Retreats as well as a Psychotherapy with Men Conference. Division 51 is a place where members show genuine interest in getting to know each other. Members are supportive of each other and share tips and resources for teaching, clinical work, research, and even public policy. Honestly, I have become a much better therapist for men (and women) as a result of my experiences in the division. There is also a tremendous amount of encouragement to get involved in leadership activities as early as graduate school.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My early interests in men's issues began during graduate school and included men's help-seeking attitudes, executive coaching as an alternative treatment model, and men's depression. Since then I've done a series of studies on stay-at-home fathers, fathers' needs in therapy, and therapists' training in fatherhood issues. I am currently looking at predictors of men's emotional expression and always looking for new ideas. My other area of research is in health psychology and I have yet to combine the two fields even though there are some excellent opportunities out there. Clinically, I have been running two or three men's groups for the last four years (e.g., traditional interpersonal process group and two for GBITQQAA men on campus), and do contract therapy for men who prefer a male clinician. I am spending this summer developing the first Psychology of Men class at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and thrilled to begin teaching it this fall. Each week I serve as a discussant on the internet radio show The Secret Lives of Men hosted by division member Dr. Christopher Blazina (available on BlogTalkRadio.com or as a free podcast on iTunes). Lastly, I have been pleasantly surprised to see a growing interest in men's issues and now often asked to deliver workshops and presentations on men's issues to campus communities and local businesses.

Is there anything you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

I will take this opportunity to make a shameless plug for the division website and other social networking sites (, Division 51 Listserv, and ). The division site was redesigned in 2010 and we are still open to feedback on features that might be useful for members and the general public. Feel free to contact me directly at with ideas. We can't make all of them happen, but happy to explore options! Stay tuned for a brief email survey about the division's electronic communication sometime later this year.

Return to top

John Robertson, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

My most recent title carries a great deal of pride for me: Grandfather, or Papa as I am called. I spend several hours each week in this role as the primary care provider of two new boys, listening to their stories and discovering our shared world through their eyes. My professional role also has me listening to stories—at the Professional Renewal Center in Lawrence, KS.  There I hear stories of much pain from professional men whose maladaptive behavior threatens their careers as physicians, executives, clergy, or attorneys. I facilitate a therapeutic group with them two hours a day, and sit with them individually. For most of these troubled men, the initial suffering gradually morphs into optimism as they contemplate writing new chapters in their life stories, based on deeper self-awareness and new self-regulatory skills.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I joined the Division at its birth. We signed petition cards, wore buttons, and ultimately celebrated the launching of SPSMM. My motivation at the time was shared by many others. Feminist scholars had not only broadened our understanding of women’s issues; they also had identified the need to study the experience of men as men. In graduate school, it was Louise Fitzgerald who first challenged me to pursue the study of men and masculinity. I took her challenge, and have deeply enjoyed the consequences in D51—the deep and enduring friendships with colleagues, and the profoundly important research literature that has emerged.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I am interested in the experiences and social roles of men. I have written about college men, fathers, religious men, aging men, and professional men. My most recent interest has been authoritarian men, who appear as partner abusers, sexual harassers, workplace bullies, and coercive proselytizers. A challenge in the psychotherapy room, for sure.  But the professional reward in seeing these men fundamentally change the direction of their stories is profound. This interest has produced a new Routledge book that shares what I have learned over ten years in working fulltime with these men. I welcome emails from men and women who share a concern for these troubled men.

Tough Guys & True Believers: Managing Authoritarian Men in the Psychotherapy Room

Return to top

Michele Harway, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

I am currently on the faculty at Fielding Graduate University, where I provide methodological expertise to dissertation students and teach a variety of courses primarily within the area of Research and Statistics. I also maintain a small private practice in Westlake Village, CA, where I am a Board Certified Couple and Family Psychologist through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

Many years ago, a number of divisions met in an annual Midwinter Convention.  They were divisions 29, 42 and 43.  As someone who was active in Division 43 (Society for Family Psychology), I attended all of those conventions.  A small splinter group of members from those divisions led by Gary Brooks and Ron Levant met every year to discuss the eventual formation of a division.  The splinter group was known as SPSSM; sound familiar?  I was there. So I guess I was involved in birthing the division and have stayed active ever since.  

My interest was spurred by my interest in issues of gender. I was also involved with Division 35 (Psychology of Women) when it began.  I always felt a vague malaise that we didn’t consider how issues of gender affected men as well as women.  It wasn’t until I became deeply involved in researching interpersonal violence, and then training mental health practitioners, that it occurred to me that I’d better know a whole lot more about how gender affects men if we can hope to effectively intervene with both perpetrators and survivors of interpersonal violence.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

I’d have to say that the number one best thing about being a member of the division is that it has provided me with the opportunity to meet some absolutely incredible men (and women) and to learn so much about men and gender from my dear friends’ scholarly work and even through the social interactions we have had.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

As I indicated above, I am interested in interpersonal violence.  This interest manifests itself in all aspects of my professional work, my teaching and research and my clinical work.  Another area of interest and expertise relates to working clinically with couples and I have learned so much about this area and engaging men in the work through my collaboration with David Shepard.  David invited me to join him in completing an edited book entitled Engaging Men in Couples Therapy. It was both a pleasure to work with David and to learn from him, and I think I have become a much better clinician as a result of that collaboration.

Return to top

Jonathan Schwartz, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?
I am the Department Head of the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology at New Mexico State University.  I am also a licensed psychologist in New Mexico.  I will become the President Elect for Division 51 in January.  I am also the past Chair of the Prevention Section of Division 17.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 as a graduate student.  I presented in a symposium chaired by Jim O'Neil and was introduced to the Division.  Jim's support and mentoring is responsible for my involvement in the Division.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

The connections with others have been the most valuable part of membership. I also have really enjoyed the exchange of ideas and the access to high quality research through the journal.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My research interests involve men and the prevention of violence, men and body image, and gender role identity.

If there is anything else you'd like to talk about or work you want to highlight (e.g. key articles, links to websites) please include/attach them.  We hope that students and early career practitioners can use the page as a way to connect to you, your work, and your areas of interest.
Here is a link to my web page: http://education.nmsu.edu/cep/schwartz.html

Return to top

Marina Epstein, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

I am a Research Scientist at the Social Development Research Group at the University of Washington in Seattle. I work under a NIDA-funded grant project focused on identifying individual, environmental, and genetic predictors of the development of substance use disorders and co-occurring problems.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

Andrew Smiler introduced me to the division in 2005 at the APA convention. As a graduate student looking for a professional “home” I fell in love with the collegiality and warm welcome of the group. I was studying gender but was turned off by some of the approaches to the study of women in the literature. I felt that the study of masculinity was very important and found that the methodologies taken by the scholars of the psychology of men and masculinity refreshing.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

It is exciting and rewarding to experience the front lines of scholarship while maintaining a personal connection to the new and veteran researchers in the division.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My research interests focus on negotiating and enacting masculinity in different contexts. I am also becoming more interested in everyday experiences of masculinity during the middle age - beyond the commonly addressed adolescence and outside of the clinical population. Outside of research, I have been surprised by how often opportunities for education about masculinity arise. I have sought out ways to advocate for equitable research of gender, realistic portrayals of men in the media, and dismantling stereotypes about men (and women) through my own work, peer reviews, and informal education of colleagues and friends. I hope to have an opportunity to incorporate the study of men and masculinity into future coursework.

