IGE Associated University
APPLIED ECOPSYCHOLOGY / INTEGRATED ECOLOGY
Doctor of Philosophy
Dr. Michael Cohen, Chair
nature@pacificrim.net
"Oh, what a catastrophe, what a maiming of love when it was made personal, merely personal feeling. This is what is the matter with us: we are bleeding at the roots because we are cut off from the earth and sun and stars. Love has become a grinning mockery because, poor blossom, we plucked it from its stem on the Tree of Life and expected it to keep on blooming in our civilized vase on the table."
- D. H. Lawrence
"In learning how to think with nature is the salvation of our sanity and Earth.
Stressfully separated from nature's rewards, we psychologically bond to destructive gratifications.
Genuinely reconnecting our thinking with nature replaces our destructive bonds with constructive passions."
- Dr. Michael J. Cohen, Department Chair.
Laymen and experts alike recognize that the manner of thinking of human cultures in their current state of being separated from nature is inflicting damage on people and the life sustaining systems and resources of the planet. Critical stress arising from the nature disconnected way we think, adversely impacts people and the environment. It deteriorates human relationships, and the air, water, and soil, our climate, and plant and animal species. The thought process of industrial society damages earth's ability to provide for life in balance and risks damaging vital personal and global systems beyond repair.
Nature connected cultures and individuals who have not been touched by, or have outgrown, the destructive aspects of industrial thinking neither display nor promote the runaway problems we face. Until recently, no process has been widely available that enables people to think like nature works and thereby help our troubles subside.
Our destructive ways are not logical. They are psychological, they arise from our excessive disconnection from nature disturbing the logic of the psyche which, in turn, disturbs our thinking into producing our dilemmas. It is illogical to try to solve our problems by using the same thinking process that causes them
People are part of nature. Research in natural areas during the past 30 years has produced the Natural Systems Thinking Process, a nature reconnecting distance learning program. It empowers individuals and institutions to learn how to make conscious sensory contact with natural areas. People psychologically tap into nature's wisdom, beauty and balance there, and think with it by letting it heal, nurture and energize into awareness the loving intelligence of nature that inherently pervades our rationality, psyche and spirit.
Documentation of the Natural Systems Thinking Process and its beneficial effects is found in 32 articles published by ERIC, The Association of Humanistic Psychology of the American Psychological Association, The Interpsych Newsletter Journal, Journal of Environmental Education, the 1986-97 Conference Proceedings of the North American Association and Association for Experiential Education and many other professional journals.
In view of our rising personal and environmental problems, the dire need for a cadre of experts who can implement, use and teach the Natural Systems Thinking Process is unquestionable.
Program Objectives
Although environmental and humanitarian issues are at the fore of modern society, virtually unrecognized are their psychological roots in our disconnection from nature. The objective here is to help resolve these psychological issues by learning how to reconnect and think with nature.
This program has shown to develop professionals who not only have the academic and scientific background to study key nature disconnected psychological issues, but who also design, develop, promote and implement practical nature-connected ecopsychology solutions to the problems which face people, society and the environment. Participants are challenged to think about and relate to problems and issues from a sensory, interspecies, global community, web of life point of view. Within this framework students learn to apply the Natural Systems Thinking Process to their other interests. Mastery of the process helps them develop sustainable balanced relationships on critical fronts.
The educational philosophy of the Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology program at an affiliated University is to empower motivated adult learners to become experts in implementing, teaching and researching the Natural Systems Thinking Process. Graduates will be able to evoke responsible personal and global relationships.
Participants will be empowered to effectively use, teach and promote the use of nature connecting activities and materials that enable people to:
-Learn ways of thinking critically that reconnect with and heed natural callings within ourselves, others and natural areas.
-Understand why we naturally deserve to have good feelings and how to obtain them in personally and globally responsible ways.
-Learn how to self-regulate by letting nature connections nurture the balanced spirit, wisdom and unity of nature within and about us.
-Reverse apathy, stress and dysfunction by energizing our natural senses and feelings.
-Scientifically let our natural connectedness regenerate and rejuvenate the hurt and abandoned parts of our inner nature.
-Enjoy nature's enchantment within and about us.
-Learn how to speak to Earth and let it teach us.
-Know nature as nature knows itself,
-Replace cultural substitutes for nature with genuine connections with authentic nature.
