Biography
John Michael Gonzalez was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, after completing his work at Foy H. Moody High School he attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a B. A. in Psychology and Sociology in 1987. He then worked in the substance abuse field for ten years and entered graduate school.
In May 2000, he graduated with his MSW from the School of Social Work at Texas State University-San Marcos (formerly Southwest Texas State University). During graduate school he transitioned from substance abuse to the field of gerontology. He has worked with older adults in outpatient mental health settings for the 8 years. In 2002, he entered the PhD program at the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. He has worked as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Texas School Of Social Work and as an adjunct instructor for the School of Social Work at Texas State University-San Marcos.
As a graduate student, he was award a research grant from the Texas Long Term Care Institute at Texas State University for a study titled “Humor Interventions with Elderly in Nursing Homes.” He was also awarded “Achievement in Research” from the College of Health Professions 1998 Research Forum for the same study. In 2002, he was awarded a research fellowship from the Council on Social Work Education Minority Fellowship Program. In 2006, an article he co-authored was awarded the Rose Dobrof Award for best article in the Journal of Gerontological Social Work. He also authored and co-authored publications on older Latinos and mental health services, older adults overcoming oppression, resiliency and Mexican immigrant youth, and home school education programs. He has also presented local and state workshops on Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue, and Using Humor as an Intervention.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Aging, service delivery of mental health services to older minorities, culturally competent practice.
TEACHING INTERESTS
Social work practice with older adults, social policy, social justice and diversity, substance abuse, research methods generalist practice.
RECENT SCHOLARSHIP
Greene, R.R., L. Cohen, H. L., Gonzalez, J. and Lee, Y. (in Press). Narratives of Resilience and Social Justice. NASW Press: Washington, DC.
Applewhite, S. R. & Gonzalez, J. (in press). Psychology of Latino American Older Adults: Strengths and Challenges to Mental Health in a Shifting Society. In Chang, E. C. & Downey, C. A. (Eds) Mental Health Across Racial Groups: Lifespan perspectives. Springer.
Cohen, H. L., Greene, R. R., Lee, Y., Gonzalez, J., & Evans, M. (2006). Cultural Narratives, older adults, and resilient communities. In R. R. Greene (Ed) Social Work Practice: A Risk and Resilience Perspective. Thomson Brooks/Cole: Belmont, CA.
Gonzalez, J. (2006). Older Latinos and Mental Health Services: Understanding Access Barriers. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 14 (1/2): 73-93.
Cohen, H. L., Greene, R. R., Lee, Y., Gonzalez, J., & Evans, M. (2006) Older adults who overcame oppression. Families In Society, 87 (1): 35-42.
Choi, N. G. & Gonzalez, J. (2005). Barriers and contributors to minority older adults’ access to mental health treatment: Perceptions of geriatric mental health clinicians. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 44, (3/4): 115-135.
Choi, N. G. & Gonzalez, J. (2005). Geriatric mental health clinicians’ perceptions of barriers and contributors to retention of older minorities: An exploratory study. Clinical Gerontologist, 28 (3): 3-25.
Chavkin, N. F. & Gonzalez, J. (2000). Mexican immigrant youth and resiliency: research and promising programs. (EDO-RC-00-1) Eric Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools. AEL: Charleston, WV. www.ael.org/eric/digests/edorc001.htm
Chavkin, N. F., Gonzalez, J. & Rader, R. (2000) A home-school program in a Texas-Mexico border school: voices from parents, students, and school staff. The School Community Journal, v. 10 n 2 Fall/Winter.