Sandy Sela-Smith Humanistic Exemplar Award

The Rocky Mountain Humanistic Counseling and Psychological Association selected Sandy Sela-Smith to be the first recipient of the Humanistic Exemplar Award, which subsequently will be named after Dr. Sela-Smith. This award is given to individuals who embody the values of humanistic psychology in their personal and professional lives.

Dr. Sela-Smith is a therapist in Colorado and served as a faculty member at Saybrook University for many years. She developed Heuristic Self-Search Inquiry as a research method. This approach has been used by many students for their dissertations. Dr. Sela-Smith is currently finishing a book on the Heuristic Self-Search Inquiry. She has published several other books including The Meaning of Three: Under the Mask.

Dr. Sela-Smith taught at Saybrook University for many years and also served as an editor for Saybrook dissertations. In her teaching and editing, Dr. Sela-Smith developed impactful relationships with her students. As faculty member, Dr. Sela-Smith consistently encouraged reflection on how to respond to challenging situations in a manner consistent with humanistic values. Truly, Dr. Sela-Smith has lived and advocated for the the values of humanistic psychology.

A founding member of the Rocky Mountain Humanistic Counseling and Psychological Association, Dr. Sela-Smith has been active in the organization and presented our annual conference. She continues her therapy practice and training from her home of Conifer, Colorado. More information about Dr. Sela-Smith is available at her website: http://www.infiniteconnections.us.

The award will be given to Dr. Sela-Smith at the Annual Rocky Mountain Humanistic Counseling and Psychological Association Conference.

2019 RMHCPA Awards Nominations

The Rocky Mountain Humanistic Counseling and Psychological Association (RMHCPA) is issuing a call for nominations for the upcoming conference in the Fall of 2019 We are looking for nominations for individuals for the following awards:

*Lifetime Achievement Award

*Humanistic Exemplar Award

(Professional and student awards available)

*Early Career Award

*Outstanding Student Award

*Best Student Poster Award

Awards may be given once a year. Not all awards will be given every year. Awards will be granted to only those who have a historical or current connection to the Rocky Mountain region, preferably having resided in the region during part of their career while remaining available to those who may not have resided but have made significant contributions to the region.

Submissions should include a 1-2 page letter that details why you are nominating the individual, along with your contact information. Additionally, we request a current copy of the nominee’s Curriculum Vitae, as well as their contact information. More information on each of the awards can be found at www.rmhcpa.org/awards.

Nominations are due August 15, 2019.

 Please submit nominations to Awards Chair at lisa@lisavallejos.com

Establishment of the Emory G. Cowan, Jr., and Susan Cooper Lifetime Service to Humanistic Psychology Award

The RMHCPA Board is very proud to announce the establishment of the Emory G. Cowan and Susan Cooper Lifetime Service to Humanistic Psychology Award, which will be award to Emory and Sue at the First Annual Rocky Mountain Humanistic Counseling and Psychological Association Conference in June (date TBA). This award is established for individuals who have demonstrated extended excellence in service to humanistic psychology.

Drs. Cowan and Cooper helped establish the Colorado School of Professional Psychology. While the school did not sustain, the legacy of the school lives on with a profound impact upon comtemporary humanistic psychology. The leadership of Dr. Cowan and Dr. Cooper demonstrated the values of humanistic and existential psychology as well. Without Dr. Cowan and Dr. Cooper, it is unlikely the Rocky Mountain Humanistic Counseling and Psychological Association would have come into existence. In no small part due to their legacies, Colorado has become one of the centers of humanistic and existential psychology in the United States. Many of their former students have gone on to become local, regional, and international leaders in the humanistic psychology movement.

We hope you join us in celebrating these two special individuals at our first conference (we will be posting more information about the conference and a call for papers soon).