Christine Selby
Christine Selby
Class Year
’92
Current home
Westfield, Massachusetts
Major(s)
Psychology
Current Position
Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Athletic Counseling Program at Springfield College; Licensed Counseling and Sport Psychologist at Selby Psychological Services, PLLC
After graduating from Carthage, Christine Selby ’92 went to Springfield College to complete her master’s degree and then to the University of North Texas to complete her doctorate in counseling psychology. Now, Ms. Selby is a psychology professor and the director of the Athletic Counseling Program at Springfield College. Additionally, Ms. Selby is a licensed counseling and sport psychologist at a part-time private practice. She holds credentials as a certified eating disorder specialist with the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and has emeritus status as a certified mental performance consultant with the Association of Applied Sport Psychology.
Ms. Selby currently represents the Society for Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology on the Council of Representatives of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is the founding chair of the Eating Disorders and Body Image Interest Group of the Society for Health Psychology of the APA.
As a Carthage graduate, Ms. Selby makes sure to follow the College on social media, so she can keep up with what’s going on around campus. “I love seeing pictures of the College,” says Ms. Selby. “It brings back memories. I love reading the stories about current students, recent grads, faculty, and projects on and off campus.”
What have you enjoyed most about your career?
“I love teaching and do my best to impart excitement about the field of psychology in general and the field of sport psychology in particular. I am also able to answer questions of future professionals interested in my work as an eating disorder specialist, particularly with athletes. They often want to know how I got here and what they need to do in order to establish a similar career path.”
“I also love providing psychotherapy services in my private practice. It is incredibly difficult and rewarding work. Although I work with a variety of clinical issues, with a specialty in eating disorders, I tend to focus on providing autonomy support and helping my adult patients uncover who they truly are and how to live their most authentic life.”
How did Carthage prepare you?
“Hands down, my psychology professors prepared me for my career field. Professor Larry Hamilton had a significant impact on me personally and professionally, and I was also highly influenced to appreciate the myriad facets of psychology through Professor Ingrid Tiegel and Professor Bob Maleske’s courses and discussions. I loved my time at Carthage, and some of my fondest memories occurred there.”
How has your liberal arts education benefited you?
“I believe all professions require liberal arts skills, and I absolutely used them in my pursuit of learning as much as possible in the field of psychology and my other interests. Having a strong liberal arts education, in my opinion, provided me with the skills to not only critically evaluate the graduate programs I was interested in, but also taught me that my ‘gut’ was equally important in the decision-making process.”
Why did you choose Carthage?
“Carthage was far enough away from home but close enough that if I needed to, I could go home on the weekends. I loved the beauty of the campus and wanted a small school where I felt like I could establish who I really was and explore what truly fueled me as a person. Carthage and my professors absolutely allowed me to do that.”
What Carthage professors played a part in your success and how?
“Professors Larry Hamilton, Ingrid Tiegel, and Bob Maleske taught me not only what I needed to know, but also how to think and how to learn. Prof. Hamilton in particular supported me in ways that allowed me to truly discover who I am and what is important to me. He did so with unconditional compassion and through modeling living a truly authentic life.”
What role have the values in Carthage's mission, "Seeking Truth, Building Strength, Inspiring Service — Together" played in your life?
“I believe my life and my chosen career path embodies this mission. I consistently seek my own truth and endeavor to help others do the same. I believe myself to be a reasonably strong and resilient person in large part because I have a well-developed sense of identity and I attempt to help others find this same strength. My philosophical approach to my work as a college professor and licensed psychologist is to support others in their autonomous decision-making and endeavor to work with my students and my patients to help them discover what is needed and/or important to them.”
What's your favorite Carthage memory?
“Dorm life, classes, late-night discussions with friends, exploring interests I would not have previously explored, Carthage Choir, and two J-Term experiences in Europe — one in Eastern Europe (right after the wall fell) and one in Western Europe with the Carthage Choir.”
Tips for current Carthage students?
“Listen to yourself. There is no shortage of opinions about what people should and should not do, and likely no shortage of people in your life who ‘know’ what is best for you. You are the only one who can know for sure what is good for you and what is not.”