Research Interests

Somatic psychology, depth psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, transpersonal psychology, psychology of creativity, psychedelic studies, transformative somatic practices, transformative learning, leadership studies, queer theory, neuroqueer theory, neurodiversity studies, gender studies, human sexuality, communication, creative writing, narrative inquiry, embodied inquiry, autoethnography, speculative fiction, narrative and sequential art, comics studies, queer and neuroqueer literature, critical discourse analysis, ethics in research and professional practice.

Biography

Dr. Nick Walker has taught in multiple degree programs at CIIS, and currently serves as a core faculty member and principal architect of our Bachelor of Science programs in Psychology and Psychedelic Studies. As a scholar he is known for his wide-ranging transdisciplinary work at the intersections of somatic psychology, transpersonal psychology, consciousness, embodiment, and creativity, and for his foundational contributions to the field of neurodiversity. He holds a 7th degree black belt in aikido and serves as senior aikido teacher at the Aiki Arts Center in Berkeley, California.

Dr. Walker is the author of the influential essay collection Neuroqueer Heresies, co-editor of the anthology Neurodiversity in Clinical Psychology and Counseling and The Routledge Handbook of Neurodiversity and Applied Linguistics, Managing Editor of the worker-owned independent publishing house Autonomous Press, and a Consulting Editor for the journal World Futures. He has contributed chapters to the books Diverse Bodies Diverse Practices and The Routledge Handbook for Creative Futures. He also writes speculative fiction, including the urban fantasy webcomic Weird Luck, and has co-edited multiple volumes of the annual literary anthology Spoon Knife.

Education

• Ph.D. in Transformative Studies, CIIS
• M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts and Writing, CIIS 
• M.A. in Counseling Psychotherapy, CIIS
• B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, CIIS  
• A.A. in Liberal Arts, Berkeley City College

Courses

• Human Sexuality
• Expanding Consciousness: Psychedelics & Transformation
• Introduction to Somatic Psychology
• Psychodynamics
• Psychology & Psychedelics
• Shadow Work
• Somatic Approaches to Integration
• Somatics & Society
• The Body Experienced, Conceptualized, & Verbalized

Publications

Books

• Walker, Nick, and Andrew Reichart, eds. Neurodiversity in Clinical Psychology and Counseling. W.W. Norton, 2027.
• Ortega, Yecid, María Rosa Brea, Nick Walker, and Suresh Canagarajah, eds. The Routledge Handbook of Neurodiversity and Applied Linguistics. Routledge, 2026.
• Walker, Nick, and Azzia Walker, eds. Spoon Knife 10: Polarities. NeuroQueer Books, 2026.
• Walker, Nick, and Phil Smith, eds. Spoon Knife 8: Smoke and Mirrors. NeuroQueer Books, 2024.
• Walker, Nick, and Mike Jung, eds. Spoon Knife 7: Transitions. NeuroQueer Books, 2023.
• Walker, Nick. Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities. Autonomous Press, 2021.
• Reichart, Andrew M., Dora M. Raymaker, and Nick Walker, eds. Spoon Knife 5: Liminal. NeuroQueer Books, 2021.
• Walker, Nick, and Andrew M. Reichart, eds. Spoon Knife 3: Incursions. NeuroQueer Books, 2018.

Articles & Book Chapters

• Walker, Nick. Neuroqueer Theory. Elgar Encyclopedia of Queer Studies, edited by Rob Cover and Christy E. Newman. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2025.
• Botha, Monique, Robert Chapman, Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, Steven K. Kapp, Abs Stannard Ashley, and Nick Walker. The Neurodiversity Concept Was Developed Collectively: An Overdue Correction on the Origins of Neurodiversity Theory. Autism, vol. 28, no. 6, June 2024, pp. 1591–1594.
• Walker, Nick. The Use of Transformative Somatic Practices in Processes of Collective Imagination and Collaborative Future-Shaping. Routledge Handbook for Creative Futures, edited by Gabrielle Donnelly and Alfonso Montuori. Routledge, 2023.
• Pukki, Heta, et al. Autistic Perspectives on the Future of Clinical Autism Research. Autism in Adulthood, vol. 4, no. 2, June 2022, pp. 93–101.
• Walker, Nick, and Dora M. Raymaker. Toward a Neuroqueer Future. Autism in Adulthood, vol. 3, no. 1, March 2021, pp. 5–10.
• Walker, Nick, and Bonnie Burstow. Autistic and Mad. The Revolt Against Psychiatry: A Counterhegemonic Dialogue, edited by Bonnie Burstow. Palgrave Macmillan, 2019.
• Walker, Nick. Somatics and Autistic Embodiment. Diverse Bodies, Diverse Practices: Toward an Inclusive Somatics, edited by Don Hanlon Johnson. North Atlantic Books, 2018.
• Danforth, Alicia, Charles S. Grob, Christopher Struble, Allison A. Feduccia, Nick Walker, Lisa Jerome, Berra Yazar-Klosinski, and Amy Emerson. Reduction in Social Anxiety After MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy with Autistic Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. Psychopharmacology, vol. 235, no. 11, June 2018, pp. 3137–3148.
• Walker, Nick. Calvin and Clay, the Protective Manipulations of the Unconscious, and Friends of Ambiguous Ontological Status. Afterword. Imaginary Friends, by Michael Scott Monje. NeuroQueer Books, 2016.
• Walker, Nick. What Is Autism? The Real Experts: Readings for Parents of Autistic Children, edited by Michelle Sutton. Autonomous Press, 2015.
• Walker, Nick. This Is Autism. The Real Experts: Readings for Parents of Autistic Children, edited by Michelle Sutton.
• Walker, Nick. Foreword. Defiant, by Michael Scott Monje. Autonomous Press, 2015.
• Walker, Nick, and Alicia Danforth. Treating Social Anxiety in Autistic Adults with MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy. MAPS Bulletin, vol. 24, no. 1, Spring 2014, pp. 7–9.
• Walker, Nick. Throw Away the Master’s Tools: Liberating Ourselves from the Pathology Paradigm. Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking, edited by Julia Bascom. Autistic Press, 2012.
• Walker, Nick. On Being Slippery. Towards an Archeology of the Soul, edited by Antero Alli. Vertical Pool, 2003.