WEBVTT 00:00:06.720 --> 00:00:07.620 Hello, everybody. 00:00:07.920 --> 00:00:19.235 I am Joe Drennan, and I am the admissions adviser for, Divine Mercy University's online master's in psychology program, 100% online. 00:00:19.855 --> 00:00:23.935 And I have with me today, Debbie Burke. 00:00:23.935 --> 00:00:30.255 And Debbie graduated in 2019, and she's gonna share a little bit about our stories. 00:00:30.255 --> 00:00:35.670 Now we do have this chat feature, and you could see it on the bottom of it. 00:00:35.670 --> 00:00:43.990 Anytime you have a question, okay, you know, we we'll get it ants we'll get it answered sooner than later. 00:00:43.990 --> 00:00:46.095 So, okay. 00:00:46.095 --> 00:00:49.075 So without further ado, we have Debbie Berg. 00:00:49.215 --> 00:00:53.075 So tell us what you wanna tell us, Deb. 00:00:55.775 --> 00:01:03.490 Well, I I was looking for a program that, like, Divine Mercy University offered. 00:01:03.550 --> 00:01:10.850 In fact, I was following it before it became a university, and I was considering joining with a certificate program. 00:01:11.150 --> 00:01:42.755 I I just waited and waited and waited and finally, saw that I could, you know, get reimbursed from work or taken a psychology course that was exactly, you know, what I needed, something that was faith based with my faith that, so the psych ops the psychology, you know, was something that I would completely agree with a 100%, with what was taught, and I could, go at my own pace. 00:01:42.755 --> 00:01:44.615 So it was a perfect fit for me. 00:01:45.235 --> 00:01:48.455 I, did not go the counseling track. 00:01:48.755 --> 00:01:56.580 I already had a full time job, counseling, so to speak, as a dietitian and a certified diabetes educator. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:02.260 What I did not need was a higher degree in nutrition. 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:08.180 What I needed was a higher degree in understanding people better and helping people better. 00:02:09.035 --> 00:02:13.215 And so it was it was wonderful. 00:02:15.755 --> 00:02:17.195 It was wonderful to go through it. 00:02:17.195 --> 00:02:20.315 I learned so much, and I applied so much. 00:02:20.315 --> 00:02:32.470 And in fact, one of my coworkers went to this same type of program, and she's in the counseling program right now because we both agreed that we don't need more nutrition education. 00:02:32.690 --> 00:02:34.230 We need people education. 00:02:34.770 --> 00:02:49.675 And I would say the number one and two things I learned is just to be a better listener to my clients that would come in, wanting wanting nutrition information, but also empathy. 00:02:51.240 --> 00:03:06.325 I mean, I I don't think anyone can be a good counselor of any kind of information if they're not a good listener, and they can't put their themselves in the shoes of the person that they're listening to. 00:03:06.325 --> 00:03:13.065 And that was probably the number one and two thing that I learned and continued to practice. 00:03:13.365 --> 00:03:32.720 And it's hard for all of us to be just a listener and not the advice giver, but I I have very much learned the value of that from the relationships I've developed with my own clients because they they're so relieved just to have someone listen to their story. 00:03:33.695 --> 00:03:36.115 So thank you for letting me share my story. 00:03:37.055 --> 00:03:38.595 So so yes. 00:03:40.815 --> 00:03:47.540 It completely helped me professionally, but more recently, it's helped me personally. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:54.820 Our daughter, two years ago, had a stroke at age 32, completely out of the blue. 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:57.600 Had no reason to have a stroke. 00:03:57.600 --> 00:03:59.060 It was a massive stroke. 00:03:59.775 --> 00:04:04.495 She was in the hospital for three months, tried rehab for a month. 00:04:04.495 --> 00:04:11.635 She failed rehab, but we asked her to be readmitted to the hospital after another month in the hospital. 00:04:12.720 --> 00:04:15.860 They it was the middle of COVID, which was horrible. 