Return to top

Matt Englar-Carlson, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

I am a professor of counseling at California State University, Fullerton where I teach in the Department of Counseling. We are a master’s program that trains counselors to serve the needs of the children, adults, and families of Southern California. Needless to say, the students in our program and the clients they serve represent the widest range of ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, religious and spiritual backgrounds. Our program emphasizes experiential learning and I teach courses on group counseling, qualitative research, and advanced counseling theory. The students and my colleagues are wonderful. It interesting that of the 9 full-time faculty, 4 of us have a specific interest on men and masculinity. That is one reason why I have been here since 2002.  I am also the co-director (with David Shepard and Rebekah Smart) of the CSUF Center for Boys and Men. This is new venture that looks to promote research and community outreach in areas related to the psychological well-being of boys and men. My other full-time role is as a partner to my wife Alison, and as a father to my 8 year-old son, Jackson, and my 4 year-old daughter, Beatrix.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 in my first semester of my doctoral program in counseling psychology at Penn State University. My clinical supervisor at the time gave me a copy of the division newsletter and said, “This is something I think you would like.” I was a little confused because at the time I did not have any stated interest in men and masculinity, in fact, in my previous job as a school counselor I did a fair amount of group work with mothers and daughters. I had worked with many elementary aged boys, but never considered it my specialty or interest. I did not have a direction, or even the slightest idea for my dissertation, and I think my supervisor saw a natural connection between Division 51 and myself. The newsletter spoke to me, and I began to take notice of the scholarship on men and masculinity. At the same time I was aware of my own clinical work with male clients and how it had a different quality to it. My clients appeared to have more acute stress, but I was able to form solid relationships with them and they were making good progress in therapy. It seemed like working with men was something that I could do well, and I really loved it. One of advisors was pushing me to get on with my dissertation, but my other advisor was more subtle, telling me to figure out what I loved, and then research that. It was clear that working with men was becoming a passion, and so I decided that would be my scholarly direction.  Like many others before and after me, I contacted Jim O’Neil asking to use the Gender Role Conflict Scale. He was a true ambassador to the Division, and his generosity is something I will never forget. His overwhelmingly affirmative response of support, materials and articles gave me the encouragement to seek out Jim at the next APA conference in Boston. Though I had been attending APA for many years (actually since I was a baby), I never really enjoyed the conference all that much. It was too large, academic, and in many ways not terribly fun for a student. But this year it was little different and I began to feel that I had a place to be at APA, and it was with Division 51. There was a community in the Division, warm people, genuine smiles, keen intellect, and of course, real hugs. I was hooked, and from that point on, I have tried to be as active as I can be in the Division.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

As in life, the most treasured things are relationships, and that is what I find most valuable about Division 51.  Over the years I was able to establish meaningful connections with a wide range of men and women in the Division. As a graduate student I found other graduate students to connect with, but also mentors who helped me grow as a professional, but also as a man. There is certainly generativity within the division of reaching out to new members and helping them along. I certainly felt that, and it made a huge difference in my life. There is a reciprocal quality to our division, and over the years I have tried to give back what others gave to me. Though Division 51 is a professional organization, the blending of the professional with the personal has made membership all the more meaningful. Many of my closest friends are in the Division, and they are the people that support me, laugh with me, bike with me, and share the ups and downs of life. Of course, the people of Division 51 are the also the ones that push me to think deeply and differently about men and masculinity. As a man, son, father, friend, partner, teacher, and so on, the themes of this division are as personal to me as they are academic. I feel pretty fortunate that on a daily basis there is some message or idea from a division member that makes me pause and question my beliefs about life and how I want to live it.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My scholarly interests are rather broad, but I want all of my projects to be focused on helping boys and men lead happier, healthy lives. I co-edited two books (In the Room With Men with Mark Stevens, Counseling Troubled Boys with Mark Kiselica and Andy Horne) that I am really proud of. I am so thankful that so many Division 51 members contributed to those books. Many of my writing projects have examined psychotherapy with men with the goal of developing a greater awareness of the ways can be tailored once a greater understanding of the lives of men is achieved. Recently I have examined more of the adaptive aspects of men’s lives as way to appreciate the way that men do develop quality relationships, how they fulfill their varied roles with honor and grace, and the ways the men make valuable contributions to society. I am interested in exploring more of how the scholarship in men and masculinity can integrate aspects of contextual-based positive psychology and strength-based approaches in reaching out to men.

An annual highlight for me each year is co-facilitating a men’s weekend group with Mark Stevens at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. This experiential group is for all men, but I have been so happy that many Division 51 members have come, brought their friends, and referred others.  Our theme this year is Learning to Live with Our Changing Bodies and it should be unpredictable, transformative, and above all, simply wonderful.

I am also organizing the 4^th Psychology Therapy with Men Conference. The conference will be hosted at California State University, Fullerton on June 5-7, 2014. Building on the positive response from the previous three conferences, this event will focus on promoting the best thinking and ideas about clinical work with men and increasing mental health treatment accessibility for boys and men. An additional aspect of this conference will be an emphasis on community engagement and involvement so that mental health professionals and the lay public learn more about the health and lives of men. There will also be an experiential component on the day before the conference for Division 51 members. There will be more information in upcoming months, but I am really excited about developing this event for the Division and its members.

Return to top

Michael Cunningham, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

I hold the rank of Professor at Tulane University with a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychology and the undergraduate program in African & African Diaspora Studies at Tulane (ADST). I am also an Associate Provost for Engaged Learning and Teaching with one of my primary roles including the Executive Director of Tulane’s Center for Engaged Learning and Teaching (CELT).

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 when it was founded in 1995. I completed my PhD in 1994 and my research interests are associated with the correlates of gender roles, masculinity, and hyper-masculinity in African American adolescents. Thus, I thought Division 51 would be a good “intellectual” space for my research ideas as well as professional development within APA.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

I have learned a lot from dialogues (e.g., listserve) and the journal publications. Both sources have been helpful for me in building a knowledge base on masculinity studies associated with African American males, and men more generally.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

As a Developmental Psychologist, my research projects are most related to the psychology of men and masculinity. In particular, I tend to focus on larger concepts of resilience and vulnerability. In doing so, I examine gender- and context-specific associations of how adolescent males understand themselves within an ecological niche. For example, I have examined how hypermasculinity attitudes are associated with challenges in one’s community contexts. I have examined how hypermasculine attitudes may impede academic achievement within learning environments. More recently, I have been examining how African American adolescent males’ hypermasculine attitudes are associated with antisocial behaviors and mental health outcomes.

Is there any work you would like to highlight to help division members connect to you, your work, and your area(s) of interest?

Below are a few publications that represent my work on African American males:  

Cunningham, M., Mars, D. E., & Burns, L. T. (2012).  The relations of stressful events and future expectations in African American adolescents: Gender differences in parental monitoring. Journal of Negro Education, 81, 338-353.

