Professor emeritus honored in counseling
KALAMAZOO—Former Western Michigan University professor Dr. John Geisler has been honored with the first Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed by the Michigan Counseling Association.
In addition to the award, the association also initiated the first ever scholarship award in his honor—the Dr. John Geisler Membership Scholarship. The awards were presented at the Michigan Counseling Association annual conference this past fall. Geisler is professor emeritus from the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology at WMU.
"Dr. Geisler’s efforts and dedication to the field of professional counseling in the State of Michigan should never be forgotten," stated the association.
John Geisler
A faculty member in the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology from 1976 to 2005, Geisler previously taught at Central Michigan University. He earned his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Toledo and his bachelor's degree from Adrian College.
A member of the Michigan Counseling Association for 44 years, he served as president of the organization for one year, the Governing Council for 25 years, the by-laws chair for 20 years and the licensure committee chair for eight years.
He also has been president of the following professional organizations: the Michigan Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, the Kalamazoo Counseling Association, and the North Central Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. He was the chairperson of the Midwest Branch Assembly of the American Counseling Association and the national Secretary of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision and also served on several accreditation teams for the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs.
Geisler was instrumental in the writing and passage of the Michigan licensed professional counselor law. He testified 23 times before legislative committees, boards and councils and also served on the Michigan Board of Counseling for eight years including as chair for two years.
An author of 35 articles and research reports, he presented 41 programs at local, state and national conferences, and he conducted 26 seminars and training programs on private practice, ethics, legal issues and supervision for counselors and social workers.
He has been honored by the Michigan Counseling Association, the Michigan Mental Health Counselors Association and the Kalamazoo Counseling Association and as a Distinguished Alumni by Adrian College and Morenci (MI) High School.