Hi.
My name is Emily Ray.
I am a mother of two boys, and also I am married.
I live in Virginia, and I have always been interested in humans and why people do the things they do.
As I began this journey, I was led by God to become a therapist.
At the time, I really did not know what that meant, but I knew I wanted to help people in more of a counseling setting.
So I finished my undergrad, and I applied to Divine Mercy University's counseling program.
I was really drawn to this program because of the CCMMP.
And it was through the values that I felt really modeled who I was as a person and how I viewed individuals that it could really help me become a better counselor.
That was one of my main concerns with doing a more secular field like psychology if I was going to be able to integrate spirituality within that content.
Because spirituality is so important, not just to myself, but to others, I wanted to know how to integrate that into a session.
Through DMU and the use of the CCMMP model, I feel like it's given me a great grounds and a great base of how to model and how to meet people where they're at.
Does it matter if that's on a spiritual level or a more secular level or wherever they're at?
I feel like it's really helped to round me out as an individual and as a counselor as well.
I am currently in my second residency.
I have just completed my first year, and I have been nothing but shocked at how I have not only transformed academically, but also internally as well.
I have become a better wife, a better mom, a better friend just through the courses I've taken.
I'm looking forward to internship and practicum as that is going to be my next semester.
And I feel due to the preparation, DMU that I am prepared to meet clients now.
There's not a fear, a paralyzing fear of what to do or how to meet clients due to the academic vigor of knowing the different models and the different theories and how to apply them has really helped me gain in confidence as I start moving more to the practical in person side of counseling, not just the academic.
The professors have been very warm, very welcoming, and very accommodating to all of my needs and my questions.
And helping me learn how to take the models and the information and, learning how to apply them to the person in various and very, diverse situations.