Corprew, C.S., & Cunningham, M. (2012). Educating tomorrow’s men: Perceived school support, negative youth experiences and bravado attitudes in African American male adolescents. Education and Urban Society, 44, 571-589. Doi: 10.1177/0013124511406534

Cunningham, M., & Meunier, L. N. (2004).  The influence of peer experiences on bravado attitudes among African American males.  In N. Way, & J. Chu (Eds.) Adolescent boys in context: Exploring diverse cultures of boyhood (pp. 219-234).  NY: New York University Press.

Swanson, D. P., Cunningham, M., & Spencer, M. B. (2003).  Black males’ structural conditions, achievement patterns, normative needs, and “opportunities.” Urban Education, 38, 605-633.

Cunningham, M., Swanson, D. P., Spencer, M. B., & Dupree, D. (2003). The association of physical maturation with family hassles in African American males.  Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 9, 274-286.

Cunningham, M. (1999).  African American adolescent males' perceptions of their community resources and constraints: A longitudinal analysis.  Journal of Community Psychology, 5, 569 - 588.

Return to top

Britney Brinkman, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

I am an Assistant Professor at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I teach and mentor master’s and doctoral level students in the Counseling Psychology program and have an active research team. I also teach courses and supervise undergraduate interns in the Women’s Studies program.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 in 2006 as a graduate student after attending some of the division’s programming at the APA convention in New Orleans. I was interested in the psychology of gender and attended a number of sessions, and was impressed with the work being done.  I still remember approaching some of the leading researchers in the field to ask them about their work and being warmly greeted. I joined the division as soon as I got home.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

The interactions I have had with other members are by far my favorite aspect of the division. The members of the division are clearly passionate about their work and believe in what they do. I have had many long and interesting discussions with other members about masculinity, feminism, and psychology—and always walk away having learned something new. I appreciate the support and mentorship I have gotten within the division and the opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. And the members know how to have fun! The division’s social events at the APA convention are always a great time.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I utilize a social justice approach in my teaching, research and advocacy work. I integrate readings and discussions about masculinity into the diversity, women’s studies and group counseling courses that I teach. Within my research I seek to 1) better understand how people's social identities (such as gender, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation) influence their life experiences, 2) examine what factors influence people's involvement in activism, advocacy and social change work, and 3) promote social justice through the development, implementation and assessment of community based prevention and intervention programs for youth. I am particularly interested in the development of gender identity in boys and how identity is impacted by experiences of identity-based bullying (i.e. a boy being teased for crying or harassed for being “feminine”). I also conduct research on college men’s experiences of gender prejudice and how they respond as both a target of and bystander to such events.

Is there anything you would like to highlight to help division members connect to you and your work?

I coordinate a Psychology of Gender Research team with Dr. Anthony Isacco, another member of Division 51. Check out our website for updates about our current projects: Psychology of Gender Research Team at Chatham University.

Return to top

Don McCreary, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

I am currently an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Brock University (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada) and an Adjunct Research Professor of Psychology at Carleton University (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada). I use these appointments as my affiliations when I publish gender-related research. I also find that they afford me the opportunity to sit on graduate student committees, which I thoroughly enjoy. I have a day job, but it’s unrelated to my research interests in the psychology of gender, so let’s skip over that.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I don’t remember when I joined Division 51. I began my PhD career studying gender role socialization across the lifespan. While doing my doctoral research at the University of Kent (Canterbury, England), I read Brannon’s amazing chapter, “The Male Sex Role: Our Culture’s Blueprint for Manhood and what it’s Done for Us Lately,” in his book The Forty-nine Percent Majority. After that I was hooked and began reading more about male gender roles. Along the way I came across Jim O’Neil’s great work on gender role conflict and the gender role journey and I somehow managed to introduce myself to him. It helped that he taught at the University of Connecticut and I visited friends there fairly regularly. Jim told me about Division 51 and I joined after attending an APA meeting. I’ve been a member ever since. In fact, I think I’ve been a member of the Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity longer than I’ve been a member of APA.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

Several great experiences and opportunities have come out of my Division 51 membership. The people are incredibly supportive. For example, I remember when APA was in Boston in 1999 and I broke a tooth while eating breakfast. I found a dentist, but he could only see me during a time when I was supposed to be showing a poster. Division 51 members helped me out by making sure my poster got up and telling people how to contact me. I have also had the opportunity to work with many great Division 51 people (most recently, I collaborated with Joan Chrisler on the 2-volume Handbook of Gender Research in Psychology, which we published in 2010; other Division 51 members were contributors), and I’ve even sat on some graduate student committees (either as a member or as an external examiner). However, the most rewarding experience I’ve had while being a member of the Division was the 10 years I spent as the Associate Editor of Psychology of Men and Masculinity.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I’m a social psychologist. Now that that’s out in the open, I’ll say that my research interests in the psychology of men and masculinity are varied and have often been influenced by my training in that area of psychology.

I’ve always had a strong interest in gender role socialization, as well as the ways in which we measure this. I’ve been very critical about the reliability and validity of some of the measurement tools we have developed over time and I would like to see some of the key measures, such as those from the 1970s, updated. We need more and better measures of the extent to which to boys and men internalize and enact psychological gender. Reliance on a single (or maybe two) measures per dimension puts us at risk for monomeasurement bias.

In addition to gender roles, I have been studying men’s health since the mid-1990s. A lot of that research has focused on men’s and boys’ body image, specifically the drive for muscularity. My 2000 paper describing the development of Drive for Muscularity Scale (along with Doris Sasse), was one of the first in this new aspect of body image research. I’ve continued to publish in that area, and have established many amazing collaborations. I am also interested in the psychological factors that predispose men to greater risk of health morbidity and mortality. I have approached this from numerous perspectives: research (e.g., Courtenay, McCreary, & Merighi, 2002; McCreary, Newcomb, & Sadava, 1999), academic service (e.g., as the inaugural Associate Editor of the International Journal of Men’s Health), and community service (e.g., as a member and Co-Chair of the now-defunct Toronto Men’s Health Network and working with the Movember community to advance awareness of boys’ and men’s mental health).

Is there anything you would like to highlight to help division members connect to you and your work?

My academic website is rarely up-to-date, but can be found at:

http://spartan.ac.brocku.ca/~dmccreary/

There is a link at the bottom of each page with my contact information.

Return to top

Betsy Bates Freed, Psy.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

I am support services coordinator at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara at Sansum Clinic, and I am an adjunct faculty member at Antioch University Santa Barbara. Additionally, I write the psychosocial oncology blog "Vitality Signs" for The Oncology Report, a print and online publication for oncologists and cancer professionals.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 in 2011, inspired by the mentorship of Division members as I completed my dissertation on the role of work loss on cancer-related distress and began conducting research into disparities in cancer support men compared to women. My underlying interest in the psychology of men arose directly from clinical experience. During my training at a community cancer center, I was concerned about how to reach out in a culturally sensitive manner to a number of male patients who were facing grave diagnoses and very difficult treatments without the institutional, societal, and personal support that enveloped female patients in similar circumstances. I delved into gender research hoping to find practical pearls of wisdom that would make me a better therapist. I soon learned that most cancer support comes wrapped in pink ribbons and is often neither accessible nor relevant for men experiencing cancer-related distress.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

Division 51 represents what I value most in the profession: provocative intellectual debate, relevant social exploration, serious research, and warm professional camaraderie. As an early career psychologist, I deeply appreciate the encouragement offered by esteemed colleagues in this division. There's an energy and intensity in Division 51 that I find refreshing!   

