Otters, Dr. Rosalie
“The social relation is essentially a reciprocal relation” – Jane Addams
I was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up on Long Island . Most of my sisters and brothers, as well as their families continue to live there. I also have a special relationship with one brother, as his guardian. My two children are both in graduate school: Matt is studying sociology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison; Rachel is in Sacramento in her first year of a family medicine residency. My husband, Jim Hollander, works as a patent lawyer in Dallas.
As a Presbyterian, U.S.A. clergy member since 1978, I have served in parishes, hospitals and a continuing care retirement community in the Dallas area. I am now a board member of Presbyterian Village here in Little Rock.
Clinical social work has also been important in my self-identity. I have worked with children, families and adults in a number of mental health clinics in the Dallas area. In addition, I have been the chair of NASW, the Dallas unit, with over 900 social workers, as well as a board member of NASW, Texas.
There are many aspects of social work that interest me, but especially gerontological social work as well as social theory and how it influences social work practice. Specifically, I wonder about issues of aging and change: What are the gains as well as the losses as one passes through the life course? How can disabilities and illnesses be reassessed in terms of a more interdependent identity? How are we ecologically “all in this together”, no matter our age? What do social work theories have to say to how we practice social work throughout the life course, both as a science and yet also an art?
In these musings I have found direction from a variety of social theories, as well as the German theologian Jurgen Moltmann’s theology of hope and the study of ethics. Currently I am seeking insight from Jane Addams’ integration of social theory and practice, Democracy and Social Ethics, and have recently made a pilgrimage to Hull House in Chicago (ask me about that).
Memberships
- Counsel on Social Work Education, 2008 - Present.
- Gerontological Society of America, 2005 - Present.
- Grace Presbytery, Presbyterian U.S.A. 1990 - Present.
- National Association of Social Workers: Dallas Unit Chair, 1998 – 2000. Board member of Texas Chapter NASW 1998 – 2000.Dallas Unit Political Action Chair, 1997-1998. Dallas Unit Membership Co-Chair 2000 –2001. Member 1990 - Present .
- Presbyterian Village, Little Rock, Arkansas. Board member 2008 - Present. Planning Committee; Administration Committee.
Professional Activities
Grant
BSW Experiential Learning Program (BEL Program), July 1, 2008 - July 1, 2010. Council on Social Work Education, Gero-Ed Center. Funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation. $7,500 to infuse gerontological practice into two BSW courses. Student attitudes toward aging will be monitored.
Classes Taught
University of Arkansas at Little Rock (August 2007 - Present)
- BSW: Practice I and II
- MSW: Foundations I and II
- MSW Internship Liaison (gerontological social work)
- Social Work Values and Ethics
- Social and Emotional Implications of Illness/Disability
Texas Woman’s University (Jan. 2006 – May 2007)
- Social Welfare Institutions
- Human Behavior in the Social Environment 2 (macro)
- Social Research
- Social Work Practice I/ Lab (Direct Practice, Individuals)
- Social Work Practice II/ Lab (Groups and Families)
University of North Texas (2003 – August 2006)
- Individuals in Society
- Social Psychology and Behavior
- Social Research
- Quantitative Methods of Social Research
- Sociology of Marriage and the Family
- Sociology of Health and Illness
- Sociology of Health Organization
- Social Stratification
- Sociology of Religion
- Sociological Theory
UALR Committees
- BSW Committee
- Gerontology Program Committee
- MSW Curriculum Committee
- Foundations I and II, Lead Instructor
- Practice Committee
- School of Social Work
Research and Presentations
Effects of Sensory Impairment and Pain on Depression in Older Adults (LSOA II, 1996 -1998). Poster Presentation, The Gerontological Society of America, San Francisco, Nov. 18, 2007.
An Empowerment Model of Social Disability as a Teaching Model for Social Work Students, Texas Woman’s University, The College of Arts and Sciences, Faculty Spotlight Series, Denton, Texas, April 2007.
Effects of Vision and Hearing Impairments on Depression in the Older Adult Using the Second Longitudinal Study on Aging (1994 – 2000). Poster Presentation,
Joint Conference of the American Society on Aging and the National Council on Aging, Chicago, March 7 – 10, 2007.
An Empowerment Model of Disability through the Life Course, Presentation to Southwestern Social Science Association, Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 14 – 17, 2007.
Effects of Vision and Hearing Impairments on Depression in the Older Adult” (SOA 1994 – 1996, Poster Presentation, The Gerontological Society of America, Dallas, Texas, Nov. 18, 2006.
Having a Living Child: Does This Positively Affect Older Vision-Impaired Women’s Depression?, presentation using results from logistic multinomial regression, Supplement on Aging, 1994 – 1996. Southwestern Social Science Association, San Antonio, April 2006.
Vision Impairment and Depression in the Older Adult, poster presentation using results from logistic multinomial regression output, Supplement on Aging, 1994-1996. The Gerontological Society of America. Orlando, Florida, 2005.
Sociological Implications of Vision Impairment and Depression in the Older Adult: Using the 1994 Supplement on Aging. Roundtable Presentation of Ordinal Regression Output at the American Sociological Association Conference, San Francisco, California, August 2004.
