Andy Benjamin

Director of Doctoral Psychology and
Director, Parenting Evaluation/Training Program (PETP)

Summary of Education and Relevant Experience

B.A., University of Oregon Honors College; M.A., J.D., Ph.D., University of Arizona; affiliate professor, School of Law, University of Washington.
Andy Benjamin's treatment focuses on couples, families and people who have endured trauma. While working with families engaged in high-conflict litigation and lawyers suffering from various mental health and drug abuse problems, the Washington State Bar Association's family law section named him professional of the year. He has served as president of the Washington State Psychological Association and later his colleagues created an award named after him for "outstanding and tireless contributions." He was honored by the Puyallup Indian Nation's Health Authority for serving as a "modern day warrior fighting the mental illnesses, drug-alcohol addictions" of the people served by the nation's program. Finally, the American Psychological Association has conferred the Heiser Award on him in recognition of his record of public service and advocacy in numerous areas of professional activity.

Affiliations

Selected Publications

Benjamin, G.A.H., Gollan, J., Ally, G. A. (2007). "Family evaluation in custody litigation: Reducing risks of ethical infractions and malpractice." Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 7, 101-111.

Benjamin, G.A.H. & Gollan, J. (2003). "Family evaluation in custody litigation: Reducing risks of ethical and malpractice infractions." American Psychological Association Press.

Werth, J.L., Benjamin, G.A.H., Fenn, D.S., Gordon, J. (2002). "A Patient Requesting Physician-Assisted Suicide," JAMA, 288, 1984.

Werth, J.L., Benjamin, G.A.H. & Farrenkopf, T. (2000). "Requests for physician assisted death: Guidelines for assessing mental capacity and impaired judgment." In G.A.H. Benjamin, J.L. Werth, Jr. and L. Gostin (Eds.). Hastened Death: Psychology, public policy & law, 348-372.

Werth, J.L., Farrenkopf, T. & Benjamin, G.A.H. (2000). "Guidelines for assessments: Reactions to the commentators." In G.A.H. Benjamin, J.L. Werth, Jr. and L. Gostin (Eds.). Hastened Death: Psychology, public policy & law, 408-415.

Awards and Recognition

Awarded the Heiser Award for an outstanding record of public service and advocacy in numerous areas of professional activity by the American Psychological Association, August 21, 2003.

Honored for "Excellence in Mentorship" by the class of 2001 Psychology Residents, University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, June 22, 2001.

Honored for "outstanding and tireless contributions to the Washington State Psychological Association (WSPA)," a G. Andrew H. Benjamin award will be given by WSPA every two years to other psychologists who distinguish themselves on behalf of psychologists and their clients, October 4, 1999.

Honored at the annual Puyallup Health Authority dinner for serving 11 years as the consulting clinical psychologist for the Puyallup Alcohol/Drug Inpatient Treatment Program and Kwawchee Mental Health Services for acts as a clinical psychologist and "modern day warrior fighting the mental illness, drug-alcohol addictions" of the Puyallup clients, November 7, 1997.

Elected as Professional of the Year by the Washington State Bar Association's Family Law Section for developing and implementing both the University of Washington's Parenting Evaluation Training Program and the Washington State Bar Association's Lawyers' Assistance Program, June 6, 1992.

Grants and Contracts

Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Job Corp Program - Clinical Training site, $31,000 direct costs from the Tribe (2006 to present)

Skagit County Human Services, Parenting Evaluations & Treatment for Families in Dependency Court, $35,000 direct costs (2006 to 2008)

Principal Investigator, Development of Forensic and Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training Program, $199,213 direct costs from Antioch University (2004 to 2009)

Co-Principal Investigator, Job Stress, Diet, and Plasma Lipids, $688,078 direct costs from National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (1991 to 1996)

Co-Investigator, American Indian Research Program, $524,000 direct costs from National Institute of Alcohol and Alcoholism (1987 to 1992)

Lawyers' Assistance Program, obtained direct costs from Washington State Bar Association from contract award beginning in 1986 ($103,925) and recontracted annually until the end of 1993 ($207,000)

Professional Interests

Using his range of professional activities and strength of his commitment to combine the best resources of psychology and law for the benefit of adults and children enmeshed in severe psychopathology.

Contact Information

School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
206-268-4810
E-mail