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I continue to work clinically to understand what men need and want when faced with a life-changing diagnosis. I am currently adapting our outreach to men with head and neck cancer to make our forums more relevant and accessible. I work to apply research about gender and support-seeking to my individual therapy with men as well. A current goal is to further refine my earlier findings about the core sources of work-related distress and develop a screening tool and interventions that could be applied in oncology and other settings. As a former journalist, I have also worked to bring the research findings about men and masculinity to a broader audience. An example of this effort is a piece that appeared the Pacific Standard Magazine entitled, "Why Men Won't Get Help."

Return to top

Sam Wan, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

Since January 2013, I stepped into the role of Member-At-Large, Racial/Ethnic Minority Slate for Division 51. I have been a Staff Psychologist at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, primarily on a Co-occurring Disorders Team (Substance Use Disorders and PTSD) since 2008. I am also Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry, which aligns with my clinical supervision and teaching roles. In addition, I am a member of the VA Psychology Training Council's Multicultural and Diversity Committee, Chair of the SFVAMC Psychology Diversity Committee, as well as Chair of the Planning Committee for the 2014 and 2015 Annual VA Psychology Leadership Conferences. Also, I have been Co-Chair of the Asian American Psychological Association's Early Career Leadership Fellows Program since 2011, as well as a former Leadership Fellow in 2008-09. My other full-time role is as a partner to my wife of 14 years, and as a father to my daughters ages 6, 5, and 2.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 as a student member around 2001, during my doctoral program in Counseling Psychology at Boston College. My academic advisor, Dr. James Mahalik, enlightened me about membership and the division's scholarly focus aligned with my interests in studying gender more closely. In general, I became interested in joining because I was excited by the common interest  in the membership about masculinity, but also, on a practical note, without the work of scholars in the division, critical sections of my dissertation would have been absent(!) so the value of the community has been key to me for some time. My participation in the division was sparked anew when I joined the hospitality suite events in San Diego in 2010 and I connected to members such as Chris Liang who also encouraged me to present with him and to consider stepping into a more formal role in the division.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

As other members undoubtedly share, I find that the themes of the division have been valuable to me both professionally and personally. Professionally, I currently work with mostly male combat veterans and it is often helpful for me to consider ways that themes of masculinity impact the identity of military veterans and us, as providers. The diversity of veterans also challenges me to consider broader aspects of gender construction when considering other salient aspects of identity such as race and ethnicity, as well as LGBTQ issues, for example. Personally, as I endeavor to raise three strong daughters, I am immersed daily in the challenges and dilemmas of gender socialization and the ways that I, and we as a family, live and battle with these forces in our world. Finally, I love receiving the journal from Division 51!

 
What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

Related to my thoughts above, at present I am mostly active in clinical and teaching pursuits where themes about men and masculinity have been critical to consider. As an early career psychologist, I continue to look for ways to bring these themes more to the forefront either in application to individual or group therapy sessions, or in clinical supervision, seminars and conferences. I have newer interests in links to substance use disorders and PTSD, as well as to military veterans in general--male, female, and transgender. I hope to be able to make more time for writing during my career, so I am eager to connect to others in primarily clinical roles who are addressing this challenge as well.

Is there anything you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?
If any of you ever find yourself in San Francisco, please contact me to connect!

San Francisco VA Medical Center--Psychology Training Program
http://www.sanfrancisco.va.gov/education/psychologytraining.asp

Return to top

Stephen Johnson, Ph.D.

What is/are your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)?

I attained my advanced degrees and was awarded a Fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology from

the University of Southern California where I taught Masters and Doctoral level courses in the Counseling Psychology Department until 1978. I have been a licensed psychotherapist, consultant, and educator for over 40 years and have a full-time practice with offices in Beverly Hills and Woodland Hills.  Additionally, I’m Nationally Certified in Rehabilitation Counseling as well as state licensed in Marriage and Family Therapy granted in 1972.  I am a founding director of The Center

for Holistic Psychology in Beverly Hills since 1976 as well as founder and director of the Men’s

Center of Los Angeles formed in 1988.  I have also served as a co-founder and director of The

Los Angeles Men’s Leadership Guild as well as a convener on the North American Confederation of Men’s Councils.  I was an instructor for ten years in the Clinical Psychology Department at Ryokan College in West Los Angeles and have facilitated events for men at California State University in Northridge.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining?

I joined Division 51 in 2008 after attending the inaugural Psychotherapy with Men Conference held at CSUN.  I was impressed with the level of attendance and obvious enthusiasm displayed by those participating.  I enjoyed meeting Mark Stevens, conference co-chair, and many colleagues who shared common interests. The presentations were thought-provoking and I found the workshops to be quite stimulating and informative. 

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division?

The focus of the division, especially the intent to develop more programs and to broaden the scope of men’s studies in college and university settings, is crucial to educating more people regarding manhood.  I believe the research in the field of gender and masculinity is significant in the face of cultural changes impacting society today.  Whatever can be accomplished to expand the awareness concerning issues pertinent to men as individuals and in relationship is timely.  I have presented at conferences on the theme of men and masculinity, as well as on one of my major concerns, the crisis of fathering in this country.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

In addition to my private practice, I have conducted workshops and retreats for men and women for over 30 years.   Our MCLA semi-annual Sacred Path Retreat has just celebrated 26 years of service to the men’s community while the Call to Adventure Retreat, a rites of passage program for fathers and sons, boys and mentors, is in its fourteenth season. We also provide full scholarships for at-risk boys and reformed felons from the inner city. I facilitate three weekly men’s therapeutic support groups as well as workshops and large group events through my company, Sacred Path Productions, Inc. 

Is there anything else you would like to share with members in Division 51 to help them connect to you and your work?

There are approximately 50 articles that can be found on my web site, www.drstephenjohnson.com, and I have just published my first book, The Sacred Path: The Way of The Spiritual Warrior.  A trailer about the book can be viewed at www.sacredpathpress.com.  The theme is focused on the journey from troubled to mindful manhood.  On the homefront, my wife of 37 years and I have reared three children into their late 20’s and early 30’s.  I have a lot of empathy for the challenges that parents face these days.

Return to top

Abigail Mansfield, Ph.D.

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

I am a psychologist at Rhode Island Hospital in the Mood Disorders and Family Therapy Group.  I oversee training in family therapy for psychology and psychiatry residents, as well as overseeing a number of studies on family functioning and disease management approaches to treatment resistant mental illness.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I joined Division 51 my first year in graduate school, 2000.  I worked closely with Michael Addis, who was my advisor, and his enthusiasm for the Division was contagious.  I was interested in under-examined aspects of men’s experiences as men, particularly as survivors of intimate partner abuse.  My interests have shifted somewhat over time, but this thread of examining men’s experiences as men has remained constant.  Currently, I’m interested in men’s experiences as parents, caregivers, and partners.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

I find it helpful to know that there is a community of scholars, researchers, and clinicians who are deeply concerned with men’s experiences as men.  It’s often rare to find that in clinical and research settings.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

I train all psychiatry and psychology residents at Rhode Island Hospital who have an interest in family interventions.  I run two clinics each week that use a co-therapy model to teach family therapy using the McMaster Approach.   In the past, I have taught seminars on the psychology of men and masculinity, and always explore clinical themes related to gender and men’s experiences in clinical supervision. 

