Travis Pashak
@profpash.bsky.social
clinical psychologist and psychology professor at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan; here to learn; interested in psychotherapy, existential psych research, and undergrad teaching; my views only; he/him
Pinned
Travis Pashak
@profpash.bsky.social
· Mar 20
Wrote a thing!
🤓📝
Overviews my ongoing career advising project.
"A Case Study in the Development of Advising Resources for an Interdisciplinary Field: Introducing Michigan Mental Health Helping Professions"
Read here: digitalcommmons.alma.edu/michigan-aca...
Or just visit #MIMHHP here: mimhhp.com
🤓📝
Overviews my ongoing career advising project.
"A Case Study in the Development of Advising Resources for an Interdisciplinary Field: Introducing Michigan Mental Health Helping Professions"
Read here: digitalcommmons.alma.edu/michigan-aca...
Or just visit #MIMHHP here: mimhhp.com
Invited to speak on a panel today re: mental health leadership at a student convention on campus.
Got prompts about burn-out, self-care, stigma, etc. I think audience prob expected to hear about mindfulness and whatnot.
Panel argued need for systemic change and to fight oppression. Love to see it.
Got prompts about burn-out, self-care, stigma, etc. I think audience prob expected to hear about mindfulness and whatnot.
Panel argued need for systemic change and to fight oppression. Love to see it.
January 30, 2026 at 8:49 PM
Invited to speak on a panel today re: mental health leadership at a student convention on campus.
Got prompts about burn-out, self-care, stigma, etc. I think audience prob expected to hear about mindfulness and whatnot.
Panel argued need for systemic change and to fight oppression. Love to see it.
Got prompts about burn-out, self-care, stigma, etc. I think audience prob expected to hear about mindfulness and whatnot.
Panel argued need for systemic change and to fight oppression. Love to see it.
Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took at university.
1. Polish
2. Ice Ages
3. Marching Band
4. Physics of Music
5. Sociology of Family
(Plus loads of psych, but that goes without saying. These seemed the five most interesting to mention in retrospect.)
1. Polish
2. Ice Ages
3. Marching Band
4. Physics of Music
5. Sociology of Family
(Plus loads of psych, but that goes without saying. These seemed the five most interesting to mention in retrospect.)
Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took at university.
👍 Foundations of the social sciences/philosophy (hated it, but would love to do it now)
❤️ Psychology and society
❤️ Psychology of women
🤮 Labs ('research' = boring 'experiments')
🤮 Statistics
Guess which I specialised in? 😂
👍 Foundations of the social sciences/philosophy (hated it, but would love to do it now)
❤️ Psychology and society
❤️ Psychology of women
🤮 Labs ('research' = boring 'experiments')
🤮 Statistics
Guess which I specialised in? 😂
Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took at university.
English and Scottish Literature
Anglo Saxon Literature
American Literature
Shakespeare
And ...Italian (lectures 9.00 am, didn't go, squeaked a pass)
English and Scottish Literature
Anglo Saxon Literature
American Literature
Shakespeare
And ...Italian (lectures 9.00 am, didn't go, squeaked a pass)
January 30, 2026 at 8:37 PM
Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took at university.
1. Polish
2. Ice Ages
3. Marching Band
4. Physics of Music
5. Sociology of Family
(Plus loads of psych, but that goes without saying. These seemed the five most interesting to mention in retrospect.)
1. Polish
2. Ice Ages
3. Marching Band
4. Physics of Music
5. Sociology of Family
(Plus loads of psych, but that goes without saying. These seemed the five most interesting to mention in retrospect.)
This is my impression of an owl in academia.
(Who, 2026)
(Who, 2026)
January 22, 2026 at 1:32 AM
This is my impression of an owl in academia.
(Who, 2026)
(Who, 2026)
Reposted by Travis Pashak
Clinical psychology, when it's good, is unglamorous- it's rarely about clever techniques or 'reframes'.
It's about being alongside people, people who are in all different kinds of pain, & really listening & trying to make sense of what someone's going through, what someone needs, & what might help.
