Robert J. Wicks is a

clinical psychologist Clinical psychology is an integration of social science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and persona ...

and writer about the intersection of

spirituality The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...

and

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

. Wicks is a well known speaker, therapist, and spiritual guide who has taught at universities and professional schools of psychology, medicine, nursing, theology, and social work for more than thirty years. He a Professor Emeritus at

Loyola University Maryland Loyola University Maryland is a private Jesuit university in Baltimore, Maryland. Established as Loyola College in Maryland by John Early and eight other members of the Society of Jesus in 1852, it is the ninth-oldest Jesuit college in the ...

. He is a recipient of the Holy Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, the highest medal that can be awarded to the

laity In religious organizations, the laity () consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother. In both religious and wider secular usage, a layperson ...

by the

Papacy The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

for distinguished service to the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. In 2003 he was the Commencement Speaker for Wright State School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio and in 2005 he was both Visiting Scholar and the Commencement Speaker at Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago. He was also Commencement Speaker at and the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Caldwell College in New Jersey.

Early life and education

Wicks graduated from

Fairfield University Fairfield University is a private Jesuit university in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1942. In 2017, the university had about 4,100 full-time undergraduate students and 1,100 graduate students, including full-time ...

in Connecticut in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and philosophy. After working in counseling for the New York State Narcotic Addiction Control Commission, he enlisted in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

.Feister, John
"Dare, Hope, Pray: Dr. Robert Wicks : Counseling on the front lines has taught this psychologist the value of prayer"
'' St. Anthony Messenger'' magazine, October 2010 He went on to receive his Master of Arts degree in 1973 from

St. John's University St John's University may refer to: *St. John's University (New York City) **St. John's University School of Law **St. John's University (Italy) - Overseas Campus *College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, St. Joseph, Minnesota and Col ...

in New York City. In 1977, he received his doctorate in psychology from Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital.

Career

Since finishing his doctorate, he has taught in universities and professional schools of psychology, medicine, nursing, theology, and social work. In 2003 he was the Commencement Speaker for Wright State School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, and in 2005 he was both Visiting Scholar and the Commencement Speaker at

Stritch School of Medicine Stritch School of Medicine is the medical school affiliated with Loyola University Chicago. It is located at the heart of the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. The medical campus includes Foster G. McGaw Hospital, Cardinal B ...

in Chicago. In 1994, he was responsible for the psychological debriefing of relief workers evacuated from

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

during their bloody

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. In 1993, and again in 2001, he worked in

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

. During these visits, his work was with professionals from the English-speaking community who were present to help the

Khmer people The Khmer people ( km, ជនជាតិខ្មែរ, ) are a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Cambodia. They comprise over 90% of Cambodia's population of 17 million.

rebuild their nation following years of terror and torture. In 2006, Wicks delivered presentations on self-care at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland and

Walter Reed Army Hospital The Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC)known as Walter Reed General Hospital (WRGH) until 1951was the U.S. Army's flagship medical center from 1909 to 2011. Located on in the District of Columbia, it served more than 150,000 active and reti ...

to those health care professionals responsible for Iraqi and Afghan war veterans evacuated to the U.S. with multiple amputations and severe head injuries. Also in 2006, Wicks received the first annual Alumni Award for Excellence in Professional Psychology from

Widener University Widener University is a private university in Chester, Pennsylvania. The university has three other campuses: two in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg and Exton) and one in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded as The Bullock School for Boys in 1821, the school ...

and is also the recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the American Counseling Association's Division on Ethics and Values. In the past several years he has spoken on Capitol Hill to Members of Congress and their Chiefs of Staff, at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the Mayo Clinic, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, at Harvard's Children's Hospital and Harvard Divinity School, to members of the NATO Intelligence Fusion Center in England, and to the Institute of Private Investors on his major areas of expertise: resilience, self-care, and the prevention of secondary stress (the pressures encountered in reaching out to others.) He has also spoken at the Boston Public Library's commemoration of the Boston Marathon bombing, addressed 10,000 educators in the Air Canada Arena in Toronto, was the opening keynote speaker to 1,500 physicians for the American Medical Directors Association, spoken at the FBI and New York City Police Academies, led a weeklong course in Paris and addressed care givers in: China, Vietnam, India, Thailand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Hungary, Guatemala, Malta, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Wicks has published more than 50 books for both professionals and the general public. One of his latest works is entitled ''Riding the Dragon''. His latest books from

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...

for the general public are: ''Perspective: The Calm within the Storm'' and ''Bounce: Living the Resilient Life''.