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

You can access a brief biography of me at: http://med.brown.edu/DPHB/faculty/facultypage?id=1293050967

Return to top

Robert Heasley, PhD, CMFT

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

I work in several arenas related to therapy, teaching and research. In addition to my private therapy practice, I am Professor of Sociology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where I teach courses in gender (with a focus on men and masculinities), sexuality, and most recently LGBTQ studies. I also teach graduate courses in human services including theory and practice.  Additionally, I am adjunct faculty at Widener University’s Center for Human Sexuality Studies where I teach a graduate course on Men and Masculinities: Implications for Clinical and Educational Interventions. My current research focuses on two areas, investigating the ways that straight-identified males who consciously identify as “not traditionally straight and non-traditionally masculine” come to create those identities that also leads them to be aligned with feminism and GLBTQ identities. A second area of research is in the area of emotional intimacy in men’s friendships, the extent to which males experience close, intimate same-sex friendships and the effects on their lives. With several colleagues we have recently completed a survey of 400 respondents, males 18-80, with a focus on the friendships in men’s lives.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

In 2011 I completed my studies at the Council for Relationships in Philadelphia for certification as a marriage and family therapist. At that time I realized Division 51 was a natural fit for me – my history conducting research and writing on topics related to men and masculinities as well as my more recent identity as a therapist made joining the Division a “must.”  I also have had close friendships with a number of Div. 51 members who work in the field of men’s studies and appreciated the emphasis the division places on thinking well about men and boys.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

Clearly the network of Division 51 members is vital both to me as a professional but also to the larger provider community in giving voice and focus to the relevance of men’s lives. The Division has a strong presence in articulating the qualities of masculinity in whatever form that shapes both the strengths of our male clients as well as the challenges in their lives.  Having professional associations through Division 51 also grounds my own work – as in “I am not alone” in thinking about this stuff. The Division also compliments my association with the American Men’s Studies Association (AMSA) which over the past 22 years has brought together scholars and practitioners from across disciplines to share research and approaches to making a difference in men’s lives.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

As I noted earlier, my research currently focuses on emotional intimacy in men’s relationships. The second area is in expanding the meaning and experience of how heterosexual identified males can and do, come to embrace non-normative expressions of their masculinity and sexuality – for instance, through embracing feminism and engaging in emotionally close relationships with non-straight males that breaks through the barriers of homophobia and heterosexism. If there is anything males need in our culture it is a broader menu of options of how to be, and experience, our male-ness, and for those who are straight-identified, how to shift gears to a non-oppressive experience of sexuality.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

My personal website is: http://robertheasley.com/

Some articles and a public presentation that may be of interest:

Heasley, R. (2013). Revisioning Men’s Friendships Through One Man’s Journey: A Documentary About Men’s Friendships. Sex Roles, On Line: 6/27/2013.

Heasley, R. (2013). Twenty Years and Counting: The Relevance of Men’s Studies in a Gendered World. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 21 (1).

Heasley, R. B. (2005). Queer masculinities of straight men: A typology. Men and Masculinities, 7 (3), 310-320.

Heasley, R. (2004). Crossing the borders of gendered sexuality: Queer masculinities of straight men. In C. Ingraham, (Ed.). Thinking Straight: The Promise, the Power, and the Paradox of Heterosexuality. New York: Routledge.

Public Talk: “Changing the lives of men and boys: A talk on masculinities and the importance of feminist analysis” Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania. March 28, 2011.  http://robertheasley.com/media/

Return to top

Joseph White, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

For the past 52 years, Dr. White has enjoyed a distinguished career in the field of psychology and mental health as a teacher, mentor, administrator, clinical supervisor, writer, consultant, and practicing psychologist.  He is currently Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of California, Irvine, where he spent most of his career as a teacher, supervising psychologist, mentor, and Director of Ethnic Studies and Cross-Cultural Programs.  Additionally, Dr. White is active national consultant for ethnic minority development programs in universities, colleges, and community settings.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

Dr. White joined Division 51 about ten years ago.  As mentorship has been a central tenet of his work, Dr. White views the division as a way to establish contact with students and emerging professionals.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

Dr. White specifically values the opportunity to participate in an ongoing dialogue regarding male issues through journals, conferences, symposia, and books.  Being a member of Division 51 has been a great way to engage colleagues who are interested in male issues.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

Dr. White’s primary focus centers around mentoring and writing articles and books.  Dr. White is the author of several papers and books:  The Psychology of Blacks (2011; 1999; 1990; 1984); The Troubled Adolescent (1989); Black Man Emerging:  Facing the Past and Seizing a Future in America (1999); Black Fathers: An Invisible Presence in America (2006; 2011); Building Multicultural Competency: Development, Training, and Practice (2008).  He was a pioneer in the field of Black psychology and is affectionately referred to as the “Godfather” of Black psychology by his students, mentees, and younger colleagues.  His seminal article in Ebony magazine in 1970, “Toward a Black Psychology,” was instrumental in beginning the modern era of African-American and ethnic psychology.  Dr. White also conducts workshops and lectures on psychological challenges facing African American males in America and what psychologists can do to develop programs that facilitate mastery of African American male challenges.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Here are links to two articles of potential interest:

1994 LA Times: http://articles.latimes.com/1994-06-19/news/ls-6114_1_joseph-white

2001 Monitor: http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan01/mentor.aspx

Return to top

Bryana French, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri.  Joint appointed in the departments of Black Studies and Educational, School, & Counseling Psychology.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

In 2011.  I joined because I am interested in focusing more on men and masculinity in my research on sexual coercion among African American adolescents.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

Having exposure to colleagues who are experts in masculinity research and the psychology of men.  I enjoy reading the division’s journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity and increasing my exposure to this literature.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My research interests are expanding to include male experiences of sexual coercion and psychosocial outcomes.  I am also interested in racialized and sexualized stereotypes of Black men and how this informs sexual experiences.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

An article will soon be published in the Psychology of Men and Masculinity entitled: “Sexual Coercion Context and Psychosocial Correlates Among Diverse Males.”

Return to top

Jerrold Lee Shapiro, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

Professor, Counseling Psychology Graduate Program, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara CA, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Managing Partner, Family Business Solutions.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I am a Charter Member of D51. I was part of the SPSMM group that preceded our Division status. I have long believed and taught that psychology and psychotherapy in particular has not adequately studied men’s issues. After a more than three decade study of fatherhood and men in therapy, I remain dedicated to helping focus the field on men’s issues.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

Focus on men and masculinity and opportunities to connect with others who are similarly inclined.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My interests are twofold: a major focus on fatherhood and another on men in therapy. In my long term practice, approximately two thirds of all my clients were individual men or couples in which a man was one of the partners.  I teach classes in group therapy and couple therapy and in each keep a balanced focus on both men and women. I also regularly do workshops on “What Boys Need” and on “Men in Therapy” from an existential perspective.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Most basic information can be found on my website: http://www.JerroldLeeShapiro.com

Among my books that relate directly are When Men Are Pregnant: Needs and Concerns of Expectant Fathers (1987; 1993 – To be reissued and updated in 2014 as – When She’s Pregnant: The Essential Guide to Expectant Fathers; The Measure of A Man; Becoming the Father You Wish Your Father Had Been (1993; 1995); Becoming a Father: Contemporary Social, Clinical and Developmental Issues (1995) (Edited with Michael J. Diamond and Martin Greenberg) and Finding Meaning, Facing Fears in the Autumn of Your Years (45-65) (2012).

