Nicholas Mazza
Nicholas Mazza, Ph.D., is Dean Emeritus, and Patricia V. Vance Professor of Social Work Emeritus. He served as a faculty member from 1981 through 2015, the last seven years as dean (2008-2015). He is a published poet, and the founding (1987) and continuing editor of the Journal of Poetry Therapy. He is currently serving a second term as president of the National Association for Poetry Therapy (2022-2024). He holds Florida licenses in clinical social work, psychology, and marriage & family therapy.
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Behavioral Health
- Child Welfare
- Clinical Social Work
- Community Engagement
- Gerontology
- Healthcare
- Homelessness
- Human Rights
- Intervention Research
- Intimate Partner Violence
- Loss/Bereavement
- Mental Health
- Mindfulness
- Qualitative Research Methodology
- Reading/Language Development
- Resilience
- Social Justice
- Spirituality
- Substance Use/Misuse
- Trauma
- Well-being
EDUCATION
- PhD, 1981, Florida State University; Counseling & Human Systems
- MSW, 1977, Rutgers University; Social Work
- BA, 1971, Montclair State College; English
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Mazza, N., & McPherson, J. (2021). Using Poetry to Promote Reflection on Experiential
Learning. In J. M. Volpe White, K. L. Guthrie, & M. Torres (Eds.), Thinking with purpose:
Facilitating reflection in leadership learning. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Mazza, N. (2018) No place for indifference: poetry therapy and empowerment in clinical,
educational, and community practice, Journal of Poetry Therapy, 31:4,203-208.
Karpova, N.L., & Golzitskaya, A.A., & Czernianin, W., & Chatzipentidis, K & Mazza, N.
(2018). Bibliotherapy in Russia, in Poland, in USA. Voprosy Psikhologii. 2018. 136-144.
Mazza, N. (2016). Running marathons: A poetic approach to life transitions. In E.A. Kreuter
(Ed.), Chasing rainbows: An existential perspective of a marathon runner
(pp.163-167).New York: Nova.
Mazza, N., & Hayton, C. (2013). Poetry therapy: An investigation of a multidimensional clinical model. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 40, 53-60.
Mazza, N. (2012). Poetry/creative writing for an arts and athletics community outreach program for at-risk youth. Journal of Poetry Therapy, 25, 225-231.
Mazza, N. (2012). Therapy and poetry. In R. Greene & S. Cushman (Eds.), The Princeton encyclopedia of poetry and poetics (pp.1434-35). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Mazza, N. (2012). Poetry and Trauma. In C. Figley (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Trauma (pp. 445- 449). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Mazza, N. (2012). Homecoming. Journal of Family Social Work, 15, 96.
BOOKS PUBLISHED
Mazza, N. (2022). Poetry therapy: Theory and practice (3rd ed.).Routledge.
Mazza, N. (Ed.) (2017). Expressive therapies (Vols. 1-4). New York/London: Psychology
Press/ Routledge.
Mazza, N. (1999). Poetry therapy: Interface of the arts and psychology. Boca Raton/London: CRC Press.
Figley, C., Bride, B., & Mazza, N. (Eds.). (1997). Death and trauma: The traumatology of grieving. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.
SELECTED GRANTS
Mazza, N. (2014) Florida Institute for Child Welfare at the FSU College of Social Work. Awarded by the Florida Legislature. Annual appropriation of $1,000,000.
Mazza, N. (2014). FSU Operation Family Caregiver (FSU OFC) program (for veterans). Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) for Veterans. Total award $240,000.
Mazza, N. F. (2011–2013). CSW Arts and Athletics Community Outreach Program for At-Risk Youth. Funded by private donations. Total award $55,000.
Nicholas Mazza