Barbara Alane Kerr

Williamson Family Distinguished Professor of Counseling Psychology

bkerr@ku.edu

Joseph R. Pearson Hall 616
1122 West Campus Road
Lawrence, Kansas 66045

Phone: 785-864-9762
Fax: 785-864-3820

Research Specialty

• The psychology of optimal human development, including giftedness, creativity, and spirituality; counseling and psychotherapy; gender issues.

Awards

• Phi Beta Kappa
• Fellow of the American Psychological Association
• American Psychological Foundation
• APA Presidential Citation for Excellence in Research through Service

Professional Memberships

• American Psychological Association
• National Association for Gifted Children

Degrees

• University of Missouri 1969-73 A.B. in Psychology
• Ohio State University 1973-75 M.A. in Counseling Psychology
• University of Missouri 1975-78 Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology

For More Information

• Psychology and Research in Education, School of Education at the University of Kansas

Why Study at the University of Kansas?

The first statement I heard from an administrator when I arrived was, "We cherish our students." I have taught at five universities, and have never heard that before! Not only do professors at KU, at my school (Education) and in my department (Psychology and Research in Education) value teaching and mentoring students; they like them, and are eager to engage with them.

The research we do in my department is research that directly connects with ways of helping people to live happier, healthier lives. Our counseling psychology program is a hotbed of "Positive Psychology" - that is, we believe that we can help people best by focusing on strengths, talents, and constructive goals rather than on illness and deficits. We use state of the art scientific tools to study strength, courage, hope, intuition, and creativity. Students who come here to study seem to get caught up in the enthusiasm, and know that they have an opportunity to be part of reinventing counseling and psychotherapy.