Antioch University New England’s Clinical Psychology program recently awarded two alumni with its “Distinguished Psychologist Award.” The award honors graduates who earned their doctorate at least five years ago, and who are accomplished in the foundational competency of Relationship and at least two of the following areas of importance to an Antioch University New England Department of Clinical Psychology education: diversity, social justice, intervention, evidence-based practice, assessment, research, consultation, education, management/leadership, supervision, and advocacy.
Exceptional nominees should have contributed substantially to the profession and to those they serve as a psychologist, whether it be through practice, scholarship, or community and professional leadership.
This year’s awardees were Bruce Roberts and Donna Hastings.
Bruce Roberts exemplifies many of the accomplishments and attributes that we value at Antioch. He did his internship and postdoc at South Shore Mental Health Clinic in Quincy, MA, a large CMHC with a long history of service to the underserved going back many years, and was then hired there. Early in his career, he worked with people with substance abuse disorders, an area that is so often overlooked by psychologists and is an underserved area in general, yet it can often destroy people and their families.
Bruce quickly moved into a leadership role as Director of Substance Abuse for many years, supervising outpatient and IOP staff. His next leadership role involved training the next generation of psychologists through the APA-approved internship for which he was the DoT for 13 years. He has recently retired from full-time and now works part-time, training his successor in terms of the internship leadership role before stepping down. For the last few years, he sought to bring elements of Scott Miller’s Feedback Informed Treatment to the agency with some input from Jim Fauth. During these years, Bruce has kept a connection to Antioch and our mission. Bruce and his wife, Joy Harris, started this program for the young people on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, Lakota Youthstay.
Donna Hastings graduated from the very first PsyD class at Antioch University. Donna displays excellent leadership in her work for the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health team. Her name is widely associated with Red Cross services in this region and beyond. She has traveled throughout the country doing disaster work and was recently promoted to Disaster Mental Health Chief, the highest possible title. Donna has introduced Antioch students and faculty to Red Cross disaster work and has trained them and other volunteers in sheltering, psychological first aid, and other disaster-related activities. Donna served on the initial advisory board for the NH Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team, and has served as the Chair for NH of the American Psychological Association Disaster Response Network. She has won an APA award for her disaster work.
Even though she is “retired” from her active career, she remains active in Red Cross work. Her nominator wrote, “her work goes beyond the individual person or practice and has had far-reaching impact on many communities and populations.”