Heather A. Warfield is an associate professor in the School of Counseling, Psychology & Therapy. The focus of her clinical work has been adolescents, military veterans, global comparative mental health practices, and clinical supervision – – all underpinned by a narrative psychology paradigm. Dr. Warfield’s research broadly explores the psychological, therapeutic, and healing aspects of pilgrimage journeys and she is working specifically on pilgrimages to the Western Front of WWI. This work is positioned in the historical precedent of pilgrimages undertaken by military veterans, families, and official state delegations as well as the current pilgrimages happening to sites along the Western Front in Belgium and France. Dr. Warfield is a member of the ‘Ruines de guerre’ program funded through the French Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR) and an affiliate researcher of the Institut de Recherches Historiques de Septentrion at the University of Lille. She is the series editor of ‘Pilgrimage Studies’ (Peter Lang Publishing) and the editor for the forthcoming volume ‘Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Pilgrimage: Historical, Current, and Future Directions.’ Additionally, she is the creator and host of ‘Meaningful Journeys,’ which is a podcast dedicated to conversations with pilgrims, pilgrimage studies scholars, and people who live near pilgrimage sites.
Associate Professor
School of Counseling, Psychology & Therapy
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the stories people tell, and the meaning they construct from these stories. My teaching approach is closely linked with this fascination and is (a) historical, (b) contextual, and (c) existential. I think it is critically important to understand our personal and professional histories, how we arrived where we are, and the meaning that is made from these histories. I also recognize the myriad contextual factors that interplay in shaping us as humans and the world around us. Our individual and communal contexts often enter the learning spaces we inhabit and I encourage students to consider their own values, beliefs, and world views when engaging with course materials. Moreover, the existential questions we ask as humans are fundamental to who we are as learners. My hope is that the courses I teach provoke more questions than answers and that students embrace the posture of being lifelong learners.
Principal Investigator, (2021), New Hampshire Humanities Community Project Grant ‘Co-Creating a Yankee Division Virtual Pilgrimage’ – project focused on creating a digital archive and pilgrimage experience for sites related to the U.S. Army 26th ‘Yankee’ Division during WWI. The pilgrimage sites will link with stories of individual soldiers, families, and communities in NH, in specific, and New England, in general.
Professional Orientation & Ethics