Jared Kass

Professor Emeritus

Dr. Jared Kass, Professor Emeritus with the graduate department of counseling and psychology, taught at Lesley University for 45 years (1976-2021). He directed a clinical training specialization in mind-body behavioral health that incorporates current neuroscience and trauma psychology. His research program, the Study Project on Well-Being, developed a metric, the "Inventory of Positive Psychological Attitudes," to track therapeutic change ranging from anxious emotional dysregulation to confidence in life and self. He also created a prevention-oriented curriculum for emerging adults, "Know Your Self," for use in educational and public health initiatives.

During his Lesley career, Dr. Kass conducted collaborative research with Dr. Herbert Benson in Behavioral Medicine and worked closely with Dr. Carl Rogers on the Person-Centered Approach Project. He continues his work integrating neuroscience and trauma psychology into clinical treatment and prevention as a visiting scholar with the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Publications

Books and Chapters

Kass, J. (2025) Psychological maturation and therapeutic change: Incorporating clinical neuroscience and trauma psychology in multimodal person-centered psychotherapy (Textbook in preparation).

Kass, J. & Trantham, S. (2014) Perspectives from clinical neuroscience: Mindfulness and the therapeutic use of the arts. In, L. Rappaport (Ed.) Mindfulness and the creative arts therapies: Theory and practice. Jessica Kingsley.

Kass, J. (2024) Mentoring person-centered psychospiritual maturation: Foundation for individual and social wellbeing. In B. Kutsyuruba and K. Walker (Eds.), Mentoring for Wellbeing across the professions and disciplines. Information Age Publishing (Chapter accepted for publication).

Kass, J. (2017) A person-centered approach to psychospiritual maturation: Mentoring psychological resilience and inclusive community in higher education. Palgrave MacMillan.

Kass, J. & Lennox, S. (2005) Emerging models of spiritual development: A foundation for mature, moral, and health-promoting behavior. In, W.R. Miller & H.D. Delaney (Eds.) Judeo-Christian perspectives on psychology: Human nature, motivation, and change. American Psychological Association.

Kass, J. (1998). The Inventory of Positive Psychological Attitudes: Measuring attitudes that buffer stress and facilitate primary prevention using constructs responsive to diverse cultural worldviews. In, C. Zalaquett & R. Wood (Ed.) Evaluating stress: A book of resources, Vol. 2. University Press of America.

Peer-Reviewed Journals

Kass, J., Baxter, J., Lennox, S. (2015) Mentoring person-centered psychospiritual maturation: Quasi-experimental, mixed methods study. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 55(4): 474-503.

Kass, J (2015) Person-centered psychospiritual maturation: A multidimensional model. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 55(1): 53-76.

Aldinger, C., Zhang, X.W., Liu, L.Q., Pan, X.D., Yu, S.H., Jones, J., Kass, J. (2008) Changes in attitudes, knowledge and behavior associated with implementing a comprehensive school health program in a province of China. Health Education Research. doi: 10.1093/her/cyn022

Kass, J. (2007) Spiritual maturation: A developmental resource for resilience, well-being, and peace. Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism, and Practice, Summer, 3(4): 1-19.

Hoshmand, L., Kass, J. (2003) Conceptual and action frameworks for peace. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling, 25 (4): 205-213.

Kass, J. (1996). Coping with life-threatening illnesses using a logotherapeutic approach, Stage II: Clinical mental health counseling. International Forum for Logotherapy, 19(2): 113-118.

Kass, J. (1996). Coping with life-threatening illnesses using a logotherapeutic approach, Stage I: Health care team interventions. International Forum for Logotherapy, 19(1): 15-19.

Kass, J., Friedman, R., Leserman, J., Caudill, M., Zuttermeister, P., Benson, H. (l991). An inventory of positive psychological attitudes with potential relevance to health outcomes: Validation and preliminary testing. Behavioral Medicine, Fall, 17(3):121-129.

Kass, J., Friedman, R., Leserman, J., Zuttermeister, P., Benson, H. (l991). Health outcomes and a new measure of spiritual experience. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 30(2): 203-211.

Kass, J., (1985). The use of person-centered expressive therapies in the health professions. Brennpunkt, Schweizerische Gesellschaft fur Gesprachspsychotherapie und person-zentrierte Beratung, (Switzerland) 24:20-33.

Rogers, C.R., Bowen, M., Justyn, J., Kass, J., Miller, M., Rogers, N., Wood, J. (1978). Evolving aspects of person-centered workshops. Self and Society (Great Britain), 6:2, 43-49.