Two-time psychologist of the year retires from the University of Tennessee

Lance T. Laurence, PhD, associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UT) retires in May 2017. Laurence has taught courses in clinical psychopathology, psychological assessment, peer mentoring, and ethical and legal and professional practice issues for the doctoral program in clinical psychology for the past 36 years. He has also provided clinical supervision for doctoral students since 1981 and served as the director of the psychological clinic from 2002-2016. The provision of clinical services at the psychological clinic grew during his tenure as director, eventually resulting in the creation of the university's new psychological clinic, now housed at the UT conference center.

In addition to his work at UT, Laurence has maintained an active role in state and national psychology associations, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the Tennessee Psychology Association (TPA), and the Knoxville Area Psychological Association (KAPA). He is a past president of KAPA and twice president of TPA. For over two decades he served as the director of legislative and professional affairs for TPA where he oversaw legislative and professional practice issues for psychology in Tennessee. He created and served as treasurer for psychology's political action committee, the Tennessee Committee for the Advancement of Psychology.

Laurence has been awarded numerous local, state and national awards recognizing his advocacy for mental health care and for the profession of psychology, including UT's Faculty Appreciation Award for Graduate Teaching and Research, a lifetime distinguished psychologist award from the TPA, APA's Karl Heiser Presidential Award, APA's Div. 31 Outstanding Psychologist in a State Award, the President's Award from APA and others. Under the Clinton administration, he served as a member of the White House Health Review Advisory Committee where he was the sole psychologist member of that committee attempting health care reform.

Laurence will continue to conduct his independent practice in clinical psychology. Since 1983 he has provided diagnostic and treatment services for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and for issues related to psychoeducational and forensic problems.