It's about being alongside people, people who are in all different kinds of pain, & really listening & trying to make sense of what someone's going through, what someone needs, & what might help.
January 16, 2026 at 11:48 PM
Clinical psychology, when it's good, is unglamorous- it's rarely about clever techniques or 'reframes'.
It's about being alongside people, people who are in all different kinds of pain, & really listening & trying to make sense of what someone's going through, what someone needs, & what might help.
It's about being alongside people, people who are in all different kinds of pain, & really listening & trying to make sense of what someone's going through, what someone needs, & what might help.
The new "Teaching Tips" ebook is available now from @stpteachpsych.bsky.social! Happy to have a note on my roundtable meeting included, it was a great time. Link here:
teachpsych.org/ebooks/teach...
Looking forward to more connections and shared ideas this April in Chicago for MPA!
teachpsych.org/ebooks/teach...
Looking forward to more connections and shared ideas this April in Chicago for MPA!
January 14, 2026 at 7:12 PM
The new "Teaching Tips" ebook is available now from @stpteachpsych.bsky.social! Happy to have a note on my roundtable meeting included, it was a great time. Link here:
teachpsych.org/ebooks/teach...
Looking forward to more connections and shared ideas this April in Chicago for MPA!
teachpsych.org/ebooks/teach...
Looking forward to more connections and shared ideas this April in Chicago for MPA!
My syllabi for this semester all say “Winer 2026” at the top.
Best time to catch that is definitely the second day of class, after they’ve been printed and handed out to everyone. Yup.
Things are going great.
Best time to catch that is definitely the second day of class, after they’ve been printed and handed out to everyone. Yup.
Things are going great.
January 14, 2026 at 2:40 PM
My syllabi for this semester all say “Winer 2026” at the top.
Best time to catch that is definitely the second day of class, after they’ve been printed and handed out to everyone. Yup.
Things are going great.
Best time to catch that is definitely the second day of class, after they’ve been printed and handed out to everyone. Yup.
Things are going great.
Reposted by Travis Pashak
The final title of this piece is:
“Confronting Crisis and Reclaiming Purpose in Psychological Science”
with @lluaces.bsky.social @sheilacrowell.bsky.social @junegruber.bsky.social @tinaboisseau.bsky.social @anthonyperillo.bsky.social @jenperillo.bsky.social
Now in press at Nature Mental Health
“Confronting Crisis and Reclaiming Purpose in Psychological Science”
with @lluaces.bsky.social @sheilacrowell.bsky.social @junegruber.bsky.social @tinaboisseau.bsky.social @anthonyperillo.bsky.social @jenperillo.bsky.social
Now in press at Nature Mental Health
Just accepted at Nature Mental Health:
Crises and Opportunities for Psychological Science under Fascism
https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/nz42x_v3
1/9
Crises and Opportunities for Psychological Science under Fascism
https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/nz42x_v3
1/9
January 6, 2026 at 8:16 PM
The final title of this piece is:
“Confronting Crisis and Reclaiming Purpose in Psychological Science”
with @lluaces.bsky.social @sheilacrowell.bsky.social @junegruber.bsky.social @tinaboisseau.bsky.social @anthonyperillo.bsky.social @jenperillo.bsky.social
Now in press at Nature Mental Health
“Confronting Crisis and Reclaiming Purpose in Psychological Science”
with @lluaces.bsky.social @sheilacrowell.bsky.social @junegruber.bsky.social @tinaboisseau.bsky.social @anthonyperillo.bsky.social @jenperillo.bsky.social
Now in press at Nature Mental Health
Reposted by Travis Pashak
BlueSky shoutout on Abbot Elementary!
November 6, 2025 at 7:31 PM
BlueSky shoutout on Abbot Elementary!
My former clinic director (wonderful human being and mentor of mine the past decade), has now retired after a gradual handoff of several months to the new director.
Today she left me this, uhm, goodbye card?
I will cherish its chaotic hilarity forever.
