Remembering Dr. Michael Duffy

Dr. Michael Duffy, professor emeritus in the Department of Educational Psychology, passed away on May 10, surrounded by his family at home.

Dr. Michael Duffy

Duffy joined the faculty as an assistant professor in counseling psychology in 1980. During his time at Texas A&M, Duffy was instrumental in obtaining APA accreditation for the counseling psychology program. He served as training director of the doctoral program on several occasions and graduated his last doctoral students in 2011.

Duffy, a licensed and board-certified psychologist, held many leadership positions with state and national associations, and he was a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. He was considered a leading authority on the counseling and psychotherapy of older adults.

As a member of APA’s Committee on Aging, he participated in a 2002 congressional briefing for the U.S. Senate on “The Contributions of Geropsychologists to an Aging America,” advocating for the need for psychological services in long-term care settings and support for geropsychology training programs.

Duffy was also instrumental in developing the APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults, first published in 2004, and guidelines for training psychologists in geropsychology in 2009. He developed two paraprofessional training programs for providing volunteer mental health services in nursing homes (Project OASIS) and in middle schools (School Families).

Duffy received several awards throughout his career, including honors from the Texas Psychological Association and from a special interest group in the APA for lifetime contributions to the advancement of professional psychology in long-term care.

Dr. Timothy Elliott, University Distinguished Professor and founding director of the Telebehavioral Health Clinic, said Duffy is perhaps the most influential figure in the history of the counseling psychology program.

After retirement, Duffy was involved in various activities in each community in which he lived, delivering Meals on Wheels and being of service to others in many ways.

Duffy was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in February and his family said his condition worsened quickly. Plans for a memorial service have yet to be announced.

View Duffy’s obituary here.