iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Last day of being in my 30s! Ran my usual 5k this morning, took my daughter to science camp, nice long bike ride with the fam, enjoyed entirely too much ice cream, and filled out my mail-in vote for the MI primary. Not a lick of any work productivity. Pretty solid finish I’d say. Tomorrow I’m 40.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Submitted just for your enjoyment. Emotional support dumpster fire. Tucked above the refrigerator. My mother-in-law’s camper.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Great time today talking with local public library patrons about mental disorders! Even snuck in some fun conceptual analogies (e.g., disorders are like fish, storms, and fevers (@eikofried.bsky.social & @jonathanshedler.bsky.social)), plus other ideas to chew on. #FoodForThought #Community #BCLS

Info flier about today’s event at the Sage Branch of the Bay County Library System (Bay City, Michigan, USA). Event title is “What Exactly *Is* A Mental Disorder?” Flier explains that I’ll discuss mental health, the definition of “disorder,” how society tends to interpret mental health issues, and how we can helpfully respond. Program series is called “Food For Thought” as the patrons get a light lunch.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

This little shifty-eyed creature from 1965 is clearly a reptile, and my students were pissed about it. 🤣🤣🤣

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Lloyd Dunn, we have beef. So I was teaching psych assessment this term. One day showing them some educational measures. Have an old copy of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, because, reasons. Flipped to item 100 just as a random example. And I get shouted at: NONE OF THOSE ARE AMPHIBIANS!!!

sketch options for item #100 of the PPVT which are four different animals

front cover and scoring sheet for the original 1965 Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT)

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Here are mine. (Also peep the @theissep.bsky.social sneakers, love these!) 2/3

Photo of my legs.
In jeans.
Because denim day.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

a couple stellar students made this Pokemon-style Freud trading card for me lol

Photo of a card in the design of a Pokemon card, featuring Sigmund Freud. Attacks are “Psychoanalyze” for 40 hit points and “Dream Interpretation” for 100 hit points. Weakness is “Resistance.” Character has 100HP and is a psychic Pokemon.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Hey thanks so much to everybody who joined our roundtable event! It was such a thought-provoking and rejuvenating conversation, I appreciate you all. #2026MPA

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Wonderful presidential address by @kimberlyquinn.bsky.social on social meaning & wellbeing impacts of urban public spaces. “Perhaps environments are easier to change than people” — not the call to action I expected today, but so valid and inspiring! Love the interdisciplinary perspective. #2026MPA

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Great first day at #2026MPA! The students had lots of traffic and lovely conversations at their poster and data blitz, we got classic Chicago dogs for lunch, and the #SVSU crew caught a good photo op at the bean. Very proud of all on their hard work and performance.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Death anxiety exposure spotted on the road! Student driver behind the wheel of a hearse, license plate reads “URNEXT6” 🤣💀😅 #TMT #Angst

Back end of a hearse, licenses plate says “URNEXT6”

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Saturday April 18th, 8:00am-2:40pm Salon 04 STP Roundtables II [Sixth Session in Series, 12:10pm Start] Roundtable discussion event on teaching challenging topics in clinical/counseling/community psychology. Judith and I will share ideas and then open up a teaching-focused dialogue with attendees.

Program entry reads as follows:
"Levels of Labels: Conceptual Clarity in Community, Counseling, & Clinical Psychology"
by Travis Pashak, Saginaw Valley State University; Judith Zatkin, Bemidji State University

Abstract: How can undergraduates deeply understand meanings of important and sensitive concepts like “mental disorder,” “sexual violence,” “substance abuse,” and more, especially when often personally relevant? Rather than adopt rigidly sterile definitional frameworks, we encourage an experiential, empathic, and empowering pedagogy. Join our roundtable to exchange teaching ideas and learn more!

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Thursday April 16th, 4:00pm-5:00pm Salon 02 Psi Chi Data Blitz I [Fourth Session in Series, 4:21pm Start] Two of our other undergrads plus an alum presenting on relationships between dark triad personality characteristics and astrology beliefs.

Program entry reads as follows:
"Are Dark Personality Traits Related to Belief in Astrology?"
by Maia Clynick, Saginaw Valley State University; Chalea Herron, Saginaw 381 Valley State University; Keri Maricle, Oakland University This study explores the relationship between dark personality traits and belief in astrology. College students will complete a survey assessing their demographics, birthdate (for zodiac signs), dark personality traits, and belief in astrology. Results will help determine potential associations that may exist between dark personality traits and belief in astrology.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Thursday April 16th, 2:00pm-2:50pm Upper Exhibit Hall Psi Chi Poster Session VII: Basic and Applied Psychology [Poster #17] My student research team's poster on critical pedagogy in undergraduate psychopathology courses.

