A. Jordan Wright, PhD, Director of the Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD Program and Clinical Associate Professor, has been elected to represent the Society of Clinical Psychology (Division 12) on the American Psychological Association (APA) Council of Representatives.
This election follows Wright's impactful term as the 2025 President of the Society of Clinical Psychology, a role in which he focused on evolving the profession to meet societal needs better.
Wright’s new role on the Council provides a platform to advance a philosophy he championed during his presidency: understanding patients as complex individuals. "My work as SCP President focused heavily on how we, as clinical psychologists, understand people as whole human beings," Wright explained. "This requires us to admit that there is error in all of our tools for understanding other people, and that we need to honor their lived experience more explicitly and contextualize any 'data' we have... within their own lived experience.” He believes that the initiatives and policies overseen by the Council can help advance this agenda while developing a workforce better equipped to serve society.
In looking toward the field's future, Wright has identified two critical policy priorities for the APA. "First is fighting for more access to mental healthcare across the country and beyond," Wright stated. "In the US, this has to mean an expansion of a mental health social safety net, including through Medicaid and Medicare, but also fighting for lower barriers to care–including red tape–and better reimbursement for mental health services through private insurers.”
The public needs to have faith in psychology as a science in order to accept its supports, treatments, and broader policy influences,"
Second, Wright calls for a concerted effort to restore faith in psychological science by implementing large-scale strategies to combat misinformation and disinformation.
A significant portion of Wright’s advocacy on the Council will also focus on the evolving landscape of education and licensure. With the APA recently beginning to accredit master's programs in health service psychology, Wright expects the Council to be tasked with defining a clear scope of practice and differentiating competencies between master’s- and doctoral-level practitioners. Drawing on his extensive research and publications on competency models, Wright aims to ensure that these changes broaden the footprint of psychological science without diluting the distinct value of different degree types.
This election serves as a continuation of a landmark year for Wright, who was also honored with the 2025 Distinguished Service and Contribution to Personality Assessment Award from the Society for Personality Assessment. As he transitions from his presidency to the Council, Wright remains dedicated to the students he leads at NYU. His primary passion is "to ensure that current students, who are the next generation of psychologists, gain the necessary skills and values to serve society even better than my generation.”
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