Troy Allan
Home and Community
Professional Practice Extension Assistant Professor Home and Community | Rural Mental Health | Veteran Initiatives
Educational Background
Licensures & Certifications
Biography
Dr. Troy D. Allan is a retired U.S. Army Clinical Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Professional Practice with Utah State University Extension. He leads statewide Veteran & Military Initiatives and rural mental health programming, focusing on innovative, community-based approaches to resilience and well-being.
His work integrates research and lived experience, exploring how awe, dark skies, equine-assisted learning, and nature-based practices strengthen mental health—particularly in rural communities, among teens, and with veterans. Troy designs hands-on programs that bridge science and story, grounding his work in trauma-informed care and holistic wellness.
At heart, he is a storyteller who believes creativity and connection—to land, to community, and to meaningful work—are essential to healing. In both classroom and community settings, he invites others to ask bold questions, think critically, and cultivate mental health as a lived practice.
Teaching Interests
I am committed to developing courses that move beyond traditional mental health education by integrating research, experiential learning, and creative inquiry. My vision is to cultivate learning environments where students not only understand theory, but practice resilience, leadership, and community impact in real and measurable ways.
I am particularly interested in developing courses such as:
Awe, Creativity, and Mental Health – Exploring how awe, story, and artistic expression shape emotional well-being and human flourishing.
Equine-Assisted Growth and Learning – Examining experiential models that harness the power of horses to support development, literacy, and mental health.
Mental Health in Rural Communities – Designing culturally grounded, strengths-based approaches to rural well-being.
Trauma-Informed Practice – Advancing applied models that translate trauma science into community action.
Veteran Mental Health and Identity Transitions – Addressing moral injury, belonging, and resilience beyond military service.
Holistic Mental Wellness – Integrating movement, nature, creativity, and connection across the lifespan.
My goal is to prepare students not only to understand mental health—but to shape the future of it through innovation, courage, and meaningful engagement.
Research Interests
My research explores how awe, identity, creativity, and nature-based experience shape mental health across the lifespan, with a particular focus on rural communities, youth, and veterans. I am interested in applied, community-engaged scholarship that translates theory into scalable, evidence-informed programs.
Current areas of focus include:
Awe and Lifespan Mental Wellness – Investigating the psychological, physiological, and social mechanisms of awe, including its role in emotional regulation, perspective-taking, prosocial behavior, and meaning-making.
Dark Skies and Ecological Mental Health – Examining how immersive night-sky experiences influence stress reduction, identity development, and community connection, and developing youth curricula that promote awe-informed environmental stewardship.
Nature-Based and Experiential Interventions – Studying how equine-assisted learning, outdoor immersion, and hands-on practices foster resilience, literacy development, and self-efficacy.
Identity Transitions and Moral Injury – Exploring veteran transitions, purpose reconstruction, and belonging, with attention to narrative processing and creative expression.
Rural Mental Health Innovation – Designing culturally grounded, strengths-based interventions that address stigma, access barriers, and whole-person well-being in rural communities.
Trauma-Informed and Creative Practice – Integrating trauma science with storytelling, artistic practice, and community-based education models.
At the center of my scholarship is a commitment to bridging research and lived experience—developing practical frameworks that help individuals and communities cultivate resilience, meaning, and connection.
Publications | Books
- Allan, T., In the Shadows: Essays on Seeing. Tactical16 Publishing
- Allan, T., (2021). An Ordinary Wednesday: Proud to Be: Writing By American Warriors, VOL 10. Southeast Missouri State University Press
- Allan, T., (2020). Going to War: Proud to Be: Writing By American Warriors, VOL 9. Southeast Missouri State University Press
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Fact Sheets
- Allan, T., (2025). Veterans in Utah: Services, gaps, and opportunities [Fact sheet]. Utah State University Extension
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Curriculum
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Allan, T., Wilde, S., Gilliam , A., (2026). Time, Vastness, and Belonging: Outcomes from a Teen Dark-Sky Curriculum Pilot in Colorado. Outcomes and Impact Quarterly6 (1), doi: https://doi.org/10.59620/2995-2220.1111
- Allan, T., Garlick, A., Pahlke, M., (2025). An Evaluation of the Horse Powered Reading® Retreat Program. Outcomes and Impact Quarterly, 5:1, 1-3. doi: https://doi.org/10.59620/2995-2220.1088
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Literary Journals
Nonfiction Prose
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
Magazine/Trade Publications
- Aldanar, L., Allan, T., (2024). When Life Gives You Logan Winters. The Utah Statesman *
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.