Vision Impairment, Social Activities and Depression in the Older Adult. Second Supplement on Aging (1994 – 1996). Presented at the Southwestern Sociological Association, Corpus Christi, Texas, April 2004.
Effects of Educational Life Experiences on Elderly Women’s Personal, Professional and Retirement Years. Qualitative Research. Presented at the Southwestern Sociological Association, San Antonio, Texas, April 2003.
Research Assistant. Self-managed work teams research in nursing homes. Dr. Dale Yeatts and Dr. Cynthia Cready supervisors, Sociology Department. Interviewer of nursing home residents; also data processor, 2003.
Research Assistant. Adolescence Project Psychological Research. University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Buhrmester. Rating behaviors on videos of adolescents, 1995.
Professional Presentations
An Aging Update and The UALR Gerontology Certificate Program, NASW Annual Meeting, April 2008. Rogers, Arkansas. Co-led with Bitsy Lewallen, LCSW, University of Arkansas for Medical Science (Reynold’s Center on Aging).
ADHD- Children, Adolescents & Adults. Collin County Community College. Plano, Texas. Continuing Education for Mental Health Providers. Several times each year. 1997 – 2005.
Care Giving for the Elderly. Collin County Community College, Plano, Texas. Continuing Education for Mental Health Providers. Several times a year: 1999 - 2002
The Optimistic Child. Collin County Community College, Plano, Texas. Continuing Education for Mental Health Providers, Several times a year: 1997 – 2002. Also for Dallas Metro Counseling Association, 1998.
Careers in Social Work: Geriatric Social Work. NASW State Conference. Houston, 1999.
The Future of Social Work. NASW State Conference. Houston. 1999.
Psychosocial Adult Development. Collin County Community College. Plano, Texas. 1999.
Elder Mental Illness: An Overview. Texas Alliance for the Mentally Ill (TXAMI). State Conference, San Antonio, Texas. 1998
Geriatric Social Work: Mental Health Issues. National Association of Social Workers (NASW) State Conference. Austin,1998.
ADD and Anger: Children. ADDA 7 Region (Texas and surrounding states). Conference, Dallas, 1998.
ADD and Anger: Adults. ADDA 7 Region Conference, Dallas, 1998.
Made presentations in local churches on both mental health issues as well as religious ones.
Academic Employment & Past Positions
University of Arkansas at Little Rock - Social Work Program, Assistant Professor (2007 - Present).
Texas Woman’s University - Social Work Program, Dept of Sociology and Social Work, Visiting Assistant Professor (Jan. 2006 - May 2007).
University of North Texas - Dept. of Sociology Adjunct Professor/Teaching Fellow (2003 - 2006).
Grace Presbyterian Village, Dallas, Texas - Chaplain. Worship leader, pastoral care and counseling. Illness, bereavement and funeral leadership. Community building programs and leadership development for all abilities and needs. Leadership of vision impairment support group, 1998 – 2002.
Galaxy Counseling Center, Garland, Texas - Staff Supervisor and Therapist. Graduate student supervisor of student interns in psychology, marriage and family, counseling and social work. Family, couple, play and individual therapy. Also brief and longer term therapist with children, families and adults, often with multiple mental health issues ( as abuse, ADHD, psychiatric, safety and parenting concerns). Many CPS cases; worked with CPS on family preservation issues. Court testimony. Developed training and therapy programs, 1992 – 1997.
Dallas Child Guidance Clinic (Child and Family Guidance Clinic), Dallas, Texas - Clinical Social Worker. Therapy (individual, family, play) and family education training with a wide variety of clients from low income and diverse ethnic backgrounds. Many abuse and multiple issues cases. CPS cases. Court testimony. Developed family education training program at one satellite branch. 1990 – 1992.
First Presbyterian Church, Richardson, Texas Parish Associate. Worship and Educational Leadership. Led Adult Programming for Sunday School. Taught and developed Sunday School classes for adults and Confirmation classes. Worship leadership, 1990 – 1997.
Professional Credentials
- LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Arkansas)
- LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Texas)
- DCSW (Diplomate Clinical Social Work, NASW)
- LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Texas)
- Approved Supervisor: American Association of Marriage and Family
- Certificate in Gerontology, University of North Texas
Educational Background
Ph.D. Sociology (Medical Sociology and Sociology of Aging concentrations); Dissertation: “The Effects of Vision Impairment on Depression in the Older Adult,” using the 1994 – 2000 Second Longitudinal Study of Aging from the National Center for Health Statistics. University of North Texas - Denton, Texas, 2005.
M.S.W., Mental Health (Family Therapy Specialization), Washington University St. Louis, Missouri, 1989.
Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Theology, Eden Theological Seminary, 1986, St. Louis, Missouri.
Master of Divinity, Pastoral Theology, Honors: Third Year Paper: “Toward a Theology of Aging in the Local Church”, Awarded $1,000 at graduation for this paper. Princeton Theological School, Princeton, New Jersey, 1978,
M.A. cum laude, Church History and Christian Thought, Thesis: “Charles Williams’ Philosophy of History”, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, 1971.
B.A., History, State University of New York at Stony Brook (S.U.N.Y.), 1967.