Faculty Profile: Louis Hoffman

Introduction to Existential Psychology: How Confrontation with Existence Can Deepen Your Clinical Work
Workshop by Mark Yang, Louis Hoffman & Zheng Liren 
Singapore, June 3 & 4, 2013

Introduction to Existential Psychology: How Confrontation with Existence Can Deepen Your Clinical Work (1-day workshop)
Linzi Counseling Centers, Shenzhen, China, June 6

Introduction to Existential Psychology: How Confrontation with Existence Can Deepen Your Clinical Work (2-day workshop)
Linzi Counseling Centers, Beijing, China, June 8-9

Introduction to Existential Psychology: How Confrontation with Existence Can Deepen Your Clinical Work (2-day workshop)
Linzi Counseling Centers, Shanghai, China, June 11-12

Existential Psychotherapy Training (2-day Workshop)
Zhi Mian Institute of Psychotherapy, Nanjing, China, June 15-16

Presentations at the 2013 APA Annual Convention in Hawaii July 30-August 4:

Existential therapy, culture, and therapist factors in evidence-based practice by Heatherlyn Cleare-Hoffman, Louis Hoffman, & Sivan Willson. Thursday, 9:00-9:50

The meaning and history of Junkanoo for Bahamian culture (Poster) by Heatherlyn Cleare-Hoffman & Louis Hoffman. Thursday, 10:00-10:50.

Existential therapy and creativity in China (Poster) by Heather McQueen, Shawn Rubin, Steve Pritzker, Xuefu Wang, Richard Bargdill, Louis Hoffman, & Jason Dias. Thursday, 10:00-10:50.

Demonstrating existential and humanistic therapy’s evidence-based foundation for your practice: A workshop by Louis Hoffman, Janelle Clark, Marilyn Franklin, Gena Clark, Aimee Henson, Abraham Lopez, Tjuana Smylie, Tiffany Washa, & Sivan Willson, (Society for Humanistic Psychology (APA Division 32) Hospitality Suite. Thursday, 4:00 to 5:50. 

Humanistic psychology speaks: The division president’s town hall meeting on horror (Conversation Hour); Frank Farley & Louis Hoffman (co-chairs). Friday 9:00-9:50.

Relational factors, culture, and religious experience in clinical practice by Louis Hoffman, TJ Smilye, & Sivan Wilson. Saturday, 9:00-9:50.

Existential issues in trauma: Assessment and treatment by Louis Hoffman, Heatherlyn Cleare-Hoffman, & Lisa Vallejos.  Saturday, 10:00-10:50.

Multiculturalism, epistemological diversity, language: Embracing poetry and science to advance psychology (Society for Humanistic Psychology [APA Division 32] Presidential Address). Saturday, 2:00-2:50.

Fuller Theological Seminary - Graduate School of Psychology, Pasadena, CA
PhD in Clinical Psychology, September, 2001 (APA Accredited)

Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA
Completed 18 additional hours in religious, spiritual, and cultural diversity; ethics; and theology.

Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA,
MA in Theology, September, 1999

Fuller Theological Seminary - Graduate School of Psychology, Pasadena, CA,
MA in Psychology, June, 1997

Concordia University, Seward, NE
BA in Psychology and Theology, May, 1995

University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
Supplementary coursework in psychology while attending Concordia University

Hoffman, L., Dias, J., McInerny, R., & Thrash, C. (submitted for publication). Using neuropsychology to enhance existential therapy.
 

Hoffman, L., Richards, R., & Pritzker, R. (in press). Creativity and the evolution of humanistic psychology. Self and Society.
 

Hoffman, L., Lopez, A., & Moats, M. (in development). Humanistic psychology and self-acceptance. In M. Bernard (Ed.), The strength of self-acceptance. New York: NY: Springer.

Hoffman, L., Hoffman, J. L., Hoffman, J. L. S., & Cleare-Hoffman, H. P. (2010). Culture, religion, and spirituality: How spirituality saved religion. In J. H. Ellens (Ed.), The healing power of spirituality: How faith helps humans thrive (Vol. 2: Religion; pp. 191-206). Westport, CT: Praeger.

Hoffman, L., Moriarty, G., & Williamson, N. (2010). The dynamics of religious experience and psychological health: An existential-psychodynamic perspective. In J. H. Ellens (Ed.), The healing power of spirituality: How faith helps humans thrive (Vol. 3: Psychodynamics; pp. 147-170). Westport, CT: Praeger.
 