I have just completed a large-scale study on gender and marketing, exploring particularly portrayals of men in mainstream advertising.

Return to top

Ryon McDermott, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

I am an assistant professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of South Alabama. I teach in the Clinical Mental Health Program and in the Combined Clinical and Counseling Psychology PhD Program. In Division 51, I am currently the program chair for the 2014 APA conference, but I have served as a moderator of the listserv and have been involved in various division activities throughout the years.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I joined the Division in 2007 as a student affiliate. I became interested in working with men while on a practicum rotation at a VA in Houston, as I noticed an important intersection between men's gender role socialization and their mental health. At the same time, my mentor at the University Houston, Jonathan Schwartz, loaned me some literature on the psychology of men and masculinity. I was fascinated by gender role conflict and other forms of gender role strain, and John and I started working on a scale development project to operationalize rigid adherence to traditional roles. After attending a social at the 2007 APA, I knew the D51 was going to be my home division and was struck by the degree of warmth and support I instantaneously received.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

The most valuable aspects of being a division member to me are the relationships I have formed over the years. In addition to developing several great friends, I have been mentored in one way or another by the men and women in the division whose writing hooked me on the psychology of men and masculinity from the beginning. I know these leaders in the field are extremely busy, and I am grateful for the culture of our division of mentoring and support.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My research program on men and masculinity has three interrelated domains. First, I am especially interested in the intersections of gender role socialization and individual and cultural differences. I'm curious about how culture and individual psychological factors influence how men construct their personal masculinity ideologies. Second, I'm curious how these intersections are related to interpersonal and intrapersonal functioning. Third, I hope to advance the psychology of men and masculinity through the development of novel assessments that address under-researched areas in the field. For instance, I am currently working on developing a positive masculinity scale.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Part of my program is housed in the College of Education at the University of South Alabama. One of my colleagues recently started a video series interviewing faculty about their research and personal interest. It's a little cheesy, but this unscripted interview with me can provide you a better idea of what I'm currently doing. As a bonus, he spliced in some of me playing the guitar, which is one of my absolute favorite hobbies.

Return to top

Chris Kilmartin, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

I am distinguished visiting professor of behavioral science and leadership at the U.S. Air Force Academy but in three weeks will be returning to my permanent position as Professor of Psychology at the University of Mary Washington.  I teach a course in the Psychology of Men every semester.  I will be retiring from teaching in 2016 and devoting myself to writing and consulting around violence prevention.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I can't remember exactly but it was very soon after the division was founded.  I have had an interest in men and masculinity since graduate school in the 1980s so a division on men was a natural fit for me.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

The networking, collaboration, and friendships.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My major focus is on the prevention of gender-based violence, especially sexual violence.  And I am a generalist in the field, having authored four editions of The Masculine Self, a college men's studies textbook.  My research is on reducing sexism in college men by having them understand that they overestimate the sexism of other men and by getting them to practice challenging other men when they display offensive language and behaviors.   I also have an interested in men and mental health, have co-authored Masculine Depression: The Pain Behind the Mask, which has just come out in a second edition.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Besides the two books I mentioned, I also co-authored Sexual Assault in Context: Teaching College Men about Gender and Men's Violence Against Women: Origins, Consequences and Remedies.  Be on the lookout for the 5th edition of The Masculine Self in 2015, which will be co-authored by D51 member Andrew Smiler.  I am happy to collaborate with anyone who is interested in my work as we old guys mentor the next generation of scholars and practitioners.  My website, chriskilmartin.com is currently undergoing renovation but I hope it will be back up and running soon.

Return to top

Ed Adams, PsyD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

For 25 years, I have been in full time private practice as a psychologist in Somerville, New Jersey. My practice specializes in men and is quite busy. It seems that men are more and more willing to reach out, seek support, and work towards having more fulfilling lives.

In addition, I am the founder and a past-president of Men Mentoring Men (MenMentoringMen.org), which began around 1990. M3 is a non-profit organization providing a large platform for men to participate in “non-therapy” activities. This includes bi-monthly groups, retreats, workshops, wilderness experiences, an annual “no talent-talent show,” as well as collaborative events with veterans, the arts, and community services. M3 has truly facilitated transformations in many men who participate in our efforts.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I was eager to become part of a community of thoughtful men and women who were dedicated to the importance of research, clinical practice, and visionary ideas in service of men and the people in their lives. Division 51 is my professional home and thought partner.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

Engaging with men and women who understand the vital importance of providing real information about men and masculinity while being a social force that encourages the best of men and masculinity.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My deep interest is for compassion and self-compassion to be considered intrinsically important as a masculine trait. I believe that compassion is a healing force for diminishing violence and misogyny as well as for increasing happiness and well-being. I even had bumper stickers made that read, Compassionate Men are Happier. If you’d like one, send me an email with your address () or write me if you’d like to have a conversation about this. I hope to cover all 50 States and start a movement!

In addition, I conduct day-long and weekend retreats focused on men and compassion. It is gratifying that men are responding so positively to these.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

I enjoy a dual career. In addition to being a psychologist and my work with men, I am a professional artist (painting and sculpture) and had a gallery of all my own work for almost 25 years. My work is in museums, institutions, and private collections. It was very satisfying to have one of my paintings on the cover of the American Psychologist in 1992 as this brought together those two parts of my life. I was also commissioned to create monumental sculptures that honor the deeds of Raoul Wallenberg and Oscar Schindler in WWII. These men showed their full humanity and acted on the best of masculinity, i.e. compassion. I tell early career psychologists the same advice Kurt Adler (Alfred’s son) told me years ago. “The more you experience of life the better psychologist you will be.”

Return to top

David Vogel, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

Professor of Psychology

Director of Communication Studies Program

Iowa State University

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I have been active in Division 51 since I was a graduate student at the University of Florida.  My interest in the field of masculinity and in Division 51, specifically, developed out of my research interests in understanding how men and women communicate in relationships. During my graduate work with Dr. Heesacker, while investigating the accuracy of emotional stereotypes of men and women, I found colleagues interested in similar issues in Division 51.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

The interaction with other members.  Division 51 is a close-knit division where you can get to know and feel connected to the other members.  This interaction allows for the sharing and developing of important ideas.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My clinical, teaching, and research interests focus on challenging negative stereotypes and reducing the negative consequences associated with non-conformity to socially prescribed roles.  For example, my work has focused on emotional stereotyping of men, the stereotyping of gay men and individuals of color, communication patterns in interpersonal relationships, and the consequences of conforming or not conforming to masculine roles (for more information, see http://counseling.psych.iastate.edu/?q=node/40). Much of my current work examines how masculinity and stigma influence men's help-seeking decisions (for more information, see http://selfstigma.psych.iastate.edu/).

One of the joys for me of being a faculty member is being able collaborate with students on issues related to masculinity.  As part of my mentoring and teaching, I stress the importance of multicultural awareness, and it has been my goal to include men under the umbrella of multiculturalism.

