Candidates for APA President
With credentials in psychology, law, public health and education, I offer authoritative advocacy of excellence in psychological research and practice to benefit society and psychology. I believe that science, scholarship and ethics provide the bases for psychology; psychological interventions should be empirically based; and professionalism requires putting the needs of others over self-interests (see my Web site).
For APA, I have served on the Council of Representatives (two terms), the Ethics Committee, the Div. 12 Board of Directors (Treasurer), and numerous division-level committees. I am a staunch supporter of the linkage between APA and state psychological associations. For the Florida Psychological Association, I have been president and on the Board of Directors and various committees (Education and Conference Planning). I have also had leadership roles in other national mental health associations.
Within the scientific-practitioner model, I teach social, family, forensic, school, clinical, counseling and administrative (leadership/organizations) courses as a professor of psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. My teaching embraces research-based advances; the past is but a springboard to modern ideas—I seldom use the same textbook twice.
For 30-plus years, I engaged in clinical-forensic-family practice. Also, my law practice is devoted to helping psychologists avoid or resolve ethical and legal dilemmas, and I provide them with empirically based clinical practice strategies.
My university degrees include: PhD (Michigan State), ScD (Pittsburgh) and JD (Creighton). I did postdoctoral studies at the University of London (Maudsley Hospital) and the Washington School of Psychiatry.
I am a licensed psychologist in Florida and Michigan, an ABPP Diplomate (Clinical and Forensic), and APA Fellow (Divs. 12, 16, 17, 18, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43). I am admitted to the Florida, Michigan and Nebraska Bars.
I have expressed my scholarship in thirty-four books and over two hundred articles. I consider my edited "Encyclopedia of Clinical Assessment" important because of its early examination of avoiding bias and undue subjectivity in clinical practices.
I strive to motivate psychologists to develop new roles, including psychopharmacology.
Psychology must never be a second-class citizen among the health-care professions. Indeed, psychology should be at the forefront of research and practice contributions that benefit all people, regardless of global, cultural or individual characteristics. I consider APA to be unique and peerless in its ability to improve conditions for all people everywhere.
Families and communities must be a primary focus for contemporary psychological services, as this will help psychologists address critical problems like discrimination, abuse, crime and failures in governmental policy. I will marshal psychologists to improve conditions for families and communities.
With open-mindedness and effective, persuasive communications, I shall constructively promote these objectives, relying on tact and scholarship to gain the desired outcomes. I will appreciate your support of my candidacy for APA president-elect.
Woody's candidate statement
Psychology is composed of science and scholarship applied to benefit all people. APA should be the vanguard of detecting emerging problems, such as adverse governmental or economic conditions, and promoting efforts to achieve positive outcomes.
Global influences impact U.S. public policies and laws. APA must embrace multiculturalism in all pursuits and work to bridge schisms between cultures. Psychological knowledge and interventions should address natural disasters, chronic illnesses, disabilities, infectious diseases, hunger, poverty, terrorism, war, unemployment and crime. With the scientist-practitioner model as the cornerstone for modern health-care systems, we need to teach third-party payment sources the value-added results of psychology.
A focus on public health for every constituency is essential. APA should allow no bias or discrimination, reach to every rural-urban sector, and assure high-quality research, education and clinical services. APA should confront the dire need for health care for the mentally ill and rehabilitation for a host of limitations. Promoting legislative remedies should be a priority. Governmental funding for research, training and community programs must be consistent and increased. Using behavioral science, APA should construct solutions for the negative impact of the economy on human welfare.
APA has ably demonstrated organizational efficiency and prudent fiscal management. APA will, however, face many new challenges—wise and creative decision-making must continue.
The governance of APA is blessed with seasoned members who unselfishly give expertise and time. Every APA member should support and contribute to organizational governance.
APA requires leadership in teamwork, open-mindedness, critical analysis, strategic planning and effective communication. Relying on my interdisciplinary training (psychology, law, public health and education), experience in both the "ivory tower" and the "practice world," and high energy and fortitude that do not waver in the face of adversity, I shall accomplish these objectives as your APA president.