00:04:18.400 --> 00:04:22.660 And so they just felt she couldn't speak. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:27.875 She couldn't move anything independently. 00:04:29.295 --> 00:04:30.595 She couldn't eat. 00:04:31.135 --> 00:04:32.415 They put a PEG tube in. 00:04:35.935 --> 00:04:44.540 I they just were just felt like she's needed skilled nursing, and we had my husband's a doctor. 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:45.100 Hallelujah. 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:46.760 Retired doctor. 00:04:46.760 --> 00:04:47.660 I'm a dietitian. 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:56.995 We had just we were just tired of her being in a medical facility in the middle of COVID, and we said we're bringing her home. 00:04:57.535 --> 00:04:57.855 Mhmm. 00:04:57.855 --> 00:05:14.090 So Kristen went from being completely independent since graduating from high school, ten years living independently, full time job, very well paid, very active with her church, very active volunteer. 00:05:15.430 --> 00:05:21.285 And here she is completely dependent on her parents. 00:05:22.225 --> 00:05:30.785 And, so, she has come a very, very long ways. 00:05:30.785 --> 00:05:57.135 But when she was in the hospital and in rehab, my divine mercy experience through my capstone project, and a lot of the reading that I did helped me make sure anyone that worked with Christian treated her with dignity, that she was a human being despite the fact that she could not do things for herself. 00:05:58.475 --> 00:06:13.570 One of the things I learned in some of my reading had had, come from the palliative care area and how they had pictures of the person in the room. 00:06:13.630 --> 00:06:17.745 So we brought in pictures of Kristen with her best friend, with her sister. 00:06:18.685 --> 00:06:27.905 And even right down to the cleaning lady, they would look at that picture, and all of a sudden, she was a real person to them. 00:06:28.125 --> 00:06:28.685 You know? 00:06:28.685 --> 00:06:31.870 She wasn't just a body in a bed. 00:06:34.010 --> 00:06:42.990 And, just so, you know, they could see that she wasn't born that way. 00:06:43.210 --> 00:06:48.455 This just happened, and this is who Kristen really is in this picture. 00:06:48.755 --> 00:07:02.790 And, so, again, it was very important for us to make sure that Kristen's body and her mind and her spirit were all treated with a 100% dignity. 00:07:03.330 --> 00:07:13.510 And, again, my Divine Mercy education fully empowered me to do the right thing by Kristen. 00:07:15.095 --> 00:07:18.855 Now she can speak, eat. 00:07:18.855 --> 00:07:25.915 She's works with her physical therapist here at home. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:29.620 She is suffering from depression. 00:07:29.840 --> 00:07:33.780 So, again, I have to be a good listener. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:37.300 I have to put myself in her shoes. 00:07:37.520 --> 00:07:45.715 I just ask a question, and no matter what she answers, the answer is right, you know, because it's her answer and not mine. 00:07:46.895 --> 00:08:05.240 So my education, continues to serve me and my family, and I'm so grateful for, for having invested those two and a half years into my master's degree. 00:08:05.860 --> 00:08:06.360 Mhmm. 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:07.320 Oh, jeez. 00:08:07.875 --> 00:08:09.155 I didn't realize that. 00:08:09.155 --> 00:08:19.655 So but, but, you know, you know, you you mentioned that, okay, we always wanna treat people with dignity in that. 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:29.100 And, I mean, how how do you define and use flourishing, which is one of our basic foundations in the program? 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:32.520 Yeah. 00:08:32.520 --> 00:08:59.160 Well, always remembering they're made in the image of God, and I think people take that to heart, that life is very precious no matter what the capacity is, that they're given a name and that and that name is very important to them. 00:09:01.540 --> 00:09:13.945 You know, I would the the flourishing is is something that, you know, sounds nice, but it's so easy to despair. 