Gerald Metalsky, associate professor of psychology at Lawrence University, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Psychological Association. Serving a three-year term that will run through December, 2007, Metalsky is the first Lawrence psychologist ever named to the WPA’s 13-member board.
Founded in 1950, the WPA is the official state affiliate of the American Psychological Association and supports psychology as a profession which promotes human welfare through the ethical application of psychological principles in research, teaching and practice. Its 500-person membership includes professionals from throughout the state, including licensed clinicians, administrators, teachers and researchers.
“The Wisconsin Psychological Association represents a very talented group of psychologists and we are always eager to put their specialized expertise to work,” said Sarah Bowen, executive director of the WPA. “Dr. Metalsky’s election to the Board of Directors means that the WPA will be able to draw upon his wealth of experience in both clinical and academic arenas.
“We are especially excited, however, by his strong commitment to teaching the next generation of professionals, since a focus on the future brings vitality to the organization and to the profession of psychology itself,” Bowen added.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to help shape the direction of the practice and study of psychology in Wisconsin,” said Metalsky. “There are several very significant issues facing our profession, including prescription privileges for psychologists, so this is an exciting time to be joining the board of the state association. This honor is particularly gratifying since it is an affirmation from my fellow psychologists in Wisconsin.”
Metalsky joined the Lawrence faculty in 1992 after spending five years in the psychology department at the University of Texas. He has more than 20 years experience as an academic researcher and practicing clinical psychologist, specializing in adult and adolescent depression, stress, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy and general psychotherapy, especially short-term solution-focused therapies.
In addition to his teaching and research responsibilities at Lawrence, Metalsky directs the Anxiety, Stress and Depression Center, a private counseling service in Appleton, enabling him to bring clinical experiences to the classroom and provide opportunities for “real life” situations for his students.
He is a former associate editor and consulting editor of the “Journal of Abnormal Psychology,” the flagship publication of the American Psychological Association for research on psychopathology, and also serves as reviewer for nine other professional journals, including “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.”
Metalsky earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California-Berkeley and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