Today she left me this, uhm, goodbye card?
I will cherish its chaotic hilarity forever.
January 7, 2026 at 3:15 AM
My former clinic director (wonderful human being and mentor of mine the past decade), has now retired after a gradual handoff of several months to the new director.
Today she left me this, uhm, goodbye card?
I will cherish its chaotic hilarity forever.
Today she left me this, uhm, goodbye card?
I will cherish its chaotic hilarity forever.
Beautiful episode, glad that it’s become an annual tradition for the show to revisit. Kudos to Marina Alessandri and Sean Illing for the existentially acute and emotionally vulnerable conversation.
“It’s ok not to be ok” on #TheGrayArea
open.spotify.com/episode/12g5...
“It’s ok not to be ok” on #TheGrayArea
open.spotify.com/episode/12g5...
It’s okay to not be okay
open.spotify.com
December 24, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Beautiful episode, glad that it’s become an annual tradition for the show to revisit. Kudos to Marina Alessandri and Sean Illing for the existentially acute and emotionally vulnerable conversation.
“It’s ok not to be ok” on #TheGrayArea
open.spotify.com/episode/12g5...
“It’s ok not to be ok” on #TheGrayArea
open.spotify.com/episode/12g5...
Reposted by Travis Pashak
It's Festivus, so I'm going to air some grievances.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
December 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
It's Festivus, so I'm going to air some grievances.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
1. If you're going to write a year end story about how scientists responded to authoritarianism and *NOT* include @standupforscience.bsky.social in the write up or cite that the photo you used as your header is from one of our rallies...that's bs.
Every Tuesday I have lunch with Garry, a fellow therapist at my clinic.
I’m 39, he’s 67. I see adults, he sees kids. We talk theory and cases, or politics and personal life, or just bullshit and puns. I offer my radishes and he always refuses.
We laugh. It’s great.
I recommend finding your Garry.
I’m 39, he’s 67. I see adults, he sees kids. We talk theory and cases, or politics and personal life, or just bullshit and puns. I offer my radishes and he always refuses.
We laugh. It’s great.
I recommend finding your Garry.
December 20, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Every Tuesday I have lunch with Garry, a fellow therapist at my clinic.
I’m 39, he’s 67. I see adults, he sees kids. We talk theory and cases, or politics and personal life, or just bullshit and puns. I offer my radishes and he always refuses.
We laugh. It’s great.
I recommend finding your Garry.
I’m 39, he’s 67. I see adults, he sees kids. We talk theory and cases, or politics and personal life, or just bullshit and puns. I offer my radishes and he always refuses.
We laugh. It’s great.
I recommend finding your Garry.
Reposted by Travis Pashak
I showed my bluesky account to my psychiatrist and she said I could pick whatever medication I want
October 21, 2024 at 4:52 PM
I showed my bluesky account to my psychiatrist and she said I could pick whatever medication I want
Reposted by Travis Pashak
Here's a piece I wrote on the myth of liberal bias in psychology
As featured in @psychmag.bsky.social with thanks to @jonsutton.bsky.social
#psychology #politics #CultureWars
As featured in @psychmag.bsky.social with thanks to @jonsutton.bsky.social
#psychology #politics #CultureWars
Psychology is not ‘Woke’: Examining claims of liberal bias | BPS
Brian M. Hughes with the argument from his book, ‘Psychology’s Quiet Conservatism: How a Supposedly Woke Science Promotes Capitalism and Protects Privilege’.
www.bps.org.uk
December 12, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Here's a piece I wrote on the myth of liberal bias in psychology
As featured in @psychmag.bsky.social with thanks to @jonsutton.bsky.social
#psychology #politics #CultureWars
As featured in @psychmag.bsky.social with thanks to @jonsutton.bsky.social
#psychology #politics #CultureWars
Reposted by Travis Pashak
A therapeutic brand for every human nook and cranny is the profession chasing its own tail. Rather than collecting tools for every situation, we should focus on fundamentals that work in most situations.
