Involved in her profession for nearly four decades, Dolores O. Morris, PhD, ABPP, has served as a private practice psychologist in New York since 1980 and supervisor for the interpersonal track of New York University (NYU)’s postdoctoral program in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis since 1992. In conjunction with this tenure, she chaired the university’s multicultural concerns committee from 2000 to 2005, served as a representative on the Council of Representatives for Division 39 and treasurer for the Women’s and Ethnic Minority Caucuses from 2006 to 2012, and was the national examination coordinator for the Specialty Board for Psychoanalysis from 2008 to 2015. In addition to these posts, Dr. Morris has also presented extensively in her field.
Prior to the start of her career, Dr. Morris pursued a formal education at Morgan State University in Baltimore, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1956. She then completed coursework in experimental psychology at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, between 1956 and 1957 and a New York State rotating psychology internship between 1958 and 1959 before attending the College of the City of New York (CUNY) at night, where she received a Master of Science in clinical school psychology in 1960. Dr. Morris also obtained a postdoctoral certificate in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy from NYU in 1980.
Dr. Morris attained a PhD in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University in New York in 1974. Admitting that NYU was her first choice, the director of NYU’s program was impressed with her academic prowess and she was even interviewed by a few of the university’s students, a process implemented to involve students and faculty in the decision-making. Not accepted due to her middle-class status, she chose to attend Yeshiva at the advice of NYU’s director. Dr. Morris was eventually admitted to NYU for her postdoctoral work the following year.
In addition to these academic degrees, Dr. Morris holds numerous certifications in her field. She first received a permanent certificate in school psychology from the State of New York in 1961, followed by a school psychologist certification from the City of New York two years later. A licensed psychologist in the states of New York and New Jersey since 1980, she received permanent school administrator and supervisor certification and school district administrator certification from the State of New York in 1980 and 1988, respectively. Dr. Morris also became a certified supervisor of school psychologists in New York in 1987, and received a certificate in psychoanalysis from the American Board of Professional Psychology in 1996.
A prolific writer, Dr. Morris has contributed myriad articles to professional journals throughout her career. Additionally, she co-authored the book “Specialty Competencies in Psychoanalysis in Psychology,” notably a chapter titled “Psychodynamic Case Formulation,” in 2014. Dr. Morris has also served on the editorial board of the Journal of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy since 2000.
A member of numerous related organizations, Dr. Morris was a founding member of the eastern region and treasurer of the Association of Black Psychologists from 1965 to 1974 and served on the advisory board for the adolescent unit of Regent Hospital in New York from 1990 to 1994. She was also the president of the NYU chapter of the Psychoanalytic Society of the Postdoctoral Program from 1998 to 2001. Dr. Morris has further maintained involvement with several divisions of the American Psychological Association, the New York State Psychological Association, the specialty board on psychoanalysis of the American Board of Professional Psychology, and the National Register of Health Service Psychologists.
In honor of her achievements, Dr. Morris accepted the Diversity Award from Division 39 of the American Psychological Association in 2011. Moreover, she was part of a grant titled the “Black Psychoanalyst Speak” in 2014 and was selected for inclusion in the 55th through 59th editions of Who’s Who in America. Today, Dr. Morris resides in New York, where she has been known to enjoy gardening, traveling and writing poetry in her spare time.