Adam Lotfi, PsyD, is a faculty member in the MA program.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Bay City, Michigan, where my family of origin still resides. I moved back to Michigan four years ago, so it has been a bit of a homecoming for me!
What or who influenced you to study psychology?
I fell in love with the idea of being in connection with and helping people in ways I find deep and meaningful. I am also a curious person by nature, so studying why people (myself included) do the things we do was a huge fascination for me.
What are your research and/or clinical interests?
Most of my career has been spent doing clinical work with people of all ages, backgrounds, and presenting issues. I would say that teenagers and young adults have been some of my favorite clientele to work with, which led me to work in university counseling centers for the bulk of my career. I stepped away a bit, but here I am, once again back in the world of higher education!
What appeals to you most about teaching at MSP?
Ultimately, it is the opportunity to help students figure out their “why,” who they want to be personally and professionally, and the impact they want to make on their world that drew me to this role. The idea of helping people who are hungry to learn and develop is what excites me.
What is your favorite non-academic book and why?
If I am reading for leisure, it will more than likely be a comic book. Marvel’s Daredevil has been my favorite superhero for as long as I can remember. As for the why… I like that he is often written as a conflicted, contradictory character who can get in his own way. I also love that he is just a (somewhat) normal person who is trying to help out the people in his own backyard in any way he can.
What advice would you like to share with incoming or current students?
“The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid.” – JD Salinger
My advice is that in your pursuit of happiness (e.g., your goal… the things you hope to take from this experience), you also attend to your joy (which I define as the things you choose to bring to this experience… the values you live out daily). The greatest gift you can give to not just yourself, but to others… is your own self-care. Be kind.