00:09:15.765 --> 00:09:27.470 So we I have found, you know, myself, my husband, her daughter, you know, in a state of despair, fluctuating from time to time. 00:09:28.010 --> 00:09:38.545 But, hope you know, when it one of my instructors taught me that, you know, hope is a virtue and despair is the vice. 00:09:39.325 --> 00:09:54.980 And, so I actually, in my office, my daughter painted me a sign with a quote from pope Benedict the sixteenth that said, people who live with hope people who have hope live differently. 00:09:55.760 --> 00:10:05.175 And I read that as part of my DMU reading, and I'm like, that is I cannot forget that line. 00:10:05.175 --> 00:10:15.595 So I told the girls, if you wanna give me a Christmas present, create me something that's that quotes Pope Benedict, and it's hanging in my office. 00:10:17.130 --> 00:10:17.630 Inspiration. 00:10:18.410 --> 00:10:18.570 Mhmm. 00:10:18.730 --> 00:10:20.250 Inspiration for you. 00:10:20.250 --> 00:10:21.050 Oh, Debbie. 00:10:21.050 --> 00:10:26.570 And, again, if anybody has questions, you know, we have a chat chat line. 00:10:26.570 --> 00:10:31.315 You know, I'm just, you know, you know, type it in, and we'll get it answered. 00:10:31.315 --> 00:10:43.655 But, Debbie, when I went to graduation last May it's actually my first graduation for DMU, and I asked a lot of the students, you know, what did you learn most? 00:10:43.955 --> 00:10:47.390 And they said, I learned about me most. 00:10:47.930 --> 00:10:50.190 Would you say that's with with you too? 00:10:52.810 --> 00:11:03.645 I I think me in relationship with other people, whether it's family, friends, coworkers. 00:11:04.585 --> 00:11:12.285 I learned how important relationship is and how people can be lonely, even if they're surrounded by people. 00:11:12.825 --> 00:11:17.650 So I think me in relationship to other people is what I learned the the most. 00:11:17.650 --> 00:11:31.495 I was working as a dietitian for at least twenty five years, so I had a lot of experience in my field interacting with people and trying to be better at what I do. 00:11:33.635 --> 00:11:37.975 But, yes, I did learn my strengths and weaknesses. 00:11:40.140 --> 00:11:55.275 I just you know, the readings that I did just were, you know, so inspirational and kept several books and and, just, you know, have pulled them out from time to time and reread them. 00:11:56.375 --> 00:12:01.915 You know, I I I went for my master's degree finally at age 41. 00:12:03.335 --> 00:12:09.540 And, you know, that first two weeks, I was crying every night because I I can't do this. 00:12:09.540 --> 00:12:10.100 I can't do this. 00:12:10.100 --> 00:12:11.300 My wife said, you're gonna do it. 00:12:11.300 --> 00:12:12.420 You're gonna do it. 00:12:12.420 --> 00:12:19.940 Because all of a sudden, I had to start reading for a purpose and doing research instead of for the fun of it. 00:12:19.940 --> 00:12:25.845 I mean, how did you make that adjustment for similar? 00:12:26.145 --> 00:12:26.545 Yeah. 00:12:26.545 --> 00:12:26.865 Yeah. 00:12:26.865 --> 00:12:30.485 So I was not very technically inclined. 00:12:31.505 --> 00:12:33.825 So it was a big learning curve. 00:12:33.825 --> 00:12:46.820 I was very happy that we had that month or so of getting, experience at doing the quizzes and the, all the the many assignments that we had to do. 00:12:48.560 --> 00:12:51.700 Their their writing was so huge. 00:12:52.765 --> 00:13:03.725 That was, you know, just the style of writing and the referencing of research papers that, you know, that was a big learning curve too. 00:13:03.725 --> 00:13:10.380 But because of what I was learning, it was so enlightening and helpful to me. 00:13:10.380 --> 00:13:14.160 The the work and the challenge was not a problem. 00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:16.860 I just my family supported me. 00:13:16.860 --> 00:13:17.980 I was 50 years old. 00:13:17.980 --> 00:13:20.645 There wasn't anything in my way, really. 