CURRICULUM VITA

JOIE ACHESON, M.A.
LICSW Emeritus, KRI

University of Minnesota - Duluth
Department of Psychology
320 Bohannon Hall
Duluth, MN 55811
(218) 726-7458
jacheson@d.umn.edu

Education
M.A. Social Psychotherapy - Goddard College, Cambridge, MA, 1979
B.A. Psychology and Sociology, Summa Cum Laude - University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 1977

Postgraduate courses at: Harvard University, Tufts University, Gestalt Institute of Boston, University of California at Berkeley

Certifications
Emeritus Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
Clinical Pastoral Education - in progress
National Yoga Teacher's Alliance

Teaching Experience
Selected Accomplishments: Awarded Extraordinary Merit for teaching in 2004 & 2005; recipient of consistently excellent student evaluations, member of the collegiate Academic Advising Committee; recipient of the University of Minnesota-Duluth Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award, 2004; recipient of the College of Education and Human Service Professional's Gemeinhardt Advising Award, 2004; selected for the University of Minnesota-Duluth's 2005 Technology Cohort group; Member, 2005 Chancellor's Academic Advising Focus Group.

University of Minnesota-Duluth, Instructor, Department of Psychology, 2002 to present
My teaching philosophy incorporates the experiential learning models of both Rogers and Kolb, in which learning is facilitated and promoted by direct confrontation with practical, personal, research or social problems. A key emphasis is learning to learn and an openness to change. As Rogers said, "Experiential learning is equivalent to personal change and growth." Important learning outcomes are: demonstrated mastery of the material, self-initiated learning and pervasive effects on the learner.

Courses Taught:

• Psychology of Personal Development - Psychology 3601*
• Transpersonal Psychology - Psychology 3445
• Psychology of Hope - Psychology 5160
• Health Psychology - Psychology 4500
• Psychological Principles of Stress Management - Psy 3098
• Group Dynamics -Psychology 3211
• Psychology and Social Responsibility -Psychology 3527**
• Psychology of Religion -Psychology 3112 (retreat)
• Projects in Psychology -Psychology 3991
• Independent Study in Psychology - Psychology 3999
  *denotes course taught both in class and online
  **denotes course taught in Nicaragua

University of Minnesota-Duluth, Adjunct Faculty, Department of Psychology, 2000 to 2002
Taught undergraduate psychology classes and participated in advisement activities at the collegiate level.

Academic Advising Experience
Faculty Coordinator of the Peer Advising Program, University of Minnesota-Duluth, 2002 to present
Redesigned, expanded and implemented an innovative student to student academic advising center within the psychology department. Provision of in-depth training each semester to advisors in the use of the APAS, and all facets of academic advising. The peers serve over 100 psychology sophomores as primary academic advisors, serve at the college's new student orientation, assisting 350 - 400 incoming freshman psychology majors each year, and are in the process of developing a university-wide suicide prevention program.
Academic Advising Committee, College of Education and Human Service Professions, 2002 to present
Member of the collegiate committee which recommends advising policy, researches the effectiveness of current procedures, and implements necessary programmatic changes.
Faculty Advisor, UMD New Student Orientation, 2002 to present
Introduce incoming psychology freshmen to the department's academic requirements, assist in registration of over 350 new students, train psychology student helpers to assist incoming freshmen.
Faculty Advisor, Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, University of Minnesota-Duluth, 2002 to present. Advisor on the following UROP projects: "Teaching Integral Psychology"; "Intuitive Guessing on Multiple Choice Tests"; "Creativity and Development". (each was funded at $1700.00)

Psychotherapy / Clinical Experience
Clinical Chaplain, St, Mary's Medical Center, Duluth, MN, 1999 to 2000
Provided pastoral counseling, grief support and educational programming to patients and their families.
Psychotherapist, Lutheran Social Service Counseling Center, Duluth, MN, 1987 to 1990.
Provided clinical therapy to individuals, couples and families; presented public programs and seminars; provided peer clinical supervision, and served as a facilitator in Duluth's domestic violence program (DAIP).
Coordinator, Family Resource Services, Cambridge, MA, 1984 to 1986
Provided clinical support, supervision and training to protective social workers (with a caseload of over 350 clients). Responsible for tri-city adoption program; expert witness in contested adoptions. Created public awareness programs on domestic violence in the Boston area.

Presentations / Publications
The Human Face of Globalization in Nicaragua, presentation at the Alworth International Series, Duluth, MN, March 2005.

East Meets West in the Classroom: Using the Experiential Learning Paradigm, poster presentation at the 15th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning. Jacksonville, Florida, April 2004.

The Application of Meditation to States of Consciousness, presentation to international audience, Santa Fe, NM, June 2000.

Living with Traumatic Brain Injury, presentation at SMDC, Duluth, MN, October 1999.

Wellness Models for Breast Cancer Survivors, presentation in International Falls, MN, December 1998.

Wrote a chapter for Teacher Training Manual for Kundalini Yoga: Certification Level I, June 1999.

Published the article, Energy of Spirit: Transformative Experience, in "Alternatives", a local, independent magazine, Duluth, MN, 1997.

Co-authored Teaching Pays: Increasing Helping Rates Through Information Dissemination, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1978.