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 is an author, transdisciplinary scholar, aikido teacher, and futurist whose work explores the edges and intersections of somatic psychology, transpersonal psychology, queer theory, embodiment, transformative learning, and creativity. She is best known for her foundational work in Neurodiversity Studies and Neuroqueer Theory, and her influential essay collection Neuroqueer Heresies. She also writes speculative fiction, including the urban fantasy webcomic Weird Luck, and has co-edited multiple volumes of the annual neuroqueer lit anthology Spoon Knife.

Dr. Walker holds a 7th degree black belt in aikido and serves as senior aikido teacher at the Aiki Arts Center in Berkeley, California. She is Managing Editor of the worker-owned indie publishing house Autonomous Press, a Consulting Editor for the journal World Futures, and a popular speaker and workshop facilitator on a variety of topics including creativity, embodiment, neurodiversity, sexuality, psychedelics, and personal and cultural transformation.

Dr. Walker has taught in the Bachelor of Science in Psychology program at CIIS since its launch in 2018, and helped to create the program’s curriculum. She also teaches classes in the Somatic Psychology M.A. program. In 2024 it was announced that she would be one of the principal architects and founding faculty members of CIIS’ new Bachelor of Science in Psychedelic Studies program.

Education

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

Courses

Human Sexuality  
Introduction to Neurodiversity Studies  
Psychodynamics  
Psychology of Gender  
Psychopathology & Psychological Assessment  
Research Methods  
Shadow Work  
Social Psychology  
Somatic Psychology in Theory & Practice  
Somatics & Society  
The Body Experienced, Conceptualized, & Verbalized  
Theories of Personality 

Publications

Books

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

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.