“Kind Comments” About Deane Shapiro and His Life, Professionally and Personally

“Kind Comments” About Deane Shapiro and His Life, Professionally and Personally. These are a collection of a few kind remarks and comments gathered over the years.

From Colleagues, Students

“JOHANNA: KIND SUMMARY OF KIND COMMENTS ABOVE.”

It was a joy to go through these.  You were an amazing g teacher, research mentor and all-around inspiration to so many people. You deserve to be proud and grateful for the opportunity to touch so many lives. Below are my “comments” on the kind comments in each area. Love, J

REGARDING RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS. I bet this was fun to do!  These letters give a lot of detail about WHY you were a “giant” in the field – which is great, so that anyone who visits the website can put your work in context.  I can’t comment line by line because these are photos but I like phrases like “seminal thinker” (JKZ). He also does a great job of showing how control theory makes a unique contribution to clinical psychology.  Roger’s is probably the most thorough and laudatory.  It means a lot when he says “one of foremost researchers”! His letter provides the most detailed assessment of the quality of your work by the journals in which it appeared and number of citations. He also seems to acknowledge the multifaceted nature of what you were attempting with control theory and therapy. He also lauds your teaching generously. Haruki is very positive about your meditation research and theorizing bridging east and west; and Tart comes up with the nice phrase “internationally recognized authority” and “top 10 researchers in the world”! (Anonymous made it 3 or 4!). Cool!!  I loved this sentence from Cyril Franks that highlighted your uniqueness as researcher and scholar: “he is one of the few, very few, individuals whose concern is with the systemic and scholarly syntheses of clinical procedures and concepts stemming from eastern and western psychological systems” – that’s a really eloquent way of describing your work.

Several people also comment on the “humaneness” of your work – and you as a colleague. Ken Wilber’s comment is Absolutely fabulous incredible. A wonderful comment about your trustworthiness and insight as a person – well-deserved.  A lot of the letters, including Stokols, commend not only your theory, but your methodological innovations, which is a great acknowledgment.  Many emphasize your creativity, pioneering, synthesizing (especially in terms of capacity for interdisciplinary thinking), and paradigm building, as well as your ability to integrate a spiritual dimension.  Gary Evans’ letter is very acknowledging of the rarity of your syncretic  work on control (“original and creative”), as well as praising your teaching and supervision of graduate students. Very sweet as well that Inamatsu commended you not only as “an excellent researcher,” but a “warm and generous human being.”  It is striking how often colleagues and students comment on your personal qualities – it is evidence that you succeeded well in integrating the professional and the personal work.  It is also obvious that most of these people know your work in-depth, and have followed your thinking for years.  You really did have a profound impact on many! The international dimension is also impressive – speaks to being a world leader 🙂

REGARDING TEACHING, These also must have been fun to go through! – Superlative, a blessing, ideal role model, with work “most praised” by prospective residents and faculty! A “good mother/father”! Rosa’s praise for and appreciation of the 4 Quadrant Model – and living it – is abundant! It was also sweet to see John Astin’s comments as a graduate student.  Your teaching style is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, knowledgeable about detail while also providing theoretical framework. Everyone sees you as a clear, logical thinker and a rigorous scientist, a true.  You are accessible and always ready to help. Growth-oriented and visionary!  Inspiring and the epitome of a scientific healer. These learners really appreciated not only your knowledge, but also how that knowledge infused your person.  You were also a great research supervisor, guiding while encouraging independence and initiative.

Loved the undergrad who said “Human control was a breath of fresh air” who felt it was the “most beneficial” class he’d taken at UCI. It was obvious how much you cared about the students, not just in term of knowledge acquisition but in terms of their development as people.  Cool that your course was “substantially higher” than other Social Ecology courses – humanitarian research scientist! Also impressive that you obviously made students think and question their beliefs.  Many commented on the idea of relating the academic material back to their personal lives. “It wasn’t just a class, it was an adventure through the core of my mind”! Wow. I loved the comment from a PD2 student who said, “we came in with a bad attitude, and Dr. Shapiro knew it, and took control of us! – so precious.  So many comments that this was the best lecture, how enthusiastic and entertaining you were, how you really knew your material etc.  And excellent, excellent, excellent – when not inspirational!

The California State Psychological Association recognition was very cool too – “outstanding teacher”!Deborah Stewart, The Associate Dean of Students,  literally raved about your teaching (“extraordinary” and “exceptional”) – and I’m sure she was right, you were always one of the best PD teachers! The ABPP (American Board of Proressional Psychology letter is especially kind– you were obviously judged to be a skillful, knowledgeable, and empathic therapist.  Marsha Stein wrote a very strong letter commending your role as Outpatient Director. Ellen’s letter was also particularly strong in its detail – she made a great case for the widespread influence of your work through your publications and speaking; and also highlighted your ability to combine theory and praxis (she also noted you were “a fine human being”!). And what a good memory of your work initiating the Unitarian Church’s “free university” – which showed that, even at that early stage, you were committed to uniting the theoretical and the personal, and to the growth of the individual. A great commendation from the city council about your role as Director of Webster Center, The Family and Adolescent mental health center, including getting additional funding from the city council with unanimous support.

GOD SEARCH CLASS AND JUDAISM. Finally, the God Search comments were just touching – helped students to see God in a new way (!)In terms of the “kind comments,” it was wabi-sabi to see old names – Brad Artson and “your stubborn willingness to share” (adorable) and “stunning integrity” (wow); Shlomo Carlbach’s thanks for creating a spiritual environment. And the same thing from Bernie King, who admires not only your work on eastern religions and Judaism but also someone “leading a life which puts into action the values of sharing and service to others.”  That’s quite a tribute! Seeing Allan’s “evaluation” was also very touching – despite differences in emphasis (individual introspection vs. community service), it is clear how much he admired you and appreciated your contributions to the Temple and to the Jewish community

It’s so great to see all these colleagues and students  recognizing  your scholarship, your teaching, your enthusiasm, energy, and commitment, and your kind dedication to applying theory and personal care to each personal life.  Job well done!:) Thanks for sharing; Love love, Johanna