Nonken made major developments in child psychology

June Good Nonken often dealt with the challenges of being the only woman working in psychology.

But that did not stop her from improving the way psychologists treated children with mental health issues.

Nonken first became interested in the topic as a teen while volunteering at a local hospital in Ogdensburg, New York, said Nonken's daughter Deborah Good Johnson.

She became so intrigued that she chose to major in psychology and minor in elementary education while attending Barnard College during the 1940s—a big achievement for a woman during that time.

“She really was a pioneer,” Johnson said.

Nonken later earned a master's degree in clinical psychology from Tulsa University in 1956 and a doctorate in child clinical psychology from George Peabody College in 1965.

“My mom earned her Ph.D as a single mother since my father had passed away,” Johnson said. “She worked hard to do what she loved.”

After getting her doctorate, Nonken moved to Galveston to become chief psychologist in the division of child psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical Branch there.

“At that time, a woman had never held that position before at that location,” Johnson said.

San Antonio became Nonken's home after she moved here in 1966 to work as the chief psychologist at the Community Guidance Center of Bexar County.

It was then that Nonken and her colleague Dr. Al Serrano were instrumental in developing the concept of children and family counseling in regard to the treatment of children with mental health issues.

“Back then, mentally challenged children used to be treated alone—apart from their family,” Johnson said. “My mother and Dr. Serrano found it was better to treat the family, too. It seems so obvious, but it had never been thought of before.”

During the last 20 years of her career, Nonken consulted local public school districts on improving services for mentally challenged children.

She also worked at Trinity University as an associate professor of educational psychology for 14 years.

“She was an animated professor,” said Johnson. “She taught others to persevere and to speak up. She told other women not to feel they had to ‘play dumb.'”

Apart from psychology, Nonken enjoyed canoing at Horseshoe Bay on Lake LBJ with her late husband, Harry Nonken, who she met here in 1968.

In lieu of flowers, Nonken's family asks that donations be made to Trinity University so it can provide scholarships for non-traditional students, since Nonken was one when earning her doctorate.

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