Joyce B. Perkins
Assistant Professor
perkinsj@augsburg.edu

Joyce teaches in both the graduate and undergraduate nursing programs. Her areas of expertise include complimentary and alternative therapies, genetics, transformational nursing leadership and the new science of complexity, chaos and wave theory. She has trained directly with two nurse theorists, Dr. Jean Watson (Transpersonal Caring Theory), as chair of her dissertation committee and Ph.D. work at the University of Colorado Health and Science Center (UCHSC), Denver; and Dr. Margaret Newman (Health as Expanding Consciousness) at the University of Minnesota. Two Rogerians (Dr. Martha Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings), Dr. Francelyn Reeder and Dr. Marlaine Smith, also at UCHSC, were essential in her research on therapeutic touch.

Joyce has worked for the past three years on the depression/mood disorder unit, St. Mary’s Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. She has also worked for five years in addiction nursing at Mayo.

Joyce has a second career in the health and fitness arena and has taught exercise classes and workshops for the past 22 years in various health clubs, including the last 12 years at the Rochester Athletic Club.  She currently teaches Qigong, yoga, Pilates, water aerobics and a water class for clients with arthritis and fibromyalgia.  She is trained and certified in group exercise and in many healing modalities including medical qigong, healing touch, reiki, and the healing practices of the shamans (Q’ero Indians) of Peru.

Prior to joining Augsburg College in September of 2006, Joyce taught in the undergraduate nursing department at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa (Rochester classes).

Education
B.S., University of New Hampshire, Medical Technology (A.S.C.P).
R.N., College of St. Teresa, Winona, MN
M.A., St. Mary's College Graduate Center, Liberal and Integrated Studies, mind/body/spirit integration through somatic psychology, interpretive dance and expressive movement
M.S., University of Minnesota, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
Ph.D., University of Colorado Health and Science Center School of Nursing
Dissertation: A Cosmology of Compassion for Nursing Explicated Via Dialogue with Self, Science and Spirit.
Fellowship at the Summer Genetics Institute, National Institute of Health,  Bethesda, MD.
Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, Washington, D.C.
Nursing 860: Molecular Genetics in Research, Health, and Society

Research, proposals, scholarly interests, theory development
Utilization of Family Pedigree Information to Individualize Patient Care in a Psychiatric Healthcare Community, 2006-present

The Effect of Qigong on Depression: Mood Disorder and Gene Expression, 2005-present

Portraits of Healers: Synchronicity revealed in journals reflecting levels of awareness and interactive action. 2004

A Cosmology of Compassion for Nursing Explicated via Dialogue with Self, Science, and Spirit, 2004

Recent Publications/Presentations
“Portraits of Healers: Synchronicity revealed in journals reflecting levels of awareness and interactive action.”  First International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry official program abstracts.  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign  2005

“Portraits of Healers Dwelling with Others in Touch Therapies.”  Australian College of Holistic Nursing Conference Abstract, Brisbane, Australia   2004

“A Cosmology of Compassion for Nursing Explicated via Dialogue with Self, Science and Spirit.”  UMI Dissertation Services
University of Colorado Health Science Center Denver, CO. 2004

“Healing Through Spirit: The Experience of the Eternal in the Everyday”  Visions: Journal of the Society of Rogerian Scholars, Vol. 11, Number 1  2003

“Dialogue Between Science and Self; Science and Spirit.” International Association of Human Caring Conference Abstracts, Boulder, CO.  2003

Awards
Recipient of the Mayo Clinic Excellence in Nursing Award, December 8, 2005 from the Nursing Division Leadership Group

Areas of Teaching and Responsibilities at Augsburg College
Contemporary Nursing I: Communications
Topics in Transcultural Health Care Systems: Nursing Leadership and Complexity Science
Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice
Transcultural Healing Practices