Attributing much of her success to hard work and the large amount of reading she did, Alice Michaelian always knew that she wanted to be a psychologist. Moving out on her own at the age of 18, she completed a bachelor’s degree at Queens College, thus beginning her career as a teacher, a period of her life which she enjoyed immensely. She taught math and science for grades 4-7 at Croydon Country Day School in Jamaica Estates in Queens, New York, before joining Public School 86 in District 28 in Queens as a teacher for grades 1-6. In 1971, she was named Teacher of the Year for District 28. Promoted as a teacher and supervisor for the N.Y.C. Lab School, she was eventually elevated to administration, at which time she completed a professional diploma in administration and supervision at St. John’s University.
Working as a teacher trainer for the New York City Public Schools, Ms. Michaelian implemented a process that she called “individualization.” This approach proved highly beneficial to the students and very popular with teachers and principals that she trained. Additionally, she taught teachers and principals regarding gifted and talented students. She was also nominated and appointed to the Consortium for the Gifted and Talented in Rensselaer, New York. She concluded her teaching career as assistant superintendent. After completing a Master of Science in psychology from Queens College, and studying for her Doctorate in Psychology at New York University, she finally entered the field of psychology as a partner with Psychiatrist Dr. Leonard Jason.
Feeling that she was born to work in the field of psychology, Ms. Michaelian cultivated her expertise in counseling, building on her earlier teaching success with children. An incidental “side-effect” of these experiences also exposed her to the bureaucracy of education. Ultimately, Ms. Michaelian determined that stress was a strong deterrent to success in any field or endeavor, so she became a licensed hypnotist. She put her newfound skills to work as the owner, chief executive officer and hypnotist with the American Institute for Stress Relief in Northport, New York, roles which she is incredibly proud of achieving. In 1980, she opened her own private psychology practice, where she worked with adults of all ages.
For excellence in her career, Ms. Michaelian has been featured in the Marquis Who’s Who Millennium Magazine and has been selected for inclusion in the upcoming edition to Who’s Who of Professional Women, to be published in 2022. Fluent in Spanish and conversational in Armenian, she has spent many happy years married to her husband, Minas Michaelian, who is of Armenian descent and is himself fluent in Hindi, Farsi, Armenian and English. She is the primary caretaker of her two grandchildren, the role that provides the most purpose in her life. In her free time, she deeply enjoys traveling, having been to 96 countries. She feels that traveling opens doors both educationally and culturally, and she encourages everyone to see as much of the world as possible. She also enjoys reading and painting, hobbies that she has pursued in her free time. Looking toward the future, Ms. Michaelian plans to continue supporting her family, and nurturing students and patients however and whenever she can.