Dr. Dennis J. Butler, Arts '72, Grad '93
Counselor Education and CounselingPsychology (CECP) Achievement Award
College of Education
Counselor Education and Counseling
Psychology (CECP) Achievement Award
Dr. Dennis J. Butler, Arts '72, Grad '93
Dr. Dennis Butler has had high aspirations for quite some time. After all, while growing up, he dreamed of being a goalie on an NHL Stanley Cup-winning Montreal Canadiens team. As a Marquette student, he set his sights on — and achieved — two very different things. He co-founded the Marquette club hockey team in 1969 and pursued a career as a psychotherapist and teacher in psychology and behavioral sciences.
During his successful 35-year career, Dennis — professor of family medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin — has fulfilled many responsibilities, including teaching behavioral science to physicians in training, providing clinical services in a primary care setting, and conducting clinical and educational research. His clinical focus is on the treatment of traumatic reactions, depression, anxiety and health-related disorders, and he has had a national impact on behavioral science training in medical education.
Along the way, Dennis always has valued collaboration with diverse professionals and patients who have been integral to the medical advances and research in which he has been involved.
Serving those in need, as reflected in the Jesuit mission of men and women for others, also has been a passion for Dennis. He has worked with the underserved, providing mental health services to patients who can't obtain them elsewhere.
Looking back, Dennis credits his success in large part to his Marquette education and experience, including his interaction with "a wonderful range of quality faculty who supported my work in the community while I was in graduate school," he says.
His personal formula for success? "Keep your ear to the ground, stay on top of the literature, embrace change in your profession, and always build and value relationships," he says.
Fun facts about Dennis
What he wanted to be in grade school: A goalie for the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens
