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Throughout history, mental illness has been conceptualized in a wide variety of ways, often strange or humorous in retrospect – divine retribution, demonic possession, witchcraft, astrological influences, and imbalanced humors.  Patients were feared, shunned, banished and subjected to bizarre, often abusive treatments which nonetheless stemmed from accepted conceptualizations of the time – like exorcism, cold baths, centrifugal devices, and medical purges.

Most of these archaic treatments have been abandoned by now, as better theories and newer treatments have been informed by science and clinical developments in the field.  We understand psychopathology in very different ways: i.e. stemming from multifactorial interactions of nature, nurture, individual differences, and context.

PSYC 285 – Abnormal Psychology provides a fascinating overview of abnormal behavior, thinking, emotion, and personality in clinical and everyday contexts.  Develop your sensitivity to the complexities and controversies of conceptualizing deviance, while learning to distinguish between normal and abnormal.  The course presents history, theory, causes, diagnostic criteria, and scientific and therapeutic approaches to psychopathology.  Class discussion is vibrant, focusing on personal understanding, dispelling popular misconceptions, and real-life applications.  

PSYC 285 is a 4-week course offered during Winter Session 2018, with a required prerequisite of PSYC 100. Effective time-management, commitment to a collaborative learning process, and attendance are essential.  Students should bring to class a full measure of curiosity about complexities of the human condition, philosophical underpinnings of mental illness theory and treatments, and practical aspects of mental health education, prevention, and care.  

“I think it is fair to say that I am quite enthusiastic about what I teach.”

– Dr. S. Peter Resta, UMBC Department of Psychology

The first psychology course I ever taught was circa 1981 and I have been teaching at UMBC as an adjunct assistant professor for the UMBC Department of Psychology for about 10 years now. I received my bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Sciences from Mt. St. Mary’s University; master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Social Work from Loyola University and University of Maryland, Baltimore; and my Ph.D. in Human Development from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Life Lessons in the Classroom

 
I frequently have been sent emails from past students who are in graduate school & have told me that what they learned proved to be a real asset in their graduate studies (in sociology, psychology & social work). Perhaps the primary skill I hear about relates to CRITICAL THINKING, which I always emphasize in all of my courses! 

I try to include some relevant content about which students may otherwise be unaware. Whenever appropriate, I include personal anecdotes from various clients & patients with whom I have worked over the years.

Winter Session 2018

 
Winter session is incredibly time effective and convenient. My course only lasts about a month!

I am teaching PSYC 345 – Introduction to Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. This course focuses on clinical interviewing; intellectual and personality assessment; the diagnosis and classification of psychopathology; and theories, techniques and research concerning a variety of therapeutic approaches, including psychodynamic, Gestalt, person-centered and cognitive/behavioral.

“This course will prepare students for later graduate work in clinical psychology”