Program entry reads as follows:
"Learning my disorder isn’t real: Critical pedagogy in abnormal psychology" by Isaac Zamora-Ayres, Saginaw Valley State University; Audrey Weiss, Saginaw Valley State University; Rachel Peterhans, Saginaw Valley State University; Isabelle Branch, Saginaw Valley State University; Paige Carstensen, Saginaw Valley State University (Dr. Travis Pashak, Faculty Sponsor)

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Tomorrow! #NoKings #SUFS Register: events.zoom.us/ev/Am_KPLd9n...

Flier for the No Kings / Stand Up For Science event tomorrow (Saturday March 27th, 2026, starting at 1:30pm Eastern). Event is online over Zoom for accessibility for all.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Had a great time today presenting with my students at the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, & Letters conference! Fascinating, energizing conversations. #MASAL Forgot a group shot but here are title slides from our talks. [Peep Isaac's nod to bell hooks' "Teaching to Transgress" in the colorways!]

Opening slide of a presentation titled "Assets & Angst: College Students' Campus Resources and Existential Concerns" by Paige Carstensen, Isabelle Branch, Isaac Zamora-Ayres, Audrey Weiss, Rachel Peterhans, and Travis Pashak. Presented 3/27/2026 at the Michigan Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Letters. Authors from Saginaw Valley State University.

Opening slide of a presentation titled "Learning My Disorder Isn't Real: Critical Pedagogy in Abnormal Psychology" by Isaac Zamora-Ayres, Audrey Weiss, Rachel Peterhans, Paige Carstensen, Isabelle Branch, and Travis Pashak. Presented 3/27/2026 at the Michigan Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Letters. Authors from Saginaw Valley State University.

Opening slide of a presentation titled "Building Connections: Designing a Community Psychology Course which is Dynamically-Oriented, Existentially-Informed, Locally-Grounded, and Experientially-Engaged" by Travis J. Pashak. Talk given at the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters on 3/27/2026. Author from Saginaw Valley State University.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Many thanks to the folks who visited Isaac and me during our virtual break-out room this morning! We had some very *meaningful* and fascinating conversations about infusing existential perspectives into teaching about mental health and mental disorder. #ISSEP #SPSP2026 @theissep.bsky.social

Image of a poster titled "Learning my disorder isn’t real: Critical pedagogy and existential meaning in abnormal psychology" by Isaac Zamora-Ayres and Travis Pashak, presented at the 2026 virtual meeting of the International Society for the Study of Existential Psychology. Text displays details of a mixed-methods study on employing critical pedagogy in an undergraduate psychopathology course, featuring findings that students perspectives do appear to become less biogenetically-essentialist as a result of readings on the reification fallacy, nominal fallacy, and other materials which emphasize a psycho-social-cultural and existential/dynamic perspective on mental health.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Study invite, please spread the word! Researcher: Makiya Tunstull @ Roosevelt Goal: Understand mental health service access/barriers Sampling: Black Americans ages 18 and over in the US Tasks: Brief survey and a possible interview invite. Link: qualtricsxmy9gcwk7hw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Recruitment flier for Makiya Tunstull's study titled "Denied, Delayed, Dismissed: The Crisis of Black Mental Health Access." Notes that eligible participants must be 18 or older, identify as a Black American, and have experience with seeking or receiving mental health services. Study consists of a brief survey and possible invitation for a 60-minute interview session. All procedures confidential and voluntary. Makiya's email address is mtunstull@mail.roosevelt.edu.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

The 2026 @theissep.bsky.social meeting is next Tuesday! Last year I was lucky to meet Jeff Greenberg; had a great chat about his retirement, meaning in life, and of course terror management theory. Stoked for more connections next week! Thx @kennethvail3.bsky.social for sneakily grabbing this pic!

Social psychologist and co-developer of Terror Management Theory, Jeff Greenberg, and I (Travis Pashak) chatting at the 2025 ISSEP poster session. I'm making a stupidly excited face.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

The new "Teaching Tips" ebook is available now from @stpteachpsych.bsky.social! Happy to have a note on my roundtable meeting included, it was a great time. Link here: teachpsych.org/ebooks/teach... Looking forward to more connections and shared ideas this April in Chicago for MPA!

Cover of an ebook reads "Teaching Tips: A Compendium on Conference Presentations on Teaching, 2024-2025" from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology.

Abstract title reads "Bolstering meaningful learning experiences in undergraduate clinical topics by applying existential-dynamic principles."

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

My former clinic director (wonderful human being and mentor of mine the past decade), has now retired after a gradual handoff of several months to the new director. Today she left me this, uhm, goodbye card? I will cherish its chaotic hilarity forever.