-Recognize the culturally induced unbalanced relationship between the old-brain and the new-brain and conscientiously let tangible contact with nature re-balance them.
-Apply to appropriate parts of their personal and professional life the Natural Systems Thinking Processes described in the program.
-Learn to personally or professionally organize, facilitate and introduce the ecopsychology of Project NatureConnect's Natural Systems Thinking
-Process and to network with others with similar goals for responsible personal and global balance.
Additional information about the Natural Systems Thinking Process and program is available at http://www.ecopsych.com/ and in the book, Reconnecting With Nature, by Michael J. Cohen.
Program Audience
The program is designed to meet the educational and vocational needs of mid-career professionals who seek to integrate the Natural Systems Thinking Process into their personal and professional lives. It is appropriate for being referenced in the programs of Global Studies and Environmental Studies.
The program audience includes graduates from baccalaureate programs and/or individuals employed in the following areas: psychiatry, counseling, guidance, therapy, mental health, group work, social work, spiritual leadership, peace, conflict resolution, environmental studies. environmental education, recreation, nature interpretation, youth work, personal recovery. chemical abuse, interpersonal abuse, self-improvement, experiential education, wildlife management, outdoor education, citizenship, adjudicated youth, horticultural therapy, indigenous people, community development, landscape gardening, intentional relations, noetic science, leadership, systems theory, public health
Minimum Entry Requirements
Applicants for the Doctoral program in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology must have completed a Master's degree. Students should prepare a written statement of their practice and research interests in Integrated Ecology and communicate with lead faculty prior to formal application to Greenwich University. Candidates should show familiarity with and dedicated interest in the Natural Systems Thinking Process website at www.ecopsych.com, have completed the online Orientation Course ORT 502 or its equivalent, and determined their Globally Balanced Thinking Score (GBT).
Evaluation for admission will consider the applicant's prior learning and professional experience, letters of recommendation, and a letter of intent from the applicant. The letter of intent should address the applicant's general education preparation not included in official transcripts, the preparation of the applicant for graduate training, the reason the applicant is pursuing an advanced degree, and the applicant's future career plans and avocations.
Lead Faculty Information
Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D.
P.O. Box 1605
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 USA
Tel: (360)378-6313
Email: nature@pacificrim.netMichael Cohen is an ecopsychologist who founded and coordinates Project NatureConnect, a distance learning degree program with extended educational workshops and course offerings from The Institute of Global Education, a special NGO consultant to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. He has developed the Natural Systems Thinking Process through degrees at University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University and Clayton University along with 36 years of living outdoors year round researching and teaching multisensory nature activities. Dr. Cohen is faculty at Greenwich University and the International University for Professional Studies and has founded degree granting environmental outdoor education programs for the Trailside Country School, Lesley College, and the National Audubon Society. His many books and articles include Reconnecting With Nature: finding wellness through restoring your bond with the Earth, the 1990 award winning Connecting With Nature: Creating Moments that Let Earth Teach, and the self-guiding applied ecopsychology training manual Well Mind, Well Earth. He is the 1994 recipient of the Distinguished World Citizen Award.
Minimum Degree Requirements
Program participants must complete a minimum of 45-48 graduate credits, above the masters, as outlined below, and a dissertation or major project in lieu of dissertation (with permission from faculty), according to University guidelines. Participants must also complete an admissions to candidacy examination at the conclusion of their academic coursework and then proceed with a full research proposal process. Following successful submission of an acceptable first draft of the dissertation manuscript, participants will complete a defense of dissertation and then finalize the dissertation document.
NOTE: The required field studies must be completed after matriculation.
NOTE : Students who have completed coursework in any of the required areas may petition lead faculty for a waiver of these requirements. Students would then need to enroll for additional advanced study electives in the area of specialization.
NOTE: Student portfolios and challenge examinations will be allowed.
NOTE: Electives may be selected from outside the program area with the approval of the lead faculty.