Personal life

Wicks is a professor at

and lives in

West Chester, Pennsylvania West Chester is a borough and the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Located within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the borough had a population of 18,461 at the 2010 census. West Chester is the mailing address for most of its neighb ...

with his wife of more than forty years, Michaele Barry Wicks who is both a nurse and a lecturer on Teresa of Avila and biblical/women's spirituality. They have a daughter, Michaele Kulick who is a social worker for the Veteran's Administration; she works with severely injured returning Iraqi and Afghan military personnel.

Books

* Wicks, R. (ed.
''Prayer in the Catholic Tradition: A Handbook of Practical Approaches''
Cincinnati: Franciscan Media, 2016. * Wicks, R
''Conversations with a Guardian Angel''
Cincinnati: Franciscan Media, 2015. * Wicks, R
''Spiritual Resilience: 30 Days to Refresh Your Soul''
Cincinnati: Franciscan Media, 2015. * Wicks, R
''Availability: The Challenge and the Gift of Being Present''
Notre Dame: Sorin Books, 2015. * Wicks, R
''No Problem: Turning the Next Corner in Your Spiritual Life''
Notre Dame: Sorin Books, 2014. * Wicks, R
''Riding the Dragon''
Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books, 2012. * Wicks, R
''Bounce: Living the Resilient Life''
New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. * Wicks, R
''Prayerfulness: Awakening to the Fullness of Life''
Notre Dame: Sorin Books, 2009. * Wicks, R
''The Resilient Clinician''
New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. * Wicks, R
''Overcoming Secondary Stress in Medical and Nursing Practice: A Guide to Professional Resilience and Personal Well-Being''
N.Y: Oxford University Press, 2006. * Wicks, R
''Crossing the Desert''
Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books, 2006. * Wicks, R., D. Parsons, and D. Capps, (Eds.)
''Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling, Vol. 3''
Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2003 * Wicks, R.
''Everyday Simplicity''
Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books, 2000. * Wicks, R., D. Parsons, and D. Capps, (Eds.).
''Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling, Volume I – Expanded Edition''
Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1993. * Wicks, R., and D. Parsons (Eds.)
''Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling, Volume II—Selected Topics''
Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1993. * Parsons, R., and Wicks, R. ''Counseling Strategies and Intervention Techniques for the Human Services''. (Fourth Edition). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 1993.

Awards and honors

* 2006 First Annual Graduate Award for Excellence in Professional Psychology * Widener University * 2002 Doctor of Pastoral Counseling (Honoris Causa) Caldwell College * 1997 The Outstanding Colleague Award National Association of Catholic Chaplains * 1996 Papal Medal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice for service to the church. * 1993 The Humanitarian Award Association for Spiritual, Ethical, Religious and Value Issues in Counseling American Counseling Association * 1981 Cited by Philadelphia Magazine as one of the "81 People to Watch in 1981" for his efforts to integrate religion and psychology. * 1977 Award for clinical and academic excellence in the Clinical Psychology Program, Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. * 1975 Successfully nominated by the Clinical Psychology Department and Graduate School of Hahnemann Medical College for 1976 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. * 1973 Citation by the Fairfield University Alumni Association for "exceptional accomplishments, both professionally and personally . . . as a teacher and author. Several books have also been selected by major academic/professional book clubs (Behavioral Science Book Club; Mental Health Practitioners Book Club; Theological Book Service).

References

External links

Loyola University of Maryland Faculty Biography

Robert Wicks' Facebook Page
*

Catholic Bookmarks Interview

The Resilient Life - Robert Wicks' Blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wicks, Robert American psychology writers American spiritual writers Drexel University alumni Fairfield University alumni Loyola University Maryland faculty Living people American male non-fiction writers Year of birth missing (living people)