Director of Counseling Joshua Relin is saying goodbye to Deerfield Academy. Dr. Relin, who first joined the Academy in 2015, helped build the Counseling Office from its very infancy.
On campus, Dr. Relin is well known for his Mindful Moments during school meetings. He explained, “Mindfulness is such a powerful skill. Why not help everyone start to learn and practice every week when we’re all gathered together?” During his time at the Academy, Dr. Relin has tried implementing several different ways to impart mindfulness skills into the Deerfield Community.
Students have come to appreciate this time as well. Sam Thiel ’22 said, “It’s good to have a few moments of rest, and Dr. Relin’s efforts have encouraged a pos- itive atmosphere on campus.”
“Making sense of why people feel and think and behave the way they do” has always fascinated Dr. Relin, he said, even in his youth. While attending Skidmore College he enrolled in several different psychology courses, eventually focusing on the realm of existential psychology.
After college, he worked at a residential middle school for youth dealing with trauma in San Leandro, California. “I was so inspired by the growth and change I got to witness in the kids, and challenged and nourished by the relationships I got to form with them,” he said. This experience cemented his desire to pursue a career in helping others grow and heal.
In 2015, Dr. Relin was living in South Deerfield while working at the University of Massachusetts when he found a local listing for Director of Counseling at Deerfield. “What really sealed the deal for me was when I came for my interview and met the students and faculty,” Dr. Relin said.
During his time at the Academy, Dr. Relin has seen the biggest change in the community’s tolerance and inclusivity. “I really hope that kind of progress continues,” he said.
Dr. Relin said he plans to open a private practice working with teens and adults in the local area. He also hopes to consult and teach.