Where Psychology, Genealogy, and History Converge
At the intersection of memory, family, and meaning
I’m Dr. Steven Hanley—a clinical psychologist, photo collector, genealogy enthusiast, and storyteller.
The Psychogenealogist was born from a desire to bring all of these passions together. Over time, it has evolved into a space for exploring how memory, ancestry, and history—our own and others’—shape who we are.
I created this space to explore how the past lives in us—and how understanding it can help us move forward.
Find
This is Emil Muenzel (1866–1939) — a distant relative by marriage. I didn’t expect to find him shirtless in the woods, but here we are.
I search for lost or overlooked fragments of the past — a photograph, a name, a fleeting detail. These discoveries, whether found or inherited, are often the starting point of something much bigger.
Tell
This is LaVerne Rhoads (1899–1962). She spent her life in shadows and sorrow — but her story deserves to be heard.
Every image, document, or whisper of history holds a story waiting to be shaped. Through research, intuition, and imagination, I give voice to the lives behind the artifacts — even the quiet, aching ones who might otherwise be forgotten.
Celebrate
This is Ida Rhoads Sears (1900–2002). Her century-spanning life connected me to the people and places I now seek to understand.
This isn’t just about nostalgia — it’s about honoring the people and places that made us. I believe in celebrating memory, ancestry, and identity as a way to better understand who we are today.
“If you don’t recount your family history, it will be lost. Honor your own stories and tell them too. The tales may not seem very important, but they are what binds families and makes each of us who we are.”