Hoffman, L. (2012). Religious experience, development, and diversity. Pastoral Psychology, 61, 1025-1035. DOI 10.1007/s11089-011-0403-2

Hoffman, L. (2012). An existential-phenomenological approach to the psychology of religion. Pastoral Psychology, 61, 783-795. DOI 10.1007/s11089-011-0393-0

Hoffman, L. (2012). Religious experience in a cross-cultural and interfaith context: Limitations and possibilities. Pastoral Psychology, 61, 809-822. DOI: 10.1007/s11089-011-0394-z

Helminiak, D., Hoffman, L., & Dodson, E., (2012). A critique of the “theistic psychology” movement as exemplified in Bartz (2009) “Theistic Existential Psychology.” The Humanistic Psychologist, 40, 179-196. DOI: 10.1080/08873267.2012.672351

Hoffman, L. & Cleare-Hoffman, H. P. (2011). Existential therapy and emotions: Lessons from cross-cultural exchange. The Humanistic Psychologist, 39, 261-267.

Yang, M. & Hoffman, L. (2011). Introduction to the special section on the First International Conference on Existential Psychology. The Humanistic Psychologist, 39, 236-239.

Hoffman, L., Warner, H. J., Gregory, C., & Fehl, S. (2011). Existential-integrative perspectives on the psychology of evil. In J. H. Ellens (Ed.), Explaining evil (Vol. 3: Approaches, responses, solutions; pp. 263-286). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

Hoffman, L. (2010). Working with the God image in therapy: An experiential approach. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 29, 268-271.
 

Hoffman, L. & Thelen, M. (2010). William James and the fight for science. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 50, 430-439. DOI: 10.1177/0022167810373397
 

Hoffman, L. (2009). Knowing and the unknown: An existential epistemology in a postmodern context. Humana.Mente, 11, 97-110.

Hoffman, L., Warner, H. J., Gregory, C., & Fehl, S. (2011). Existential-integrative perspectives on the psychology of evil. In J. H. Ellens (Ed.), Explaining evil (Vol. 3: Approaches, responses, solutions; pp. 263-286). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

Hoffman, L. & Thelen, M. (2010). William James and the fight for science. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 50, 430-439. DOI: 10.1177/0022167810373397

Hoffman, L., Hoffman, J. L., Hoffman, J. L. S., & Cleare-Hoffman, H. P. (2010). Culture, religion, and spirituality: How spirituality saved religion. In J. H. Ellens (Ed.), The healing power of spirituality: How faith helps humans thrive (Vol. 2: Religion; pp. 191-206). Westport, CT: Praeger.

Hoffman, L. & Cleare-Hoffman, H. P. (2011). Existential therapy and emotions: Lessons from cross-cultural exchange. The Humanistic Psychologist, 39, 261-267.

Hoffman, L. (2012). Religious experience in a cross-cultural and interfaith context: Limitations and possibilities. Pastoral Psychology, 61, 809-822. DOI: 10.1007/s11089-011-0394-z

Hoffman, L., Yang, M., Chan, A., & Kaklauskas, F. (Eds.). (2009). Existential psychology East-West. Colorado Springs, CO: University of the Rockies Press.
(Contracted to be translated into Chinese through the China Machine Press)

Kaklauskas, F., Nimanheminda, S., Hoffman, L., & Jack, M. (Eds.). (2008). Brilliant sanity: Buddhist approaches to psychotherapy. Colorado Springs, CO: University of the Rockies Press.
 

Moriarty, G. & Hoffman, L. (Eds.). (2007). The God image handbook for spiritual counseling and psychotherapy: Theory, research, and practice. New York, NY: Haworth Press. The book will also be co-published as a special issues of the Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 9 (3/4).
 

Cox, R. H., Cox, B., & Hoffman, L. (Eds.). (2005). Spirituality and psychological health. Colorado Springs, CO: Colorado Professional School of Psychology Press.

Hoffman, L. Dias, J., & Choi Soholm, H. (2012, August). Existential-humanistic therapy as a model for evidence-based practice. In S. Rubin (Chair), Evidence in support of existential-humanistic psychology: Revitalizing the ‘third force.’ Symposium presented at the 120th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Orlando, FL.

Hoffman, L. (2012, May). The poetics of suffering: Existential perspectives on suffering, loss, and transformation. Keynote address at the Second International Conference on Existential Psychology, Shanghai, China.

