A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, Jerry Bockoven received a BA degree from Sioux Falls College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He went on to receive a Master of Divinity degree from North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls and was ordained in the American Baptist Church. He served as a parish minister in South Dakota for several years during which time he was honored as the state’s minister of the year. He subsequently received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in counseling psychology from the University of Oregon.

Dr. Bockoven began his work as a psychologist at the Norfolk Regional Center specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with chronic and persistent mental illness. From there, he went to the Lincoln Regional Center’s Forensic Unit where he worked with mentally disordered criminal offenders. During the decade of the 90’s, he served as Executive Director of the Samaritan Counseling Center in Lincoln where he specialized in relationship issues, anxiety and depression problems, trauma recovery and spiritual concerns. He then spent 12 years at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln where he served as Chair of the psychology department, achieved tenure and was promoted to full professor. While at Wesleyan, he also maintained a private clinical practice through Orr Psychotherapy Resources in Lincoln and was a leadership consultant for Methodist clergy. Following his time at Wesleyan, he worked with returning war veterans at the VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care Systems and retired in 2021. He was recently given the title of Professor Emeritus of Psychology by Nebraska Wesleyan and is writing a history of Wesleyan’s psychology department.

Dr. Bockoven is an active public speaker and has published several articles on self-esteem and social skills development in professional journals as well as a book entitled “What Rhymes with Therapy?” Aside from his professional involvements, Dr. Bockoven enjoys his two children and three grandchildren. His hobbies include music, close-up magic, and travel.