A hastily cut piece of paper features the words “Travis, I am leaving because I have had enough of your fucking nonsense” as well as a crudely drawn male figure exiting a room while naked.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

“After years of keeping it inside me, I had finally got it out. Perhaps I should have told it to the doctor, but it would have been difficult. Yet I could tell Suzy. Because she didn’t try to analyze it; she simply let the little boy talk.” (Kerkhoff, 1952, p. 178)

Image shows the cover of the book “How Thin The Veil: A Memoir of 45 Days in the Traverse City State Hospital” by Jack Kerkhoff.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

“Existentialist Trading Cards, they came with the gum!” Goofy little moment spotted in Phineas and Ferb while I watch with the kids. www.tumblr.com/forgottenpnf...

Cartoon image of a pack of trading cards that says “Existentialist Trading Cards” and features faces of Sartre, Nietzsche, and Kierkegaard.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Day 2 at #2025MPA was lovely! Took in some great research including Van Tongeren’s talk on meaning in life, had a great discussion at my roundtable on meaningful clinical teaching, saw cool fish at Shedd, met the Chach at Pizano’s, and enjoyed Tom Papa at the Chicago Theater. Wins all around!

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Come talk with us about strategies for meaningful learning in clinical undergrad classes! This morning (Friday 4/11), 11am-11:50am, in Salon 4. It’s right after the Psi Chi invited talk on meaning in life in the Red Lacquer room. Hope to see you there! #2025MPA #STP

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Day 1 of #2025MPA has been a success! Did some running, eating, sipping, and learning. Lots of great chats with fellow psych nerds.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Wrote a thing! 🤓📝 Overviews my ongoing career advising project. "A Case Study in the Development of Advising Resources for an Interdisciplinary Field: Introducing Michigan Mental Health Helping Professions" Read here: digitalcommmons.alma.edu/michigan-aca... Or just visit #MIMHHP here: mimhhp.com

Picture is the first page of a journal article. The article title is "A Case Study in the Development of Advising Resources for an Interdisciplinary Field: Introducing Michigan Mental Health Helping Professions." The article is in the journal Michigan Academician. The abstract text is as follows:

"“How do I become a therapist?” This manuscript overviews a process of developing career guidance materials for aspiring mental health therapists, with the goal to serve as an illustrative case study in the curation of advising materials for other interdisciplinary fields. The newly built resource is called Michigan Mental Health Helping Professions (https://mimhhp.com/) and exists as a free and user-friendly reference website. The issue which led to the initiation of this project is that psychology students and other future Michigander helpers previously had no streamlined source of information to consult when wishing to learn about vocational pathways in the mental health realm. Advice is available for those who have already decided upon a specific route (e.g., clinical psychology), but this tool aims to fill a large advising gap by supporting those who have questions and uncertainties at earlier stages of career planning. The manuscript lays out the context of the project and the methodology through which qualitative interview information was collected, and presents a set of key themes garnered throughout—performance metrics of the website itself as well as observations and suggestions for other professionals embarking on such an advising journey."

The author is Travis J. Pashak at Saginaw Valley State University.

The key words are: career advising, vocational guidance, mental health, psychotherapy, counseling

Picture is of a table from the journal article (Table 1: Key Findings of the MIMHHP Project). The table has two columns.

Column 1: Performance Evaluation
1. Over 30 expert interviews have been conducted thus far.
2. The website presents over 20 pages of career-specific advising in mental health.
3. The website hosts over 10 pages of nuanced responses to frequent advisee questions.
4. Over 700 links to relevant online sources of additional information are included.
5. Usage statistics are promising, with over 7,000 page visits from 60 different countries.

Column 2: Interprofessional Observations
1. Such a project involves a great deal of learning and time commitment.
2. Most of the interviewees were extremely enthusiastic to share about what they do.
3. Deeply considering the training/practice of other professionals may cause dissonance.
4. Collaborative exploration and epistemic humility are crucial for effective advising.
5. Disseminate broadly by sharing with students and colleagues across contexts.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

So, when I discovered Glynn’s writings were published in a posthumous compilation, I had to check it out. “Desperate Necessity: Writings on Art and Psychoanalysis” Just digging in today, it’s utterly fascinating. No doubt Gene and Maurice complemented one another beautifully in many ways. 6/6/end

My hand holding a copy of Glynn’s book, which features Sendak’s portrait of him on the cover. The title is “Desperate Necessity: Writings on Art and Psychoanalysis.”

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

And then I was struck by a piece of his art that seemed altogether a different style. It was a painted portrait of Maurice Sendak’s partner, Eugene Glynn. As I read the description it all started to click: Glynn was a psychoanalyst. 5/6

Painting of Eugene Glynn. Middle aged man in a black suit with a white dress shirt and striped grey/black tie. Hands overlayed in his lap.

Printed label for art in the prior photo. Caption says “Portrait of Eugene Glynn, 1959, oil paint on canvas.”

