Dr. Nicholas Lee joined the CPSY faculty as a full-time Assistant Professor this semester.

1. Where is your hometown?

I grew up on the east side of Indianapolis

2. Tell us about your educational background.

I attended Ball State for my undergraduate studies. My bachelor’s degree is in Communication Studies and I minored in Psychology (2003). I attended Indiana Wesleyan University for my master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (2006) after taking a gap year and working full-time.  I obtained my LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) shortly thereafter and practiced full time for several years before returning to school to get my doctorate. I received my PhD in Counseling Psychology (Cognate: Couple and Family Psychology) from Ball State in 2015.  My pre-doc internship was at Iowa State University’s Student Counseling Service.

3. What first interested you in counseling psychology?

To be honest, I didn’t even know there was a distinction between counseling and clinical psychology until my first semester in my doctoral program! I was drawn to get my PhD at Ball State because of shared interests with a faculty member first and foremost.  However, once I was on campus, and throughout the program, I was especially drawn to the field’s commitment to see persons within their socio-cultural context and from a strengths and growth-oriented perspective.  This fit very nicely with my prior training in couple and family systems.

4. What brought you to Ball State?

In so many ways Ball State and East Central Indiana feels like home to me and my family.  My spouse also has two degrees from Ball State (and currently works at BSU). So, when the opportunity came along to join the faculty, I was thrilled to come back to a department that had such an influential role in my professional and personal life.  I hope to contribute in similar ways for both students and my colleagues.

5. Please describe your role within the department.

I am an assistant professor of counseling psychology. I teach courses in the clinical mental health master’s program, as well as in the doctoral program.  Additionally, I conduct clinical supervision and advise graduate student research projects.

6. What are your research and teaching interests?

My research interests are broadly counseling outcome and process research.  Additionally, I conduct research in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, which very much aligns with my clinical practice and supervision interests.  I most enjoy teaching coursework pertaining to counseling theories and interventions, as well as couple and family therapy.  In the future, I hope to build out the couple and family psychology cognate with additional courses in evidence-based couple and family interventions and see our students engage in more systems treatment in our department’s clinic. Also, over the last few years in my clinical practice, which has been in integrated-primary care, I have worked a lot with folks suffering with chronic pain.  Interestingly, some of the time this has morphed into couples therapy. I am interested in further exploring the intersection of chronic pain, relationship health and attachment, and relationship-oriented interventions to assist folks in improving their quality of life while dealing with chronic pain.

7. Outside of academia, what are your favorite hobbies?

I love watching movies and television shows with my family.  Some of our favorites right now are Star Wars: Ahsoka, The Night Agent, and The Silo (to name a few). Over the past few months, I have thoroughly enjoyed my slow trek through the world of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. I also enjoy home improvement projects and working in the yard.

8. What food could you not live without?

Bread. All breads. I love bread.

9. What fictional family would you most like to join?

The Braverman family, from the television show Parenthood (it aired on NBC).  It is one of my favorite shows of all time.

10. What’s something about you that people would be surprised to know?

Becoming a psychologist was one of the last things on my mind when I came to college.  In fact, I started out as a music education major.  I played the tuba from the time I was in 6^th grade until I was a sophomore in college.  I wanted to be a high school band teacher.  My daughter, who is in 6^th grade, just started band and she is playing the trumpet. I am excited she joined the brass family (no offense woodwinds J)

11. How do you practice self-care?

I am big fan of the focus/do not disturb feature on my iPhone.  I think smartphones exist so we can access our information, not the other way around.  In the evenings, and on the weekends, I utilize that feature frequently so I can step away and recharge with my family and friends.  Oh… and therapy.  I go to therapy J.