James Harris Hansell, 57, died on Saturday, Apri1 20th, 2013. At the time of his death he was being treated in Boston for amyloidosis, a rare blood disorder. He had recently received a stem cell transplant which appeared to have successfully put the disease into remission. But while recovering from the transplant, he contracted influenza which could not be controlled. He fought the infection with valor, tenacity, and bravery for over a week, surrounded by his loving family.
Jim was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 24, 1955, to Jeanne and Herbert Hansell. He attended the Shaker Heights Schools, then Amherst College, where he majored in Philosophy and played on the soccer team. Jim received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan in 1988, and served on the Michigan Psychology faculty for many years. He was trained at the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute, where he eventually became a training and supervising analyst, a highly regarded teacher of candidates, president of the Psychoanalytic Society, and a valuable member of many committees on the local, national and international levels.
Jim was a generous and creative psychologist and psychoanalyst. He was also an accomplished scholar with interests ranging from the neurosciences to gender studies. His undergraduate textbook on Abnormal Psychology received rave reviews. The book, co-authored with Lisa Damour, grew out of Jim's experience teaching psychopathology at Michigan, where he mentored many generations of students. Jim left Michigan in January, 2012, to accept an appointment as a full professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he was also Director of Clinical Training in the doctoral program in clinical psychology.
Jim is survived by his wife Andrea (Andy), a clinical psychologist and writer, his daughter Julie, a graduate student in sports administration at Ball State University, his son Adam, a junior and psychology major at The College of Wooster, and by his father Herbert, brother David, and sister Linda.
Jim was a devoted husband and loving, involved father, participating in triathlons with Julie and coaching soccer for Adam. In addition to being an avid sports fan, Jim was an accomplished guitarist, playing in an Ann Arbor rock band, The Spaceheaters, and as an accompanist for the Thurston Community Players’ annual musicals.
Jim will be remembered for his warm smile, his keen intellect, his playful sense of humor, his kindness, and his deep sense of morality. He loved his family and friends deeply and generously, and enthusiastically embraced a life he viewed as satisfying and fulfilling both personally and professionally.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24th at Temple Beth Emeth, 2309 Packard Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, followed by burial at Arborcrest Cemetery, 2521 Glazier Way, Ann Arbor, 48105. Afterwards, friends are invited to gather for a luncheon at Temple Beth Emeth.
The family will be sitting Shiva Wednesday night at the home of Kirk Brower and Claire Weiner, 1255 Severn Court, Ann Arbor, 48105; Shiva will continue Thursday night at the home of Robert Cohen and Ruth Moscow-Cohen, 1101 Berkshire Road, Ann Arbor, 48104. Services will be at 7:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to one of the following charities: 1) The Boston University School of Medicine Amyloid Research Fund, 72 East Concord Street, K-503, Boston, MA 02118. The Boston Medical Amyloidosis team provided an awe-inspiring level of care to Jim from the time of his diagnosis, and the goal of their ongoing research is to find more and better treatments for this disease. 2) The American Psychoanalytic Association, (Teacher's Academy-Undergraduate), 309 East 49th Street,New York, New York 10017-1601. This fund provides opportunities for clinical teachers in psychiatry residency, psychology graduate and undergraduate, and social work programs to engage in professional development designed to facilitate their interest in psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy, and help them increase their teaching effectiveness.
Jim will be forever missed by his family and many friends, colleagues, students and patients
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