Dale Larson


Dale G. Larson is an American psychologist who is a professor of Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University, where he directs graduate studies in health psychology. He is best known for his contributions to the end-of-life field and for his research on self-concealment.

Education

Larson received his B.A. in psychology from the University of Chicago in 1971, and earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1977.

Work in psychology and end-of-life field

Larson's scholarly interests have focused on end-of-life care issues, grief and grief counseling, counseling skills, stress and stress management in the helping professions, and self-concealment. The Self-Concealment Scale he co-authored has now been used in more than 150 empirical studies. His award-winning book, The Helper’s Journey: Working with People Facing Grief, Loss, and Life-Threatening Illness, and his publications on grief counseling, have had significant impact on the field. Other contributions include:
  • Senior Editor and contributing author, the Robert Wood Johnson funded national newspaper series, Finding Our Way: Living With Dying in America, which reached 7 million Americans
  • Author, the Caring Helper: Skills for Caregiving in Grief and Loss videotape series
  • Chairperson, First National Conference on Hospice Volunteerism, National Hospice Organization, San Diego, CA
  • Co-director, Berkeley Hospice Training Project, an NIMH- funded national mental health training program for hospice workers
Selected articles and chapters:
  • Larson, D. G., Chastain, R. L., Hoyt, W. T., & Ayzenberg, R.. Self-concealment: Integrative review and working model. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 34, 705–729.
  • Larson, D. G.. A person-centred approach to grief counselling. In M. Cooper, M. OHara, P. F. Schmid, & A. Bohart, The handbook of person-centred psychotherapy and counselling. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Larson, D. G., & Hoyt, W. T.. What has become of grief counseling: An evaluation of the empirical foundations of the new pessimism. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38, 347–355.
  • Larson, D. G., & Bush, N.J.. Stress management for oncology nurses: Finding a healing balance. In R.M. Carroll-Johnson, L.M. Gorman, & N.J. Bush, Psychosocial nursing care along the cancer continuum . Pittsburgh, PA: Oncology Nursing Society.
  • Larson, D. G., & Tobin, D. R.. End-of-life conversations: Evolving practice and theory. JAMA, 284, 1573–1578.
  • Larson, D. G., & Chastain, R. L. . Self-concealment: Conceptualization, measurement, and health implications. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 9, 439–455.

Awards and memberships