Return to top

Brian Cole, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Counseling Psychology Doctoral Program at Seton Hall University.  I also serve as the Membership Co-Chair for Division 51.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

My interest in the field of men and masculinity developed while I was taking a course on Psychology of Gender as a graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The assignments and discussions in this course led me to consider my own experiences of gender socialization and I became interested in understanding the influences of gender socialization on my male clients. The following summer I participated in Division 51 programming at the APA convention including a workshop on Teaching the Psychology of Men and Masculinity. After having a great experience meeting Division members at APA, I quickly joined SPSMM.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

The aspect of membership that I value most is the ability to connect with other members. As a graduate student, the members of Division 51 provided professional mentorship and the expertise necessary to help me develop my research interests. Division members continue to provide support, encouragement, and guidance as I transition from student to early career psychologist.  

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My clinical work with men has primarily focused on helping college men to understand that they are “doing gender”, to critically examine their conceptualizations of masculinity and experiences of gender role conflict, and to leverage strengths of masculinity in their lives. I am currently conducting several lines of research focused on: (a) the influences of gender socialization on men’s conceptualizations of depression and decisions to seek help, (b) men’s preferences for various therapy approaches, and (c) fatherhood. I am also interested in the intersection of positive psychology and men and masculinity and I look forward to developing positive social media interventions for men’s health in the near future.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

More information about my research team can be found at:  http://www.shu.edu/academics/profiles/faculty/464403

Return to top

Eduardo Morales, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

I am currently Distinguished Professor and Associate Director for the PhD Clinical Program at the California School of Professional Psychology - San Francisco Campus of Alliant International University, where I have been core faculty for the past 25 years. CSPP is the first professional psychology school in the world, with its first campus being San Francisco. Also, I am Executive Director and one of the founders of AGUILAS, El Ambiente, an HIV prevention program for Latino gay/bisexual men that is celebrating its 20^th year in providing services in San Francisco. AGUILAS founded in 1991, is the second oldest Latino/a LGBT organization in all of the Americas, North America, Central America and South America. AGUILAS means eagle in Spanish and is an acronym for the organization, Asamblea Gay Unida Impactando Latinos A Supererarse, meaning a gay assembly united to impact Latinos to empower themselves (www.sfaguilas.org). I also do consultation and training to nonprofit organizations involving program development, program evaluation, organizational development, strategic planning, and board development for sustainability of organizations, nationally and internationally.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I became a member, and later Fellow of Division 51, at its inception. My work with Latino gay men and issues related to masculinity have been long standing in my career and felt that such a Division was important within APA in order to more closely examine and inform the profession on issues related to men such as health, gender roles, and the social issues faced by men across cultures and across countries. Also I am a fellow member of 11 APA Divisions, a Fulbright Specialist Fellow and received numerous recognitions for contributions. Some of these are: 2009 American Psychological Association (APA) Award for Distinguished Contributions to Institutional Practice, the 2009 Latino Business Leadership Award presented by the San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the National Latino Psychological Association 2006 Star Vega Distinguished Service Award, a Citation in 2005 for Outstanding Service and Visionary Leadership from the Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues (Division 45) of the American Psychological Association (APA), the 2002 Distinguished Career Contributions to Service Award from Division 45 of the APA; the 1994 Outstanding Achievement Award given by the Committee of Lesbian and Gay Concerns of the APA; and the Distinguished Contribution Award (1991) in Ethnic Minority Issues, Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian and Gay Issues (Division 44) of the APA.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

Attention to the various particular issues of men, gender roles, and masculinity have been of great importance especially when one examines these issues across cultures. Men often feel responsible to their families and communities in ways that are different than women, have health issues particular to men, and vary in their way of seeking help and attention for their needs. Division 51 provides a forum to discuss and deliberate these dynamics and hopefully come to a better understanding of how men cope, manage their roles, and become a mechanism for healing those needing care and assistance. In California there are several retreats for men such as the California Men’s Gathering, Discovery for gay men, and healing circles for men who are exposed, involved or affected by violence, so they can share their views and develop themselves as persons. These retreats have workshops that focus on spiritual development and healing for men in a place where they feel they can trust and be open. The newsletter and journal of Division 51 provides a wonderful ways to share information about men and masculinity issues and inform the profession.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

Some of my professional issues have involved male gender roles in same sex relationships as well as developing programs targeted to HIV/AIDS that has severely affected gay men and ethnic minorities in the U.S. while working with the community. Through some of my efforts, I have been able to build from the ground up an HIV/AIDS prevention program for Latinos that has demonstrated efficacy in reducing risk and engaging this hard to reach population (Morales, E.  (2009) Contextual Community Prevention Theory: Building interventions with community agency collaboration. American Psychologist, 64, 8, 805 – 816.). I have also founded numerous organizations targeted at providing services to ethnic minorities and vulnerable populations in areas of substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, behavioral health services as well as training staff for the provision of services. Another area concerns the issues of immigration affecting Latinos and Latinas, the workforce pipeline in behavioral health, and the need for building competencies in working with Latinos/as are other issues and interests. Students in my research cluster at CSPP have studied various topics such as male infidelity among Latinos, long term relationship partner characteristics across gender and sexual orientation, psychological predictors of health risk taking behaviors in gay men, the coming out process for young Latinos, relationship of gay Latinos to their fathers, the effect of HIV on relationship quality among gay men, and depression effecting treatment of alcohol dependent navy men.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

Given the changing demographics in the U.S. based on state census projections in 2008, by 2042 the majority of California residents will be Latino/a, by 2027 the majority of the residents of Texas will be Latino/a and by 2015 the majority of residents in New Mexico will be Latino/a. I do not think most people are aware of the rapidly changing demographics and certainly our field is not prepared to address this change especially in light of the Affordable Care Act making health and behavioral health care more accessible to most who live in the U.S. In many cases men tend to access behavioral health care through workmen’s compensation due to employment injuries. It will be important to monitor how access to health and behavioral care happens among different ethnicities of men given this new legislation. Our training programs do not seem to address these concerns adequately especially among limited English speakers. It is important to be knowledgeable about the Federal Regulation 247.13 (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2011-title7-vol4/CFR-2011-title7-vol4-sec247-13/content-detail.html), Presidential Order of 2000 Executive Order 13166 (http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/cor/Pubs/eolep.php) and the Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/cor/coord/titlevi.php) all addressing services and providing plans to address those with limited English speaking abilities so they provide meaningful access to health and behavioral health care. We can expect more men of different ethnicities accessing behavioral health care but unfortunately our profession of psychology is not prepared to provide such services

Return to top

Jose Toro-Alfonso, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

I am currently a full professor and researcher at the Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico.

E-mail: 

Website: http://jtoro.uprrp.edu

Google Scholar: 

Research Gate Profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jose_Toro-Alfonso2

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I have been a member of Division 51 for about ten years.  One of my main research interests is about masculinities and had found great information from the division members and division publications. The Division has offered me the opportunity to get in contact with other researchers and members who share my interest in the construction of masculinities in minority populations.

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

I find the opportunity to know other members, interact and share ideas about practice and research to be the most valuable.  Additionally, the Division 51 Journal is extremely helpful to keep track of the state of the art research about men and masculinity.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My interest in research and clinical practice relating men and masculinities are included in the study of Latino homosexualities, body image, eating disorders in Latino males, men’s health, and men and HIV.  I have had the opportunity to publish several articles and books around these issues, mostly in Spanish and targeting men in Latin America.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our new members in Division 51?

