The peer-reviewed journal article of her original research investigating the psychology of fame and celebrity—the only published scholarship on fame—is found in Rockwell, D., & Giles, D. C. (January 01, 2009). Being a Celebrity: A Phenomenology of Fame. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 40, 2, 178-210.

Dr. Rockwell's book chapter, "Mindfulness as Therapy: How Buddhist psychology contributes to enhancing therapist efficacy and client outcomes," can be found in The Changing Faces of Therapy:  Evolving Perspectives in Clinical Practice and Assessment (Ron Valle, Ed.), San Francisco, CA: Argosy University, published in 2016.

Dr. Rockwell’s mindfulness research is highlighted in “Mindfulness and Courage: Lifelong Training in Clinical Psychology: Implications and Applications of a Three-year Study” in Existential Psychology East-West (Volume 2); Hoffman, L., Yang, M., Mansilla, M., Dias, J., Moats, M., & Claypool, T., Colorado Springs, CO: University Professors Press, published in 2019.

EDUCATION

Dr. Rockwell is a graduate of Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts with a BA in Language & Communication.

She received a Master’s degree in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University in Washington D.C.

Dr. Rockwell earned her Master's and Doctorate in Humanistic and Clinical Psychology from the Center for Humanistic Studies (now the Michigan School of Psychology) in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Donna Rockwell, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with private practices in both New York and Suburban Detroit. She is founder and CEO of Already Famous: Embracing Inner Celebrity, an online program and community inspiring women and girls to live their best, most authentic lives. She is a leading mindfulness meditation teacher, specialist in celebrity mental health, and an activist in contemporary humanistic psychology.

With 20 years of experience, Dr. Donna is a mental health expert featured on TV, radio, and social media. Her research on the psychology of fame & celebrity has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The BBC, The CBC, among other media outlets.

She is Past-President of the Society for Humanistic Psychology, Division 32 of the American Psychological Association (APA), and is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology and The Humanistic Psychologist. She serves on the advisory board of the Existential-Humanistic Institute.

Dr. Rockwell is Adjunct faculty at Saybrook University, College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Mind-Body Medicine, co-teaching the popular course, Mindfulness and Meditation in Health.

Her published work includes peer-reviewed journal articles and popular press publications on Mindfulness, the psychology of fame and celebrity, and humanistic foundations of psychology and psychotherapy.

The peer-reviewed journal article of her original research investigating the psychology of fame and celebrity—the only published scholarship on fame—is found in Rockwell, D., & Giles, D. C. (January 01, 2009). Being a Celebrity: A Phenomenology of Fame. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 40, 2, 178-210.

Dr. Rockwell's book chapter, "Mindfulness as Therapy: How Buddhist psychology contributes to enhancing therapist efficacy and client outcomes," can be found in The Changing Faces of Therapy:  Evolving Perspectives in Clinical Practice and Assessment (Ron Valle, Ed.), San Francisco, CA: Argosy University, published in 2016.

Dr. Rockwell’s mindfulness research is highlighted in “Mindfulness and Courage: Lifelong Training in Clinical Psychology: Implications and Applications of a Three-year Study” in Existential Psychology East-West (Volume 2); Hoffman, L., Yang, M., Mansilla, M., Dias, J., Moats, M., & Claypool, T., Colorado Springs, CO: University Professors Press, published in 2019.

EDUCATION

Dr. Rockwell is a graduate of Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts with a BA in Language & Communication.

She received a Master’s degree in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University in Washington D.C.

Dr. Rockwell earned her Master's and Doctorate in Humanistic and Clinical Psychology from the Center for Humanistic Studies (now the Michigan School of Psychology) in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

 The media landscape has changed so much since the golden days of television. Cable News Network revolutionized the world of news gathering and reporting, with bureaus and live shot capacity from major capitals around the globe. There was a certain edict and mission to reportage as the first line of history, journalists as scribes for people’s right to know.

Today the media landscape has changed to become a more integrated whole, weaving through commerce, government, industry, healthcare, and entertainment.

As a 1980 founding member of CNN, I know the backbone of the journalism and broadcast media industry. I was mentored by famed journalist, Daniel Schorr before becoming his producer, and then covered the House and Senate for CNN before becoming the lead news producer at NBC station, WRC-TV in the nation’s Capitol. After becoming a licensed clinical psychologist, I started consulting and bring an excitement and depth of understanding to the ways people communicate and share information in daily life. Working at both micro and macro levels of media structuring, and personal and corporate consulting, seeing through to best practices of dynamic growth, innovation, and transcending challenges, the most effective path forward becomes more clear, and I enjoy helping people and companies find that way forward.

Mindfulness training is an integral part of our new start-up and traditional marketplace culture of ideas and organizational hubs. Integration, self-understanding, and focused awareness are the new keywords. Through 20 years of mindfulness training through Shambhala International, I have incorporated mindfulness approaches into my clinical practice, academic and pedagogic work, and leadership activities.

Anxiety, depression, societal and familial trauma, along with the need to navigate professional advancement within the walls of a corporate culture require an emotionally intelligent application across both personal, leadership, HR, and media venues. Notions of coping, thriving, and optimal and organic discovery of self and the collective are a sure, grounded route to optimal living and functioning at the individual and institutional level.

My contribution to consulting projects is seeing the large picture, as well as the micro level aspects of relationship and inter-relationship that when nuanced and nurtured toward positive health naturally create best outcomes and achievement. With a media background, psychological education, and extensive mindfulness training and teaching, the services offered to corporate and individual partners are constructed with insight and clear outcomes of success.

I am a Humanistic psychologist by training, emphasizing our innate human capacity for health and well-being. Rather than viewing behavioral symptoms as illness-related, I help clients heighten their own mental clarity and lessen psychological confusion by deconstructing existing blocks to meaningful engagement in life. 

As clients learn to focus on wellness, human development and self-actualization naturally occur, allowing for the realization of each of our full and unique potential. My work with clients and patients over the last 25 years, and insights gathered there, led me to start Already Famous: Embracing Inner Celebrity, inspiring and supporting women and girls to live their best, most authentic lives.