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

An audio tour segment was recording of Sendak’s voice, explaining he hated kids books written to transparently deliver a specific skill/moral lesson. Instead, he preferred books that could be re-read with intrigue anew. Room for imagination to expand and roam freely. I loved that sentiment. 3/6

Framed drawing from “Where The Wild Things Are.”

Framed sketch drawing of a boy in a cowboy hat in front of a mirror. From Sendak’s work titled “Five Martins, Very Far Away.”

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

As we took it all in, I was struck by how well Sendak seemed to connect with children’s thinking. Their wonder and awe, the chaos of their inner worlds. Not only prolific (he did wayyy more than “Where The Wild Things Are”), he possessed a special ability to convey depth at a child’s level. 2/6

Sketch series by Maurice Sendak called “Death and Transfiguration.” The pictures playfully depict a bird and a child moving through the cycle of life and death.

Printed label for sketch in the prior picture. Text says “Fantasy Sketch: Death and Transfiguration.”

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Good art is therapy. Good therapy is art. Fun little Friday story for you… Was in CO a few weeks back for the #ISSEP pre-conference at #SPSP. Wife and I decided to check out the Denver Art Museum and its current Maurice Sendak exhibit. Unsure what to expect, but seemed interesting. 1/6

Large wall print of one of the monsters from “Where the Wild Things Are.”

Costumes including Max’s outfit and a life-size monster suit from the movie adaptation of “Where the Wild Things Are.”

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

My annual Fat Tuesday public service announcement: -“pączki” is plural -singular is “pączek” Like data, they are best when collected in multiples, ethically locally sourced, and spoken of in correct grammar. Enjoy!

A box of pączki (frosted with raspberry filling).

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 28/12/2024

Finally getting around to watching my pre-sale screening of "All Illusions Must Be Broken" by Two Birds Film. Excited to dig in some more to Becker's life and work! #AIMBB

Text reads "All Illusions Must Be Broken" and is the opening screen of the documentary film by that name.

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

After landing 3rd and 2nd pretty much every week of this semester thus far, this 1st place notification today made me smirk. Gotta find out who’s been hogging the top spot all year and tell them to go eat dirt! (Yes I know these are silly and pointless 🤣)

Image is of an ‘achievement’ notification from ResearchGate which says “Well done, Travis! With 151 new reads, your research items were the most read research items from your institution last week. Achieved on December 8, 2024.”

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

The thxgiving sweater turns 16! My turkey day tradition is this sweater. A gift from my wife’s grandparents and I’ve worn it every year since 2008. Gotta love elbow patches! Have a wonderful day all.

dude holding an old fashioned in an argyle brown and beige sweater

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Key results tables for those curious! -In opposition to some prior literature, we generally found monotheistic religious belief was *positively* correlated with death anxiety and other existential concerns. -Most effects were moderated by group status. -Interesting qualitative themes to explore!

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Travis Pashak @profpash.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Does religious belief protect people from death anxiety? Are secular folks more prone to existential concerns? How do such factors relate to mental health? If these questions intrigue you, then I am super stoked to share this paper! dx.doi.org/10.1037/hum0... www.researchgate.net/publication/...

First page of a journal article titled "Confident Foxhole Atheism, Doubtful Religious Dread, and Other Death Anxiety Analyses: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Existential Concerns, Worldview Beliefs, and Mental Health" published in The Humanistic Psychologist. The authors are Travis J. Pashak, Travis J. Faustin, Kaitrin J. Kraly, and Stephanie N. Wisniewski, each at Saginaw Valley State University. The paper's abstract begins as follows: "What are the interrelationships between existential concerns, worldview beliefs, and mental health? Much research has explored these connections, but often with flawed assessment measures, truncated samples, and lacking qualitative data. This study sought to further clarify this topic by using a mixed methods design and improved instruments. A sample of n = 450 United States adults was collected from various social media sites, including several forums/communities dedicated to dialogue about religions/beliefs. The sample was diverse in age (ranging 18–89), belief status (one-third nonreligious), socioeconomic status, and mental health. This mixed methods exploratory study employed an online survey battery including the Death Anxiety Beliefs and Behaviors Scale, the Existential Concerns Questionnaire, the Monotheist and Atheist Beliefs Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, as well as five qualitative essay prompts. Intercorrelations between indices of angst/dread, monotheism/atheism, and anxiety/depression are presented for both the whole sample and religious versus secular subsamples. Quantitative findings included religiosity positively associated with death anxiety, belief confidence negatively associated with distress, and existential distress positively associated with psychopathology. Qualitative themes included denial of relevance and connection between these variables, endorsement of the belief confidence/doubt effect, crucial impact of boundary situations, and metamorphoses of evolving beliefs. ..."

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