2014      Distinguished Professional Career Award. National Latina(o) Psychological Association (NLPA). Presented at the Biennial Conference.  Albuquerque, NM. October 25, 2014.

2014      Outstanding Achievement Award.  Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns (CLGBTC). American Psychological Association.

2013      Life Achievement Award. Puerto Rico Psychological Association.

2012      Honor Recognition: IX Caribbean Conference of Psychology.  Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

2010      American Psychological Association (APA) Fellow.  Division 44.

2009      Interamerican Psychologist Award. Interamerican Society of Psychology.

2007      Honorary Professor.  San Marcos National University. Lima, Perú.

2006      Psychologist of the Year.  Puerto Rico Psychological Association (APPR).

2005      Researcher of the Year.  Carlos Albizu University, Behavior Science Journal. San Juan, P.R.

2004      Adjunt Faculty.  Universidad del Valle de Guatemala

KEY PUBLICATIONS

Toro-Alfonso, J. (2014).  Invizibilized families: Homoparentality and lesboparentality. In I. Serrano Garcia, N. Ortiz Nolasco, N. Cappas, S. Rodriguez Madera, E. Sáez Santiago, & V. Toro Rodríguez (Eds.), Families in Puerto Rico: Context, challenges and alternatives for practice (pp.101-120). San Juan, PR: Puerto Rico Psychological Association. [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J. (Ed.) (2014).  Gender in the line of sight: Reflections from counseling about the transformation of sexuality and gender in Guatemala. Guatemala: Universidad del Valle de Guatemala.  [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J. & Rodríguez Madera, S. (2013).  Double secret: Same sex domestic violence.  In A. Irizarry Castro (Ed.), Perfil de la violencia en Puerto Rico: 1984-2004 (pp.13-18). San Juan, PR: Centro Agenda para la Calidad de Vida -UIPR-Metro. [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J., Walters-Pacheco, K., & Sánchez Cardona, I. (2012).  The body fit: Masculinity, body image and eating disorders in university male athletes. Acta de Investigacion Psicológica, 2(3), 842-857.  [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J., López-Ortiz, M., & Nieves-Lugo, K.  (2012). Migrant sexualities: The migration of Dominican gay males.   Journal of Caribbean Studies, 40(1), 59-80.  [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J., Urzúa, A., & Sánchez Cardona, I. (2012).  The body in evidence: Body image and eating disorders in a sample of gay men from ten Latin-American countries. Revista Argentina de Clínica Psicológica, 21, 101-111.  [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J. (2012).  The current state of research on sexual discrimination. Revista Terapia Psicológica, 30(2), 71-76. [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J. (Ed.) (2011). Sexuality and gender: Current issues. Guatemala. Editorial Norma. [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J. & Martínez-Taboas, A. (Eds.) (2011). Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders: Notes about their health from psychology.  San Juan, PR: Publicaciones Puertorriqueñas.    [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J. (2010). Masculinities: Challenge for gender studies. In A. L. Galinkin & C. Santos (Org.), Gênero e Psicologia Social: Interfaces (pp.65-90). Brasilia: TechnoPolitik.  [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J., Nieves, K, & Borrero, N. (2010). Body and masculinity: Eating disorders in males.  Interamerican Journal of Psychology. 44(2), 225-234. [In Spanish]

Toro-Alfonso, J. (Ed.) (2009). Masculinity in evidence: Research on masculinities. San Juan, PR: Publicaciones Puertorriqueñas. [In Spanish].

Toro-Alfonso, J. (2008). Subordinate masculinities.  San Juan, PR: Publicaciones Puertorriqueñas. [In Spanish].

Toro-Alfonso, J. (Ed.) (2007).  The body in evidence: Reflections on social and clinical aspects of embodiment. Special Edition. Revista Puertorriqueña de Psicología, 18, 121-125.  [In Spanish].

Toro-Alfonso, J., & Rodríguez-Madera, S. (Eds.) (2005). Beyond gender: Domestic violence among same-sex couples.  San Juan, Puerto Rico: Ediciones Huracán. [In Spanish]

Ola Barnett, PhD

What is your current title/affiliation/professional role(s)? 

Currently, I am a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Psychology at Pepperdine University. I taught first at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California in 1967 and finished teaching at Pepperdine University, Malibu, California in 1999. Eventually, I coauthored two books with three editions each in the field of family violence.  These best-selling books (in the field) are Family Violence Across the Lifespan and It could Happen to Anyone: Why Battered Women Stay, Sage Publications. I am currently working on one last book even though I am retired and in my 80s. Why, you might ask? Because ending family violence is my passion and my academic mission in life. I am grateful to see that younger scientists are producing new and valuable research in the field.

When did you join Division 51?  What made you interested in joining? 

I joined Division 51 in its early stages.  I became interested in the division after reading a book by Ronald Levant and articles by Gary Brooks and Glen Good. I had also heard convention presentations by several researchers, such as Ed Gondolf and Kevin Hamberger.  Since my research interest was/is family violence, I wanted to learn more about male socialization and its link to men’s violence in the home. I was particularly impressed that male academics took the lead in male-focused information in the journal, Psychology of Men and Masculinity.  The division’s work on men’s depression is especially noteworthy. 

What do you find most valuable about being a member of the division? 

For me, the division’s focus on men’s issues is of critical importance. With greater understanding of male socialization, society can support men more effectively in their efforts to fulfill the challenges of the male role. Until the inauguration of Division 51, information about men’s issues often fell by the wayside as women’s needs took precedence.  In the past, most research efforts on men centered on condemning their violence and patriarchal viewpoints, rather than on understanding men. Division 51’s wide-ranging choice of articles has helped me learn and improve the information I included in my books.

What are your clinical, teaching, research, or other applied interests relating to the psychology of men and masculinity?

My major interest has been on research and teaching.  Grant money and access to male research subjects in prison, juvenile detention facilities, and under treatment in the community, enabled me to collect fresh data. Over the years, my coauthors and I presented original research about men’s family violence as it related to alcohol misuse, hostility, impulsivity, jealousy, anxious romantic attachment, and other personality dimensions.  Along the way, I conducted studies on battered women and uncovered a variety of reasons why it is difficult for them to escape from their violent relationships. Blaming battered women, rape victims, and other victims still occurs and greatly inhibits their recovery. In 2005, Dr. Jennifer Langhanrichen-Rohling called attention to our book, It Could Happen to Anyone: Why Battered Stay. In an article about the Top Ten “Greatest “Hits,” she praised our work showing that battered women love their violent partners and learn to stay (see Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(1),108-118). 

Much of my career, I was able to attract colleagues and students to work with me in conducting research.  In my latter years of teaching, I was able to offer a class on family violence.  Many of the class topics and media presentations evoked strong, even tearful reactions in my students. Some students enrolled in field work experiences, such as working with children at a women’s shelter, accompanying victims to court, working with juvenile delinquents, participating in rape clinic activities, and helping in other venues. A few students gathered research data in these same settings and presented papers at conventions. Such experiences not only helped students learn about family violence, it also helped them improve their resumes when applying to graduate schools. I am proud of my students’ accomplishments.

Return to top