James Tillett
James Tillett, Doctoral Candidate in Marriage and Family Therapy
Department of Human Development and Family Science
jillianjamesst@vt.edu
Jim Tillett (He/Him/His) is a doctoral candidate in Marriage and Family Therapy at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on depathologizing autistic and neuroqueer ways of being in the context of systemic therapy, as well as broad therapeutic processes of deconstructing and transforming in relation to social normativities alongside non-normatively existing clients. Jim is passionate about centering neurominoritized individuals and relational systems (i.e. partners and families) in the research and development of systemic psychotherapies for neurominoritized clients. He is interested in using qualitative research methodologies (particularly phenomenology) and mixed methods.
Jim received his B.A. in Sociology from UNC Chapel Hill and his M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Appalachian State University. He is projected to finish his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy in December 2024.
- Depathologizing and Deconstructing Neurodivergence
- Demedicalizing Psychotherapies
- Embracing Autistic and Neuroqueer Existences
- Therapist and Client Co-Transformations Through Systemic Therapy
- Phenomenological Qualitative Research
- M.A. Marriage and Family Therapy, Appalachian State University (2020)
- Graduate Certificate in Systemic Multicultural Counseling, Appalachian State University (2020)
- B.A. Sociology with Honors, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2017)
- Services for Students with Disabilities at Virginia Tech’s Sally Bohland Award for Exceptional Leadership in Access and Inclusion (2023)
- Virginia Tech Graduate School Dean’s Diversity Fellowship recipient (2020-2021)
- Senior Honors Thesis in Sociology at UNC Chapel Hill (2017)
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