Jim Gibson, Ph.D.
(jemgibso@uvic.ca)

I have four passions; my family, psychology, music and horses. I am a stay-at-home dad. I left my career behind after an incident with a nanny jeopardized our boy's life when he was 6 months old. Such a traumatic experience proved to be the best thing that ever happened to me. Raising both my boy and girl has been a great education. When Elicia, our youngest was four in 2002, I started back teaching part-time. This arrangement allows me to work from home, and still look after my family, which is a win-win. That is because I also love social psychology and am privileged to get to engage with so many bright and talented students. Like my children, my students continually challenge and push me in directions I never would have thought existed. As much as social psychology is food for my intellect, music is food for my soul. I write songs, sing, play guitar, bass, banjo and mandolin. I love the transcendental experience of playing music with others. It is a very tangible way of experiencing the Gestalt premise that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Finally, I was raised with horses and played polo with my father when I was a teenager. I had to retire from polo this past year due to an old injury. Although I do ride and work with my horses I take more joy in being my daughter's groom and watching her accomplishments than anything else. I experience a similar joy in seeing students accomplish their goals. It is a privilege to be affiliated with Dr. Gifford.