Ms. Callista M. Lee, M.S.

A few words about me.....

Like many of you, I hadn’t much of a clue as to what I was going to do with my college education when I started out as a community college student. I originally began as a major in Sociology, then Theatre Arts, and finally found my “home” in Psychology. I took years off here and there while figuring out what to do with myself, and how to find a career that would be personally satisfying.

My Master’s degree is a relatively rare one in psychology: Community-Clinical Psychology. I completed the basic coursework that clinicians (therapists) take, but my primary focus was on how to make psychology accessible to everyday folks. I was much more interested in working toward the prevention of emotional distress than in waiting for it to take its toll on people. And so I began working as a family life/sexuality educator for a community agency that served youth, their parents, their teachers, and other community people aimed at the prevention of unintended teen pregnancy.  From there, I moved on to College teaching. I believe that the courses I teach have great practical value for enriching our personal lives as well as providing a solid academic foundation for further study.

One of the important personal characteristics that I bring with me into the classroom is my lifelong promise to myself to never forget what it was to be like to be a child: curious, fun-seeking, awed by nature, a staunch believer in justice, excited yet anxious about trying new things, and a pragmatist. I'm an admitted chocolaholic, enjoy a good bottle of California wine now and then, love to travel the world, hang out with friends at home, do a little gardening and listen to National Public Radio, classic rock and "world music." I've been known to drive a motorcycle, SCUBA, snow ski, camp in the snow, backpack on islands, climb ancient Mayan temples, take 16 roller coaster rides in one day, and dance alone in my living room. I even took a stunt plane flying lesson once. That said, I also like to curl up on the sofa with a good book and my two cats.

Welcome to my class. I feel honored to be your teacher. And I look forward to finding out what it is that you are going to teach ME!  

                      Callista