Changing the World One Person and One Social Problem at a Time: Training Socially Responsible Practitioners
Frank Gruba-McCallister, Ph.D.
Vice President of Academic Affairs

The past 30 years have seen a tremendous expansion of the roles played by doctoral level professional psychologists. The professional psychology movement made a number of significant contributions to this growth by expanding the ways in which psychologists address the growing needs of individuals and society. In the early 1970's an important development occurred in the education and training of psychologists who later entered the practice of psychology. This was the establishment of the practitioner-scholar model of education and training, modeled after other schools that trained professionals such as medicine, dentistry and law. The focus of this model is to build upon a broad base of scientific foundations of psychology a comprehensive and well-rounded course of study that prepares students to provide services and utilize practical skills, such as psychological testing, psychotherapy, consultation and clinical supervision. To distinguish this practitioner-focused model from the more academic and scientific model, professional schools of psychology typically award the Doctor of Psychology or Psy.D.

As the oldest independent school of psychology in the United States, the Adler School of Professional Psychology has been a leader in the professional psychology movement. In that time, the Adler School has earned a reputation for excellence in the education and training of both Masters and Doctoral level mental health practitioners. It is also the largest institution in the world providing focused education and training in Individual Psychology, founded by the eminent psychologist Alfred Adler.

Building upon this reputation and its rich Adlerian tradition, the Adler School has again taken leadership in graduate level psychology education through its adoption of a revolutionary vision statement committed to educating and training "socially responsible practitioners." In order to address the need for graduate students in psychology to use their education and training to understand and resolve social problems as well as individual problems, the Adler School of Professional Psychology updated and transformed all their degree program curricula. While continuing to provide students with knowledge and skills to engage in the traditional forms of psychological service, the new curricula will also enable students to continue the pioneering and visionary work of Alfred Adler to apply psychology to community problems. This commitment can be seen in the words of one of the School's founders, Rudolf Dreikurs (1971), who wrote

"The individual today has not only the opportunity to take, but the responsibility for taking an active part in shaping the world around him. His obligations to society include contributions to its improvement and possible opposition to existing values and conventions. The individual is living on two planes: within a community, with its established standards and values; and within mankind, with its evolution toward new mores and values." (p. 181)

What does this vision statement mean to students who decide to become a member of the Adler School community? Quite simply, it means that they will be enrolled in a psychology graduate program that is not only unique, but also forward-looking. Because of the distinctive education and training they receive, graduates of the programs will be prepared for an even broader range of career opportunities and provided with the knowledge and skills to transform not only themselves, but also the communities in which they live. The changes insure that students complete coursework designed to provide them with up-to-date education and training that will enable them to assume the ever-expanding roles of mental health professionals including assessment, intervention, education, consultation and supervision. Knowledge and skills in these areas are acquired through close interaction with faculty who bring their years of professional experience into the classroom. Thus, the commitment of the Adler School to educating socially responsible practitioners will prepare students to use psychology to make an impact on the world based on a curriculum unlike any other in the United States.

Based upon their adoption of competency in socially responsible practice, the faculty members of the Adler School have created innovative coursework and a unique service learning experience that will enable graduates to expand the scope of psychology's influence in changing society as well as individuals. Courses have been added to curricula that will enable students to learn how to analyze problems, like poverty and violence, within the broader social, economic and political contexts that shape them. More importantly, students will be provided with the skills to make changes in public policy, legislation and large social systems that will enhance the well-being of large numbers of people. Because the preparation of students to do this exciting kind of work requires knowledge of other fields, instruction is provided by faculty in disciplines such as urban planning, sociology and law, in addition to the psychology faculty.

Practical experience in learning first-hand about community problems and strategies used to address them is developed through the inclusion of a Community Service Practicum (CSP) in the first year curriculum for MA and doctoral students. The model for this practicum is based on the growing movement to include service-learning in undergraduate education, but adapts this model uniquely to educating graduate students. This practicum will place students in settings in which they will experience applying psychological theory and practice to community organizing, volunteer projects, political initiatives, advocacy, and public policy analysis. Students will receive coursework in the first year curriculum to support their involvement in these practica including a course on the social psychology of individual and cultural diversity and on community mental health.

Opportunities for personal attention from faculty and mentoring are essential to preparing socially responsible practitioners. These opportunities are provided to Adler students through a variety of means. For example, first year students are enrolled in two terms of a Professional Development Seminar with a Core Faculty member where they receive instruction, guidance and advisement based on their experiences on the CSP, engage in opportunities for journaling and self-reflection using these experiences, and receive advisement and guidance for academic and career planning. Opportunities to work closely with faculty continue throughout the students' time at the Adler School, in addition to other services designed to support students, such as guidance in how to identify and secure employment in socially responsible careers.

The problems that face local and global communities extend beyond those that psychology has historically addressed. It has been the ability of professional psychology to constantly push the boundaries of areas of practice that has enabled the profession to remain vibrant and exciting while also expanding its impact on promoting human welfare. However, this work is not yet done. The promise and potential of psychology will only be fully realized when psychologists use their knowledge and skills to alleviate broad ranging social problems like poverty, violence and oppression that afflict millions. We at the Adler School of Professional Psychology believe that this dream can be realized. Our commitment to educating socially responsible practitioners affirms our commitment to transform the world by changing one person and one social problem at a time.

Frank Gruba-McCallister, Ph.D.
Vice President of Academic Affairs