Louise J. Privette
Author
Louise Privette, Ed.D., spent her career as a school psychologist helping students—and the adults who support them—navigate the real-world challenges that don’t always show up in textbooks. In 2001, she was honored as Arizona School Psychologist of the Year by the Arizona Association of School Psychologists.
She is the author of School Psychologists: From Surviving to Thriving, a collaborative book that brings together the voices of practitioners in the field—sharing practical strategies, honest insights, and the kind of “you’re not alone” reassurance that professionals don’t always get enough of.
Louise is also the co-author of Dancing Through Life: A Memoir (winner of the 2024 Uta Behrens Award for nonfiction) and served as executive editor of Fifth Inkslingers Anthology: Many Worlds, Many Stories.
When she’s not writing, you’ll likely find Louise on the dance floor. A competitive ballroom dancer, she believes there are few problems that can’t be made at least a little better with good music, great footwork, and a partner who knows how to lead. She also enjoys oil painting, traveling, and saying “just one more dance”—which, as it turns out, is rarely just one.
Louise served for six years as a member of the Goodyear Arts Commission and lives in Arizona with her husband, John, a retired Southwest Airlines pilot and Air Force colonel.
If you’d like to connect, learn more about her work, or follow along on her latest adventures (on the page or the dance floor), please add your email address here.
Louise Privette, Ed.D., spent her career as a school psychologist helping students—and the adults who support them—navigate the real-world challenges that don’t always show up in textbooks. In 2001, she was honored as Arizona School Psychologist of the Year by the Arizona Association of School Psychologists.
She is the author of School Psychologists: From Surviving to Thriving, a collaborative book that brings together the voices of...
Books
School Psychologists: From Surviving to Thriving
“This book offers beginning students and early-career school psychologists a boots-on-the-ground perspective of school psychology that cannot easily be found elsewhere. It uses the words and stories of actual practitioners and does not shy away from genuine challenges inherent in the job. The contributors come from diverse practice settings and...
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Dancing Through Life: A Memoir
Winner of the 2024 Uta Behrens Nonfiction Award
Dancing Through Life tells the compelling story of the resilience, faith, and self-determination of Tristan Peigné. As intimate as the Argentine Tango, as spicy as the Salsa, and with the elegance of the Viennese Waltz, this book glides the reader as a partner across the floor of a life well-lived....
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Inkslingers Anthology: Many Worlds, Many Stories
Amazon Book Description
“From New York City to the tropical rainforest of Chiapas and places in between, the Inkslingers’ collection of stories and poems gives us a glimpse of the many facets of the human experience and a dash of magic. Beautiful.” (author Ellen Buikema)
Have you ever wanted to journey to distant universes and meet other sentient...
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Latest Updates
Blog
In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week, this story from Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, illustrates the power of your noble profession. This is only a small token of my esteem for teachers' talents and immeasurable contributions to society.
One Great Teacher
Marva Collins taught Chicago children who had been judged and discarded. For many, her classroom was their last stop. One boy had been in and out of thirteen schools in four years. One stabbed children...
How school psychologists and teachers can manage testing-season stress using brain-based strategies
By the time March arrives, many educators feel as if the school year has shifted into overdrive. Testing season is approaching, seniors are hoping for the luck of the Irish as they count credits toward graduation, and end-of-year deadlines feel like jeans that won’t button. Stress levels rise for students and adults alike. The good news is that understanding how our brains respond to stressors...
Dear Readers,
This is the title of my latest book. I hope to publish it in mid 2026.
School Psychologists: From Surviving to Thriving contains 56 vignettes geared for early-career and seasoned school psychologists and anyone interested in the field of education.
Today’s school psychologist faces a myriad of challenges: school shooters, students dealing with sexual orientation issues, bullying, serious mental health issues, and excessive technological dependence. In addition, many school...
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