Joel Hitt:  

I decided to choose the lazy way of telling my story. I just revised a brief statement already found on my website (cf. hitt.com). My Path: Meandering. I did not settle on mental health care easily. I was an electrical engineering student for 2 years of college before I ever looked at the helping professions. Then I got to behavioral healthcare by way of an extended detour through undergraduate and postgraduate work in philosophical and pastoral theology. Finally in the late 1980s I went back to school for additional graduate studies in clinical social work and family therapy. Then and only then did I finally take root in the field I would remain in to the present day. I do not recommend my circuitous career path to others, but if I can serve as a negative example, so be it! My Life: Too much information. This has always been my style. For me it's always been difficult to take up one area of interest because I can't be learning something else at the same time! Even though I remain current in the behavioral health field by going to conferences and reading the literature, I have always enjoyed a wide range of avocational interests. My hobbies range from dog training and care; to nature photography, birding, and native plant gardening; all the way over to strength training, walking, and mountain hiking. A news junkie, a movie devotee, a men's and women's sports fan all...Expand for more