Tod Sloan

Tod Sloan, professor emeritus of counseling psychology in the Graduate School of Education and Counseling, died December 17, 2018, from pancreatic cancer, at age 66.

Sloan, who was a member of the graduate school faculty from 2004 to 2018, taught seminars on the social context of counseling, dialogue practices, social theory, advocacy, and activism.  He identified professionally as a community psychologist and was an internationally recognized advocate for critical psychology. His most recent scholarship involved developing systems to support activists and change agents in grassroots ecological and social justice organizations. He focused on how activists can be more effective in movements for real democracy and economic justice. Recently, he was instrumental in the founding of Portland’s Social Justice Action Center.

From 2005 to 2015, Sloan served as the founding coeditor of the Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology. He also authored two books:  Life Choices: Understanding Dilemmas and Decisions (Westview Press, 1996) and Damaged Life: The Crisis of the Modern Psyche (Routledge, 2016).

“Tod was a kind, principled, and wonderful man,” says Scott Fletcher, dean of the graduate school. “I’ll remember him always as an indefatigable activist, deeply committed to social justice and the well-being of others. I will hold his memory close, knowing that the contributions he made to the graduate school and far beyond will endure.”

He is survived by his son, Daniel Sloan.