Received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Purdue University in 1971 after an internship at Duke University Medical Center, and his BA in English from Harvard University. Dr. Peterson is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology (ABPP), American Board of Professional Psychology. He has strong interests in social cognitive theory; pragmatic constructionism; epistemology; aging; and clinical training, education, and service delivery policy. Dr. Peterson is past president of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) in which he has held a variety of roles and has chaired NCSPP national conferences on the core curriculum and on educational standards (with Donald R. Peterson). He was a member of the Committee on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association from 1999-2004, was the at large representative to the Commission on Accreditation for 2008-2009, and occupied the NCSPP seat 2010-2012.
He was the senior editor of the volume The Core Curriculum in Professional Psychology (Peterson, McHolland, Bent, Davis-Russell, Edwall, Magidson, Polite, Singer, & Stricker, [Eds.] 1992). He is the senior author of the paper spelling out The National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology Educational Model (R. L. Peterson, D. R. Peterson, Abrams, & Stricker, 1997). Dr. Peterson’s academic writing is on postmodern and social cognitive constructionism as it pertains to psychology, for example as co-author of “Ways of Knowing in a Profession: Toward an Epistemology for the Education of Professional Psychologists” with Donald R. Peterson (D.R. Peterson & R.L. Peterson, 1998). He was an Associate Editor of the journal Training and Education in Professional Psychology (TEPP), 2006-2012. Later he was a is Consulting Editor for TEPP and is currently one for Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. In 2010, Competency-Based Education for Professional Psychology appeared, co-edited with Dr. Mary Beth Kenkel. This book includes an update of the NCSPP model paper. Dr. Peterson served on the New Hampshire Board of Psychology between 2013 and 2018. His most recent paper is: Peterson, R. L., & Lambos, K. A. (2019). A Sociocultural–Constructionist Epistemology for the Psychology of Aging. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology.
Since Dr. Peterson earned his degree, the practice of clinical psychology has always been an important part of his professional life. He is a licensed psychologist in New Hampshire. After eleven years at a university counseling center before his time at Antioch, he is now in independent practice (rogerlpeterson.com) in Keene, New Hampshire. He sees individuals and couples with a special focus on geropsychology (consistent with the advanced elective he teaches at Antioch). He practices from a cognitive interpersonal perspective. He is listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology.
