Resume

Robert Van Oosterhout
E-mail: bringtruthtofear@gmail.com

EDUCATION:
B.S. Psychology, Sociology, English; Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. 1967-72.
M.A. Child Development, Clinical Psychology; MSU, East Lansing, MI. 1973-74.

LICENSE:
State of Michigan, Licensed Masters Social Worker ID#6801016909 since 1979.
State of Michigan, Psychologist Limited License – Masters ID#6301002552 since 1978.

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2001 Proposed the Unity in the Spirit of America (USA) Act, which was introduced by Senator Debbie Stabenow in Oct. 2001, passed by Congress in Dec. 2001 and signed by President Bush in Jan. 2002. This act authorized the Points of Light Foundation to promote and coordinate community service projects that honor victims lost in the Sept. 11 tragedy. Over 1,275,000 volunteers worked on USA projects in the first year of the program.

1998 Initiated and coordinated Clare County’s successful application to become a Federal Enterprise Community (EC). Designed a planning process, facilitated community town hall meetings, organized advisory boards and set up a steering committee that represented a wide range of community interests. Clare County was one of 20 rural communities nationwide that received the EC designation.

1996 Best Paper Award at the Tina Milidrag Symposium for Human Service Innovation for a description of the Hard Times Cafe empowerment program, which I designed and co-facilitated from its inception in 1991 until 2000.

WORK EXPERIENCE:
Psychologist, Social Worker, and Counselor (1977 – present) I have been with MidMichigan Health Park- Houghton Lake, a federally funded rural health clinic since June, 2000. I have also worked for private clinics, Community Mental Health centers and for the State of Michigan in residential facilities for the developmentally disabled. I have provided training in empowerment, stress management, parenting, counseling techniques, communication, and conflict resolution for a wide range of organizations, schools, businesses, and government agencies.

College Instructor (1976 -2018) Lansing Community College, Lansing, MI, Delta College, University Center, MI, Mid Michigan Community College, Harrison, MI. I currently teach an online course in Stress Management and authored the text used in this course: “Slow Down and Lighten Up: Letting Go of Stress and Tension.”

Founder and Program Facilitator (1991 -2000) Hard Times Cafe (HTC), Harrison, MI. -an empowerment program owned and operated by people in poverty. HTC served over 1200 people over 8 years. It operated as a participant-managed program that helped people in poverty work together to meet basic needs while developing skills, habits and motivation that led to regular employment and improvement in the community. HTC’s motto was “Disadvantaged people are a resource to be tapped, not a problem to be solved.”