Core Competencies (Required: 13 credits)
ORT 600: Orientation for the Adult Learner (1 credit)
ECO 601: Educating and Counseling with Nature I: Student Teaching and Research (3 credits)
ECO 602: Educating and Counseling with Nature II: Student Teaching and Research (3 credits)
ECO 603: Exploratory Reading in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (3 credits)
ECO 604: Researching Sensory Knowing and Culture (3 credits)
Field Studies (Required: 6 credits)
ECO 752: Advanced Field Studies in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (6 credits)
ECO 753: Case Studies in Education and Counseling with Nature (6 credits)
Research Preparation Courses (Required: 9 credits)
ECO542: Qualitative Research for Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (3 credits)
RES990: Dissertation Research (9 credits)
Advanced Studies (Electives)
ORT 500: Global Citizenship Orientation: The Art and Science of Thinking With Nature. (1 credit)
ECO 522: Public Relations and Marketing (3 credits)
ECO 791: Special Projects in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (3 credits)
ECO 792: Advanced Readings in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (3 credits)
Field Study Parameters
Field study parameters for Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology consist of teaching and researching the Natural Systems Thinking Process into a chosen fields of professional or personal interest. This may be done through on site or distance learning internships, apprenticeship, field investigation, professional practice, field project or action science techniques.
The goals of the field study element are to provide opportunities for meaningful experience through which participants may acquire and demonstrate an advanced expertise in applying and furthering the art and science of applied ecopsychology/integrated ecology. This may be accomplished in organizations or institutions of the student's choice or as independent projects with approval from lead faculty. Professional presentation of the student's results at an appropriate conference or meeting is required.
Through experience, field opportunities are used to hone how the student utilizes and teaches the fundamentals of the Natural Systems Thinking process. We are born as part of nature yet nature and nature-centered people, in their wisdom, do not exhibit our runaway problems. We learn to live, on average, less than 1/2 day per lifetime consciously in tune with nature. It is the extremely nature-separated way we live, think and relate that brings about our most challenging problems.
Like an arm torn from a body, our excessive indoor lives and stories traumatize and separate our peace and reasoning from their natural origins in nature and its intelligence.
Skillfully, a surgeon can physically reattach an amputated arm to the body. Only then can nature's wisdom heal the separation and restore integrity. Gradually, the separation trauma and its destructive symptoms subside. With respect to Organism Earth, the Natural Systems Thinking Process, offered in Applied Ecopsychology and Integrated Ecology, acts like the surgeon. It enables students to skillfully and enjoyably help reattach people's thinking to nature's wisdom in the environment and each other. That wisdom then restores our disconnected reasoning, senses and interests.
Backyard or back country, the educational methods and materials of Natural Systems Thinking Process empower us to create moments that let Earth teach. We learn to sense, enjoy and validate the natural attractions found in natural areas and in our inner nature. We learn to honor these attractions and thoughtfully rebond them into our thinking. We learn to speak, feel and interact with the wisdom, love and spirit that guides natural people and Earth. This has proven to reduce stress, recycle our destructive thinking, and catalyze responsible personal, social and environmental relationships. Through this process all things become partners for personal and global recovery.
Research Parameters
Participants are expected to pursue a thesis emphasizing a small experimental research project or case study project, or a major product in lieu of research (with permission from lead faculty). Emphases for student projects are to integrate or establish the Natural Systems Thinking Process as part of appropriate psychological, therapeutic, educational, recreational, political or spiritual areas. Under the assumption that the purpose of life is to support life by fulfilling natural attractions, participants select and design research that produces their greatest contribution to the life process and helps others do the same. Qualitative studies, participatory action research, quantitative science or a mixture of these approaches may be used to meet this goal. Examples of the types of projects which would meet the expectations of lead faculty include the following:
-With the consent of their support committee, a participant would design and apply appropriate measurement techniques that scientifically document changes resulting from themselves or others:
-Designing and actualizing an applied ecopsychology course of study for the clients of a therapist.
-Introducing the natural systems thinking process into political, environmental or social areas of conflict as a means of resolving conflict.
-Introducing themselves as an trained agent of the natural systems thinking process into areas seeking or needing personal, social or environmental improvement.
-Acting as an ambassador on behalf of the natural systems thinking process and providing public information that would stimulate interest in the support and use of the process.
-Promoting and implementing the natural systems thinking process as a stress management or mental health tool in industry or other institutions.
-Promoting and implementing the natural systems thinking process in the field of distant education, environmental education, chemical or physical abuse, recovery, therapy, education or community development.