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/the-age-of...
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/the-age-of...
The Age of Acronyms
"Little by little and letter by letter, acronyms obscure the essence of psychotherapy." Stephanie Foster
www.psychiatrymargins.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:41 PM
A therapeutic brand for every human nook and cranny is the profession chasing its own tail. Rather than collecting tools for every situation, we should focus on fundamentals that work in most situations.
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/the-age-of...
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/the-age-of...
Concisely, his six suggestions for DSM-6:
1) Offer "disorder" clarity.
2) Specify disorder validity.
3) Justify diagnostic thresholds.
4) Acknowledge descriptive gaps.
5) Include dimensional approaches.
6) Free public accessibility/transparency.
::immediately adds to next week's lecture slides::
1) Offer "disorder" clarity.
2) Specify disorder validity.
3) Justify diagnostic thresholds.
4) Acknowledge descriptive gaps.
5) Include dimensional approaches.
6) Free public accessibility/transparency.
::immediately adds to next week's lecture slides::
@awaisaftab.bsky.social is amazing, as usual. Loving this post.
Regarding DSM diagnostic criteria: "A best guess is fine as a starting point, but it cannot be treated as something special or sacred..." as it is basically a "pulled-out-of-the-ass threshold"
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/6-suggesti...
Regarding DSM diagnostic criteria: "A best guess is fine as a starting point, but it cannot be treated as something special or sacred..." as it is basically a "pulled-out-of-the-ass threshold"
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/6-suggesti...
6 Suggestions for DSM-6
Making the next DSM look less like a house of mirrors
www.psychiatrymargins.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Concisely, his six suggestions for DSM-6:
1) Offer "disorder" clarity.
2) Specify disorder validity.
3) Justify diagnostic thresholds.
4) Acknowledge descriptive gaps.
5) Include dimensional approaches.
6) Free public accessibility/transparency.
::immediately adds to next week's lecture slides::
1) Offer "disorder" clarity.
2) Specify disorder validity.
3) Justify diagnostic thresholds.
4) Acknowledge descriptive gaps.
5) Include dimensional approaches.
6) Free public accessibility/transparency.
::immediately adds to next week's lecture slides::
@awaisaftab.bsky.social is amazing, as usual. Loving this post.
Regarding DSM diagnostic criteria: "A best guess is fine as a starting point, but it cannot be treated as something special or sacred..." as it is basically a "pulled-out-of-the-ass threshold"
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/6-suggesti...
Regarding DSM diagnostic criteria: "A best guess is fine as a starting point, but it cannot be treated as something special or sacred..." as it is basically a "pulled-out-of-the-ass threshold"
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/6-suggesti...
6 Suggestions for DSM-6
Making the next DSM look less like a house of mirrors
www.psychiatrymargins.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
@awaisaftab.bsky.social is amazing, as usual. Loving this post.
Regarding DSM diagnostic criteria: "A best guess is fine as a starting point, but it cannot be treated as something special or sacred..." as it is basically a "pulled-out-of-the-ass threshold"
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/6-suggesti...
Regarding DSM diagnostic criteria: "A best guess is fine as a starting point, but it cannot be treated as something special or sacred..." as it is basically a "pulled-out-of-the-ass threshold"
www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/6-suggesti...
Reposted by Travis Pashak
A tool built on the stolen labor of others will not liberate you as a worker.
A tool built on the stolen ideas of others will not liberate you as a thinker.
You are not using AI; AI is using you.
Stop it.
A tool built on the stolen ideas of others will not liberate you as a thinker.
You are not using AI; AI is using you.
Stop it.
October 18, 2025 at 1:55 PM
A tool built on the stolen labor of others will not liberate you as a worker.
A tool built on the stolen ideas of others will not liberate you as a thinker.
You are not using AI; AI is using you.
Stop it.
A tool built on the stolen ideas of others will not liberate you as a thinker.
You are not using AI; AI is using you.
Stop it.
Yup. We should have daylight savings year round.
