Tracy Steen is an artist and psychologist in Philadelphia. Her current projects explore (1) the shared life journeys of couples, (2) aspects of the word “leviathan” and the human relationship with the mysteries of the deep, including references to leviathan in scripture, philosophy, literature, and art, and (3) dreams about flying, invoking intertwined images of American and family history.
Past projects include (1) Lincoln Lived, an exploration through social media of how to rewrite history, (2) Lie Counter, a free app for the iPhone to help you become more aware of lies you tell yourself and lies others tell you, and (3) Monument, a photographic analysis of the forgotten history presented in American monuments. Monument was honored with a Social Media Leadership Award from The Wharton School as an example of how to use social media to promote a more unified world.
Dr. Steen received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan in 2003 and moved to Philadelphia to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in positive psychology—the scientific study of positive emotions, character traits, and institutions. Rather than focusing exclusively on treating psychopathology and disease, a positive psychology approach aims to optimize psychological health and help people flourish. She continued to work at the University of Pennsylvania as the Clinical Director and then Director of the Charles O’Brien Center for Addiction Treatment.