Profile

Dr. William Struthers

Professor of Psychology

Words: Cassidy Keenan ’21
Photos: Tony Hughes

Wheaton College IL Neuroscience Dr. William Struthers

In the Department of Psychology, behind a door with Dr. William Struthers’ name on it, lies an office full of clues about this bright, scientific, and deeply creative mind.

Some items in this office are what one might expect: piles of books, papers, and articles for the many classes he has taught in the last 25 years. Personal relics and artifacts from both graduate and undergraduate programs. Course materials for first-year seminar classes, some of Dr. Struthers’ favorite courses to teach. This room has seen countless students for office hours, poring over his wisdom on neuroscience and the intersections between psychedelic drugs, religion, and society. Given his training in pharmacology, neuroscience, and psychology, Dr. Struthers’ passion for integration is no surprise.

Other items in the office may be more unexpected. Leaning againsta wall is an electric guitar that Dr. Struthers constructed himself, stained brain-matter-gray. His love of music hails back to the eighties: Picture him with a mullet and a wide grin, playing the bass guitar in a rock cover band. One might see photos of his three children, perhaps with his wife of nearly 30 years. Picture her reading The Lord of the Rings for the first time, suggesting their children be named after the characters—the moment Dr. Struthers knew without a doubt she was “the one.”

Perhaps one would see a copy of his own published book, Wired for Intimacy (IVP Books, 2009), which explores compulsive pornography viewing behaviors through a neuroscientific lens and which led him to give several noteworthy presentations to the British and Australian Parliaments. One might see decorations of Struthers’ favorite British soccer team or his drawer full of comic books, loved since childhood. In short, in all these items, one would see Dr. Struthers: curious, intelligent, grounded, nostalgic, and working to open new, crucial dialogues within his community.


To learn more about studying psychology at Wheaton, visit wheaton.edu/psychology.