Personal Statement

In my academic work, I and my students explore psychological ideas like environmental identity and the lived experience of an Ecological Self, central aspects of the human psyche that are key to our development and sustainability as a species, but that seem to us now in our world of human artifice as new and strange.

Professional Biography

Thomas Joseph Doherty is a licensed psychologist who created and helps to direct the Ecopsychology in Counseling Certificate Program at the Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Thomas specializes in teaching courses that integrate research on human relationships with the natural world, environmental conservation, and sustainability with modern counseling and psychotherapy practice. Thomas is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Ecopsychology and served as member of the American Psychological Association’s Climate Change Task Force. Thomas also works with individuals and consults with organizations through his business Sustainable Self. For an example of how Thomas Doherty addresses personal sustainability with his counseling clients see this video.  

Thomas grew up in Buffalo, New York. His early career included work as a wilderness therapy expedition leader and professional river-rafting guide in the Grand Canyon. Thomas received his BA from Columbia University and doctorate in clinical psychology from Antioch New England Graduate School. His doctoral research examined the emotions and life changes of people recovering from heart disease. Thomas’ work has been featured in publications such as the Oregonian, The New York Times, and Sustainability. He lives with his wife and daughter in Northeast Portland.

Current Projects

Thomas is working with the first cohort of students in the Ecopsychology in Counseling Certificate. This year he is teaching courses including Introduction to Ecopsychology in Counseling, Mental Health Diagnosis, Applied Topics in Ecopsychology (Focus on Diversity), and Wilderness and Adventure Therapy. Thomas also teaches an Environmental Psychology course in the Lewis & Clark undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences. 

Thomas recently relocated his private practice to a LEED Platinum-rated Green Building in North Portland. This fall he is helping to create a combined equine and ecotherapy program for Native American adolescents.

“My interests include applying the concept of sustainability to personal health and identity, promoting motivation for social and environmental change agents, using wilderness experiences for therapy and personal growth, and integrating holistic and empirical perspectives on the psychology human-nature relationships.”

Links

New York Times Magazine article “Is There an Ecological Unconscious?”

Ecopsychology in Counseling Certificate Program

Sustainable Self

Ecopsychology Journal

American Psychological Association Climate Change Task Force Report

Selected Publications and Presentations

Doherty, T. J. (2011, October). Ecopsychology and Environmentally-Focused Psychologies. Environmental, Population, and Conservation Psychology Bulletin. http://www.apadivisions.org/division-34/publications/newsletters/epc/2011/10/ecopsychology.aspx

Doherty, T. J. (August,  2011) Incorporating Environmental Content in Graduate Psychology Courses. Presentation at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention in Washington, DC.

Doherty, T. J. (2011). Editorial: Psychologies of the Environment. Ecopsychology, 3, 75-77.

Doherty, T. J. & Clayton, S. (2011) The Psychological Impacts of Global Climate Change. American Psychologist, 66, 265–276

Swim, J. K.; Stern, P. C.; Doherty, T. J.; Clayton, S.; Reser, J. P.; Weber, E. U.; Gifford, R.; Howard, G. S. (2011) Psychology’s Contributions to Understanding and Addressing Global Climate Change. American Psychologist: 66, 241-250.

Doherty, T. J. (November, 2010). Master of Two Worlds: Negotiating the emotional terrain in your sustainability work. Webinar: The International Society of Sustainability Professionals. Portland, Oregon.

Doherty, T. J. (October, 2010). Keynote Address: Ecotherapy & Nature Based Stress Reduction. Oregon Counseling Association 2010 Annual Fall Conference, Silverton, OR

Doherty, T. J. (October, 2010). Keynote Address: Self-Sustainability - Keeping Motivation and Inspiration in Our Lives. 33rd Annual Nurse Practitioners of Oregon Education Conference. Gleneden Beach, Oregon

Macy, R. & Doherty, T. J. (2010). An Annotated Guide to Graduate Education in Environmentally-focused Psychology and Therapy in the United States, Canada, & Mexico. Ecopsychology, 2, 239-246

Doherty, T. J. ( August, 2010). Addressing Social Justice Implications of Climate Change: Barriers and Opportunities. American Psychological Association Annual Convention in San Diego, CA

Doherty, T. J. (2009). Editorial: A peer reviewed journal for Ecopsychology. Ecopsychology, 1  
 
Clayton, S. Doherty, T. J., Gifford, R. Howard, G. Swim, J. K. (2009). APA task force on psychology and global climate change – Perspectives of task force members. Symposium at the American Psychological Association Annual Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

American Psychological Association Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change (2009). Report: Psychology and Global Climate Change:  Addressing a Multi-faceted Phenomenon and Set of Challenges.  

Doherty, T. J. et al. (August, 2008). Psychologists’ contributions to health and resilience in conservation settings. Symposium at the American Psychological Association Annual Conference, Boston, MA.   

Doherty, T. J. (August, 2007). Nurturing the Sustainable Self: Talking to clients about environmental issues. Paper session, American Psychological Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA

Academic Credentials

B.A.	1987	Columbia University
Psy.D.	2002	Antioch New England Graduate School