November 13, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Yup. We should have daylight savings year round.
My dept is hiring!
Specialty area flexible. Applied sub-fields like forensic or I/O psych especially appealing. But a social/personality, quant/stats psych, or other 'generalist' would also fit well.
Teaching-focused, undergrad only. Life in MI is great!
svsu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Extern...
Specialty area flexible. Applied sub-fields like forensic or I/O psych especially appealing. But a social/personality, quant/stats psych, or other 'generalist' would also fit well.
Teaching-focused, undergrad only. Life in MI is great!
svsu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Extern...
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Job Title: Assistant Professor of Psychology Full or Part Time: Full time Hours: 40 Exempt: Yes Supervisory Org: Psychology (PM) Job Description: JOB SUMMARY: SVSU invites applicants for a tenure-trac...
svsu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:52 PM
My dept is hiring!
Specialty area flexible. Applied sub-fields like forensic or I/O psych especially appealing. But a social/personality, quant/stats psych, or other 'generalist' would also fit well.
Teaching-focused, undergrad only. Life in MI is great!
svsu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Extern...
Specialty area flexible. Applied sub-fields like forensic or I/O psych especially appealing. But a social/personality, quant/stats psych, or other 'generalist' would also fit well.
Teaching-focused, undergrad only. Life in MI is great!
svsu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Extern...
So often it seems the therapeutic thing to do is get the hell out of the way while they talk.
“After years of keeping it inside me, I had finally got it out. Perhaps I should have told it to the doctor, but it would have been difficult. Yet I could tell Suzy. Because she didn’t try to analyze it; she simply let the little boy talk.”
(Kerkhoff, 1952, p. 178)
(Kerkhoff, 1952, p. 178)
September 21, 2025 at 2:49 AM
So often it seems the therapeutic thing to do is get the hell out of the way while they talk.
“After years of keeping it inside me, I had finally got it out. Perhaps I should have told it to the doctor, but it would have been difficult. Yet I could tell Suzy. Because she didn’t try to analyze it; she simply let the little boy talk.”
(Kerkhoff, 1952, p. 178)
(Kerkhoff, 1952, p. 178)
September 21, 2025 at 2:48 AM
“After years of keeping it inside me, I had finally got it out. Perhaps I should have told it to the doctor, but it would have been difficult. Yet I could tell Suzy. Because she didn’t try to analyze it; she simply let the little boy talk.”
(Kerkhoff, 1952, p. 178)
(Kerkhoff, 1952, p. 178)
Reposted by Travis Pashak
Marcus Aurelius - Stoic Philosopher
Marcus Ohreallyus - Skeptic Philosopher
Marcus Ohreallyus - Skeptic Philosopher
January 11, 2024 at 3:21 PM
Marcus Aurelius - Stoic Philosopher
Marcus Ohreallyus - Skeptic Philosopher
Marcus Ohreallyus - Skeptic Philosopher
Reposted by Travis Pashak
Would love to get to know therapists much more on this platform. I miss the everyday chat I used to get on X/Twitter!
I’m Caz-a private practitioner,based in London working full-time with clients first&foremost (I’m also an author). Where are you/what do you do?!
#TherapistsConnect
#therapistsky
I’m Caz-a private practitioner,based in London working full-time with clients first&foremost (I’m also an author). Where are you/what do you do?!
#TherapistsConnect
#therapistsky
a close up of a rock with the words `` who 's there ? i see u '' written on it .
ALT: a close up of a rock with the words `` who 's there ? i see u '' written on it .
media.tenor.com
September 15, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Would love to get to know therapists much more on this platform. I miss the everyday chat I used to get on X/Twitter!
I’m Caz-a private practitioner,based in London working full-time with clients first&foremost (I’m also an author). Where are you/what do you do?!
#TherapistsConnect
#therapistsky
I’m Caz-a private practitioner,based in London working full-time with clients first&foremost (I’m also an author). Where are you/what do you do?!
#TherapistsConnect
#therapistsky