Professor James Hansen, National Figure In Counseling Psychology, Dies At 62

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- James C. Hansen, 62, of Amherst, emeritus professor of counseling and educational psychology at UB and a major national figure in the field of counseling psychology, died Monday (Nov. 1, 1999) in Kaleida Health's Millard Fillmore Hospital after a long illness.

Hansen joined the faculty of the UB Graduate School of Education in 1963 and became one of the most prolific scholars in the school's history.

By the time he retired in May 1996, he was the author or co-author of 21 books, plus book chapters and more than 80 scholarly articles, largely on subjects related to counseling and the family. He served as editor of several journals as well, most notably The Family Therapy Collections, one of the top three journals in the field of family counseling, which he edited from 1981-88.

UB President William R. Greiner recalled that Hansen "was one of the first people I met when I arrived at UB in 1967. He has been my friend and colleague ever since, as well as a neighbor to my wife, Carole, and me for more than 20 years.

"His death at a relatively young age, when he was still so vital a presence in our lives, is an awful tragedy for us to bear. Carol and I have many great memories of him as a distinguished faculty member, as well as a wonderful friend."

Hansen's longtime UB colleague, Stanley Cramer, professor of counseling and educational psychology, said: "Jim was a very influential figure in the counseling field and as a teacher and mentor, he produced more Ph.D. students than anyone in the history of the department. He leaves a wonderful personal and academic legacy."

During the past two decades, Hansen worked as a consultant to the Niagara Falls Community Mental Health Center; the Western New York Institute for the Psychotherapies; England's Reading University; the Careers Research and Advisory Center in Cambridge, England, and was UNESCO consultant to the Ministry of Education and Culture for Tobago and Trinidad.

His professional honors included the 1970 Research Award from the American Personnel and Guidance Association; citation as a SUNY Faculty Exchange Scholar, 1981-87, and the 1986 Award for Excellence in Publication from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, which at the time noted that Hansen "authored more articles in the Counseling Education and Supervision Journal than any other living person."

He received a doctorate from Ohio State University, which in 1981 conferred upon him its Distinguished Doctoral Graduate Award. A native of Kearney, Neb., he received bachelor's and master's degrees from Nebraska State College at Kearney, which presented him with its 1988 Outstanding Graduate Award.

Hansen is survived by his wife, Carolyn; son, Scott, of State College, Pa., and daughters Dana, of Winchester, Va., and Paige, of Austin, Texas.