-Evaluate the research of people in related fields and how it could strengthen the natural systems thinking process
Course Descriptions
ECO 500: Psychological Elements of Global Citizenship: The Art and Science of Thinking With Nature. (1 credit)
This short course is offered to students when required or suggested by their department, or by the student's personal choice during any period semester of enrollment or application. It may also be used as a student facilitator training internship once the student has completed the course. Students discover how our excessive separation from nature stresses our sensuous inner nature and initiates our personal and global troubles. Students learn to reverse this destructive process by mastering thoughtful sensory nature reconnecting activities that dissolve stress by satisfying our deepest natural loves, wants, and spirit. This hands-on course teaches lasting leadership, education, counseling, and mental health skills that feelingly tap the "higher power" wisdom of Earth's creation process. The email and telephone contacts of the course empower students to let nature help them nurture warm interpersonal relationships, wellness, and responsibility on personal and global levels. Students relate the course methods and materials to their fields of interest in order to integrate these areas with the global ecosystem. They become familiar with the Natural Systems Thinking Process and improve their Globally Balanced Thinking Score.
ORT 500/600: Orientation for the Adult Learner (1 credit)
This course is required of all graduate students during their first semester of enrollment. The outcome of the course is the development of the student's program schedule for completion of all degree requirements. Students read assigned textual materials including the University's catalogue, student handbook, and degree program overview, and participate in dialogue with the chair of their graduate committee to determine the required courses and appropriate elective coursework options. This is the appropriate forum for discussing minimum entry requirements which need to be added as prerequisites within your degree program. Discuss acceptability of transfer courses and prospective courses appropriate for application of prior learning assessment. Students will relate their interests to the required parameters for field study and research. They will explore thoughts related to special student designed courses and the individualization of student assignments across the degree program. . Students select materials to guide their scholarly writing, manuscript preparation, a trained search, and study skills.
ECO 601 Educating and Counseling with Nature I: Student Teaching and research (3 credits)
Students learn to promote, teach and research personal, social and environmental responsibility by mastering and adapting unique "nature-connecting" teaching methods for personal and professional use. They discover how to teach first-hand, tangible, reconnection with nature contacts that provide information and satisfy deep natural wants. Students discover how, when unsatisfied, these wants disrupt inner peace and fuel personal, cultural and ecological disorders. Under the direction of the instructor, students establish and identify a two or more person class of students with whom they work online and/or onsite. They maintain a journal of their teaching and research efforts and prepare a 5 page reflective paper. Prerequsite: ORT 502 or equivilent.
ECO 602 Educating and Counseling with Nature II: Student Teaching and research (3 credits)
Students learn to promote, teach and research personal, social and environmental responsibility by adapting unique "nature-connecting" teaching methods for personal and professional use. They master the use of hands-on reconnection with nature contacts as education and counseling procedures. Students help promote, organize, and guide presentations for a selected group. They mentor an individual, or teach/facilitate a two or three person class. In concert with a support group that includes the facilitator, they maintain and post a journal of their teaching, findings and research efforts and prepare a 5 page reflective paper.
ECO 603 Exploratory Readings in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (3 credits)
While they are teaching and researching sensory ecology, students will seek, read and critique methods and materials from their own library research. Students carefully explore the literature and prepare an annotated bibliography. As the principal course assignment, participants will prepare a scholarly paper of at least 15 typewritten double-spaced pages discussing problems and solutions to important issues and practice of Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology.
ECO 604 Researching Sensory Knowing and Culture (3 credits)
Students will investigate a library of recent references related to their particular career field or interests that reflect upon the issues relevant to sensory ecology. Students will read and discuss the literature with Dr.Cohen and other professionals. Students will gather a bibliography of literature in their professional field or interest that supports work in Integrated Ecology and prepare an annotated bibliography. Students will prepare a reflective paper of at least 15 typewritten double-spaced pages discussing how the literature has informed their understanding of the opportunities for integration of Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology concepts within their career field.
ECO 522: Public Relations and Marketing (3 credits)
Students survey the field of Public Relations and Marketing to determine the most significant means to promote, impliment and produce support for their involvement in the natural systems thinking process. They identify what that makes each technique and strategy worthwhile, select those that make the most sense to them, defend them, and apply them in areas that add to the field of nature connected psychology and their personal interests. The student writes a three page progress report that documents their work and learning in this area and that would assist others who read it.
PREREQUISITES Students must complete ECO 501 or its equivilent.
