David O'Donaghue, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist who left active practice six years ago in order to establish an independent adult learning center called the Lyceum. He first received his masters in art therapy from Antioch University in Seattle and then pursued his doctorate at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. He returned to Seattle to open a private practice and serve on the core faculty at Antioch, teaching courses in psychoanalytic and Jungian theory and the creative modalities. During this time he became increasingly interested in the possible contributions of philosophy to clinical work. He became active in a worldwide network of therapists and philosophers exploring the theory and practice of philosophical counseling. He has written and presented on this topic for the past ten years. David returned to academic life to pursue his doctorate in philosophy at the Universities of New Mexico and South Carolina and did his dissertation research on a progressive educational movement in New England in the early nineteenth century that established local lyceums which hosted itinerate transcendentalists, abolitionists and feminists.
It is upon this research that David grounded his school - a noninstitutional free university that serves the educational interests of particular communities. David first established the Lyceum in the mountains of North Carolina and then moved the school to New Orleans in 2002. He has also facilitated public philosophical discussions called philo-cafes and co-facilitated a number of film series at the Psychoanalytic Center and through the Lyceum. He has also worked in the Center library and served on the board of directors.

David lost his home and possessions in Katrina and spent the next nine months living a mendicant life, moving from place to place, trying to discern what his next chapter would be. In order to cope with the disaster and move ahead, he wrote a study of disaster from a philosophical point of view and presented this work at a conference in Spain and at the psychoanalytic center in New Orleans. In May of 2006, David decided that Baltimore would be his new home. In addition to starting up the Baltimore Lyceum, David has initiated a new project called the Lagniappe Project which is dedicated to offering classes and activities to people with life altering conditions, such a mental illness, disabilities, or chronic physical illness. He is currently focussing his efforts on bringing the arts to the chronically mentally ill.

Former participants in both New Orleans and Brevard, North Carolina have decided to continue the Lyceum tradition in their communities and a loose association has formed consisting of the New Orleans Lyceum, the Blue Ridge Lyceum and the Baltimore Lyceum.

If you are interested in offering some activity or class through the Lyceum please contact us via this webpage. Please send an email to info@lyceumproject.com .

Hats off to the new Lyceum. May it grow and flourish!

David O'Donaghue, Psy.D.

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