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75Giving Psychology Away for the Common Good:Reflections of a Novice Community PsychologistI’m rather embarrassed to admit that thephrase “Community Psychology” did not existin my vocabulary a mere 12 months ago. Mytraining and practice in the helping professionshad been almost exclusively focused on theunderstanding and treating of individuals.While I found my work fulfilling, I oftenwondered about the larger picture of socialjustice and the impact of the broader socialcontext. All of that changed one cold, winterevening as I happened across a websitedescribing the field which would change mylife. I soon fell in love, became the newestconvert, and began pursuing a career as acommunity psychologist.One of the first articles I encounteredfrom the early days of community psychologywas by George Miller (1969). Forty years ago,he eloquently exhorted his peers to “givepsychology away,” (p. 1071) opening a newway for the helping professions. It is Miller’svision that I build on here, casting a glancebackwards and a glimpse forward. Withhumility, I approach the subject of definingcommunity psychology from my perspectiveand posing a prediction or two about the futuredirection of my newly beloved field. Thisperspective is admittedly novice and certainlyincomplete compared to the vast works of thegiants of the field, those who have walked thisjourney for decades. Yet, perhaps a set ofnovice eyes can provide a fresh perspective onChris Michael KirkWichita State UniversityThis article presents a brief history and description of community psychology throughthe eyes of a novice community psychologist. From this fresh perspective, fourfoundational thoughts of the field are explored, drawing on an overview of the literatureand personal reflection. The author suggests that community psychology encouragespsychologists to Think Upside-Down, Think Long-Term, Think Plural, and Think Eco. Inconclusion, two predictions for the future of community psychology are offered. The aimof this article is to provide a humble, hopeful perspective on the field of communitypsychology and challenge community psychologists, veteran and novice alike, to movetowards a more sustainable, globally interconnected future..the field as it presently stands and pointtowards a bright future.A Brief HistoryA curious search on Google Earth hadme staring down at Swampscott,Massachusetts (Google, 2008). I must admitthat there was nothing particularly mythicalor attractive about this place from above. Yetit was here, in the fertile ground of 1965, thata most amazing event took place. TheConference for the Education ofPsychologists for Community Mental Healthwas a seemingly innocuous gathering ofinconspicuous psychologists seeking toestablish the role of psychology in theexpanding United States Community MentalHealth System. Instead, these visionaryparticipants experienced a “deep stirring andmetamorphosis,” (p. 4) and emerged with anew expression for the profession ofpsychology (Bennett, Cooper, Hassol, Klein,& Rosenblum, 1966).However, the birth of communitypsychology cannot be narrowed down to asingular time and place, but evolved globallyin a plurality of forms. Fryer (2008a) hasproposed a European origin for communitypsychology, dating back to the work of MarieJahoda in the early 1930s. As early as the1950s, Brazilian community psychology hademerged with the involvement ofpsychologists in social action and povertyThe Australian Community Psychologist Volume 21 No 1 June 2009