ECO 752: Advanced Field Studies in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (6 credits)
Students experience in advanced theory and practice how Western Civilization separates the "human" from the "natural" and estranges us from nature's integrity, love, and spirit, in and around us. Students master, design and implement conscientious techniques which reverse this dilemma and catalyze responsible relationships for "reconnecting with nature in people and places" through negotiating a field experience placement within their career field which supports a practical observation of Integrated Ecology. This field experience will represent a minimum of 90 hours in one or more monitored placements. In them, students apply the syllabus of ECO 501 and ECO 602 as a perceptual filter, maintain a weekly log reflecting upon their experiences and prepare a scholarly paper (at least 15 typewritten double-spaced pages) discussing how the field placement experience has built their understanding of overcoming barriers to successful integration of Integrated Ecology concepts within their career field. [Prerequisite: ECO 601: Educating and Counseling with Nature I]
ECO 753: Case Studies in Education and Counseling with Nature (6 credits)
Students experience in theory and practice how Western Civilization separates the "human" from the "natural" and estranges us from nature's integrity, love, and spirit, in and around us. Students complete field research and prepare case studies describing and validating the growth and development of at least eight individuals who are using nature-reconnecting techniques and prepare a scholarly paper (at least 15 double-spaced typewritten pages) discussing all aspects of the research project and the findings. [Prerequisite: ECO 541: Field Study in Integrated Ecology]
ECO 791: Special Projects in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (3 credits)
Students pursue selected advanced readings in Integrated Ecology (as assigned by faculty), conduct a library search of the existing literature in a defined area, conduct or participate in field courses or observations on this topic and prepare a reflective paper under the direction of the course instructor. The goal of this course is to open for closer student inspection a selected and defined area of the study in Integrated Ecology. Suggested course emphases include educating and counseling with nature, integrating sensory knowing and culture, mentoring techniques, public relations, writing, painting or music and the natural senses, grant development and proposal writing related to integrated ecology.
ECO 792: Advanced Readings in Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (3 credits)
In collaboration with the instructor, students select and pursue exhaustive advanced readings in the study of a selected aspect of Applied ecopsychology. This course is intended to allow students to add in a significant manner to the body of knowledge in this field and a scholarly paper is required of the quality suitable for publication. Suggested course emphases include counseling and education techniques, disconnection issues and the powers of natural senses.
ECO 541 Participatory Research Techniques for Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology (3 credits)
Students will investigate the available literature on participatory research techniques. This may include readings in the literature pertaining to implementing system-transforming innovations (Bushe and Shani), participatory action research in the workplace (Whyte), reflection in action (Schon), reframing organizational culture (Frost, et. al.) and self-reliant initiative (Fals-Borda), as well as other qualitative and action science methodologies. Students will identify an appropriate mini-study, apply techniques from their readings, complete the study and prepare a technical paper of at least ten double-spaced typewritten pages referencing the literature and describing the value of participatory research techniques to the fields of Integrated Ecology.
RES 990: Dissertation Research (9 credits)
Participants prepare a faculty-approved dissertation proposal or proposal for a project in lieu of thesis as the minimum requirement for this course. All aspects of the research project are governed by university guidelines and the research parameters of the degree field. The thesis must represent mastery of a body of knowledge and an original contribution to the field of study. The thesis is expected to be a minimum of 100 double-spaced typewritten pages, conform to an approved manual of style and the University's guidelines, including proper referencing of the literature. The final dissertation document must be approved and signed by the members of the student's graduate committee.
APPLIED ECOPSYCHOLOGY / INTEGRATED ECOLOGY
Department Chair Office InformationDr. Michael J. Cohen, Chair
Post Office Box 1605,
Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
(360) 378-6313
nature@pacificrim.netDr. Cohen is also the director of
PROJECT NATURECONNECT
at the
Institute of Global Education
A special NGO Consultant to the
United Nations Economic and Social Council
He also serves as Adjunct Faculty for
Portland State University School of Extended Studies.Return to Table of Contents HOMEPAGE / CONTENTS / OVERVIEW / RELEASE/ THINKING WITH NATURE / M.S.PROGRAM / Ph.D.PROGRAM / MENTOR / GREENWICH UNIVERSITY / APPLICATION & ADMISSION / FAQ / INSTITUTE /Project NatureConnect
S