Hoffman, L. (2012, May). Honoring the individual and the collective in existential psychotherapy. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Existential Psychology, Shanghai, China.

Hoffman, L. (2012, March/April). Social harmony and the rebel: Engaging the individualist-collectivist paradox. In L. Hoffman (Chair), The collective and the individual in humanistic psychology: Implications of moving beyond the individualist bias. Symposium presented at the 5th Annual Society of Humanistic Psychology Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Hoffman, L. (2012, March/April). Fatherhood: The heightening of one’s existence. In R. McInerney (Chair), Fatherhood: Personal, existential, and communal. Symposium presented at the 5th Annual Society for Humanistic Psychology Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Hoffman, L. & Cleare-Hoffman, H. P. (2011, November). Existential therapy in a Bahamian context. Paper presented at the 2011 Caribbean Regional Conference of Psychology, Nassau, Bahamas.

Hoffman, L., Lincoln, J., & Johnson, C. (2011, August). A phenomenological investigation of conversion therapy. In L. Hoffman & J. Lincoln (Chairs), The impact of religion and religious issues on lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Symposium presented at the 119th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

Hoffman, L. (2011, August). Diversity and existence: The existential frontiers of diversity. In D. N. Elkins (Chair), The new existential-humanistic psychology: Science, diversity, awe, and spirituality. Symposium presented at the 119th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

Suri, R., Hoffman, L., Fehl, S. & Kaed, R. (2011, August). A phenomenological investigation of the God image and religious diversity. In L. Hoffman & G. Moriarty (Chairs), God image research and applications. Symposium presented at the 119th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

Hoffman, L. (2011, April). Diversity and existential psychology. In D. N. Elkins (Chair), The new existential-humanistic psychology: Its evolution in theory and practice. Paper presented at the 4th Annual Society for Humanistic Psychology Conference, Chicago, IL.

Hoffman, L. (2011, March). Preparing for and facing death. Invited paper presented at the 2011 Existential Psychology Forum, Nanjing, China.

Hoffman, L. & Dyer, J. C. (2010, August). Using neuropsychology to enhance existential psychotherapy. In L. Hoffman (Chair), Neuropsychology, health psychology, and existential psychology: Creating dialog. Symposium presented at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA.

Hoffman, L. (2010, August). Therapeutic strategies for changing religious experience and their implications. Presented at the 5th International Conference on the Psychology of Religion, Pasadena, CA.

Hoffman, L. (2010, April). Existential psychology in an East-West dialogue. Opening address at the First International Conference on Existential Psychology, Nanjing, China.

Hoffman, L. (2010, April). An existential exploration of emotions in a cross-cultural context. In L. Hoffman (Chair), Existential psychology and emotion. Symposium presented at the First International Conference on Existential Psychology, Nanjing, China.

Hoffman, L. (2010, April). Nietzsche’s influence upon existential psychology. In X. Wang (Chair), LuXun and Nietzsche in dialogue. Symposium presented at the First International Conference on Existential Psychology, Nanjing, China.

A complete list of conference presentations is available at Louis Hoffman's vita at: http://saybrook.academia.edu/LouisHoffman/CurriculumVitae

• Existential Psychology and Therapy
• Spiritual and Religious Experience
• LGBT Issues
• Cultural Diversity
• International Psychology
• The Use of the Arts (particularly poetry) in therapy & healing

I have chaired and served on dissertations committees that were qualitative, quantitative, program development, and theoretical previously, though my preference is to work with qualitative and theoretical dissertations. I am comfortable working with a wide array of qualitative methods. 

1. Each year I travel to China focusing on existential psychology. Traditionally, I will take a couple of Saybrook students along each year. If interested, it is best to contact me early in the year.
2. I regularly invite students to collaborate on writing projects as a way of mentoring into professional writing. If interested, send me an Email with some information about your interests.

For more information about publications and professional activities, including copies of some of my papers, you can view my teaching website and academia.edu webpage. 

Research Expertise Rating Guide:

1. studied in a class or have read intensively on my own
2. special training in the form of a workshop or equivalent
3. taught a class in, or supervised research using this method (research practicum, on a dissertation or master's committee
4. used in research myself
5. published or presented at conferences my research using this method

Methods Traditionally Considered As Quantitative (But Need Not Be)

Methods That Could Use Quantitative Or Qualitative Methods

Methods Primarily Associated With Qualitative Research (But May Also Use Quantitative)

Types of Analysis