Dr. Heather J. Hair

Dr. Heather Hair

 

 

Associate Professor, School of Social Work,
Memorial University


Office: St. John's College, J-3023
Email: hhair@mun.ca


Dr. Heather Hair was the Interim Dean of Memorial's School of Social Work from July 2020 until June 2021. Prior to that, she was the School’s Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs since 2015.

Dr. Hair has a BA in Psychology from Concordia University, a Masters in Couple and Family Therapy from the University of Guelph, a Masters in Community Psychology and a PhD in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Dr. Hair's career working with individuals, couples, and families began in Quebec as a child and youth care worker in open and secure live-in treatment facilities for adolescents. Subsequently, she worked as a family therapist at an Ontario inner city children's mental health centre where she co-created and coordinated the Brief Therapy Services and developed and supervised the Brief Therapy Community Externship. Since 1995, Dr. Hair has been providing practice supervision, program consultation, and skills-training workshops to providers of mental health and social services, and community groups. Her practice, teaching, and research are shaped by her belief in and critical reflection on the social construction of knowledge and meaning. Dr. Hair's academic and professional interests include direct practice with children, youth, and families; supervision; program and policy development; and the qualities of helping conversations that encourage hope, growth and change. Her research and practice interests have met around a particular question: How can services for the mental health and relational needs of vulnerable children, adolescents, and adults become more responsive, effective and equitable?


Recent Peer Reviewed Publications:

  • Hair, H. J. (2015). Supervision conversations about social justice and social work practice. Journal of Social Work, 15(4), 349–370. doi: 10.1177/1468017314539082
  • Hair, H. J. (2014). Power relations in supervision: Preferred practices according to social workers. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 95(2), 107–114. doi: 10.1606/1044-3894.2014.95.14
  • Hair, H. J. (2013). The purpose and duration of supervision, and the training and discipline of supervisors: What social workers say they need to provide effective services. The British Journal of Social Work, 43, 1562–1588. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcs071
  • Hair, H. J., Shortall, R., & Olford, J. (2013). Where's help when we need it? Developing responsive and effective brief counseling services for children, adolescents, and their families. Social Work in Mental Health, 11(1), 16-33. doi: 10.1080/15332985.2012.716389
  • Hair, H. J., & Fine, M. (2012). Social constructionism and supervision: Experiences of AAMFT supervisors and supervised therapists. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38(4), 604–620. doi: 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00255.x
  • Hair, H., J., & O'Donoghue, K. (2009). Culturally relevant, socially just, social work supervision: Becoming visible through a social constructionist lens. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 18(1/2). doi: 10.1080/15313200902874979