The “Distinguished Service and Contributions to the American Board of Professional Psychology” recognizes a Certified Specialist who has made significant contributions to the development and operation of the American Board of Professional Psychology by way of publications about or advocacy for board certification, involvement in ABPP administration or policy development, or other service to ABPP and its affiliated boards. The focus of this award is specifically focused on the individual’s contributions to ABPP and do not require recognition of a broad impact upon the profession as a whole.
ABPP is pleased to announce the 2025 award recipient:
Ted Stachowiak, PhD, ABPP
Ted Stachowiak received his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Michigan State University in 1974 and became Board Certified in Counseling Psychology in 1984.
In 1989 he began serving on the Counseling Psychology Council of ABPP with the task of reorganizing the regional examination boards into specialty examination boards. He subsequently served on the newly formed American Board of Counseling Psychology (ABCoP) as Chair of Practice Sample Review, and Chair of the Appeals Committee.
He was instrumental in accomplishing the restructuring of the ABCoP oral examination based on the Assessment Center Model, which continues today to be the basis for ABCoP’s board certification process. He was also instrumental in developing and revising policies and procedures and examination manuals for candidates and examiners that incorporated the restructured examination. He was a member of the team that authored ABCoP’s first Periodic Comprehensive Review.
He has served as President of the American Board of Counseling Psychology (ABCoP), President of the American Academy of Counseling Psychology, Chair of ABCoP Practice Sample Review, Chair of the ABCoP Appeals Committee, Chair of the American Board of Professional Psychology Foundation’s (ABPPF) Early Career Psychologist Scholarship Award, and Vice Chair of ABPPF. He has chaired or served as a member of 16 APA doctoral internship accreditation site visit teams and mentored 18 candidates to successful completion of ABPP Board Certification in Counseling Psychology.
His career includes clinical and administration positions in community mental health and university counseling centers. He retired in 2016 after 25 years as Associate Director for Clinical Services, Student Counseling Service, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. Currently he serves as Cochair of the ABCoP Oral Examination, and continues to mentor board certification candidates, review practice samples, and serve as an oral examiner. He is the 2017 recipient of The Society of Counseling Psychology’s John D. Black award for Outstanding Achievement in the Practice of Counseling Psychology.