00:13:22.305 --> 00:13:27.765 You know, weekends, I did most of my work on the weekends and then my reading on the evenings. 00:13:27.905 --> 00:13:30.865 So, it was okay. 00:13:30.865 --> 00:13:31.365 Yeah. 00:13:31.665 --> 00:13:39.620 So so, I mean, did so did you do a little bit of something every day? 00:13:39.620 --> 00:13:43.560 You're saying most of the time the weekend, you said you read during the week. 00:13:44.020 --> 00:13:44.340 Yeah. 00:13:44.340 --> 00:13:44.660 Yeah. 00:13:44.660 --> 00:13:53.995 I it it was interesting because when I was interviewed, like, how much time did I think I could allow Mhmm. 00:13:54.235 --> 00:13:56.095 A week to do the program? 00:13:56.715 --> 00:14:08.620 And I figured I could probably do nine to ten hours a week if I took you know, Saturdays as a big chunk of my time and then read assignments during the week. 00:14:08.680 --> 00:14:11.500 And I was able to keep up pretty well, I I felt. 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:17.500 And, some of the work was kinda fun anyway, so I looked forward to it. 00:14:18.395 --> 00:14:21.115 So, you know, it kinda I mean, I did similar. 00:14:21.115 --> 00:14:32.015 You know, after going, you know, twenty six months or so or maybe somewhere in the middle of 2016 and '26, you know, you're doing about fifteen, twenty hours a week of work. 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:36.220 And once it was all finished, what did you do with your extra time? 00:14:38.520 --> 00:14:39.020 Yeah. 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:51.495 Really, that's a good question because it's been several years since I finished, but I think I just enjoyed my leisure time just a little bit more. 00:14:52.595 --> 00:15:07.090 Took back my Saturdays for more cooking and walking and, you know, did a little bit more traveling because it definitely did interfere with my ability to to go away for very long. 00:15:07.090 --> 00:15:13.350 So we just put a lot of travel on hold so I could get my assignments done. 00:15:14.585 --> 00:15:21.805 So just kinda kinda like when someone retires, they just fill in with what what they've missed doing before. 00:15:21.865 --> 00:15:24.185 But Yeah. 00:15:24.185 --> 00:15:25.225 Were there wait. 00:15:25.225 --> 00:15:25.725 Mhmm. 00:15:25.910 --> 00:15:40.810 So, I mean, were there any times though during the program that maybe you had to go somewhere to where, you know, visiting people, maybe a vacation or something like that, where you're able to incorporate your work while away from, you know, home base? 00:15:42.635 --> 00:15:46.095 Well, I'm more of a book reader than an online reader. 00:15:46.155 --> 00:15:58.690 So if there were was an assignment, I I would hopefully have the reading in a book that I could just carry with me, read in the car, you know, draft in a notebook. 00:15:59.070 --> 00:16:04.450 So when I got home, I could upload it in into the program. 00:16:07.710 --> 00:16:15.665 We didn't travel that much during the program except on breaks, like, the little the summer break we had, the Christmas break. 00:16:15.725 --> 00:16:16.385 You know? 00:16:16.525 --> 00:16:25.980 Mostly, I have families in Upstate New York, so it was only holiday time or summer that we would take a a long enough trip that we are away. 00:16:25.980 --> 00:16:29.200 And a lot of times, that was breaks in school too. 00:16:30.460 --> 00:16:38.720 So, you know, you know, all students, you know, master in psychology students have to do what they we call it capstone paper. 00:16:39.445 --> 00:16:47.945 And, you know, how did you finally decide on, you know, what the best area was for you to write a capstone paper on? 00:16:48.565 --> 00:16:48.885 Yeah. 00:16:48.885 --> 00:16:54.265 That there were definitely some areas that I could rule out from the beginning. 00:16:54.645 --> 00:16:57.650 I can't say say I remember exactly what they were. 00:16:58.110 --> 00:17:04.050 But the one that I kept coming back to, at the time, I was a Eucharistic minister at my church. 00:17:04.830 --> 00:17:09.250 And there was a capstone project that had to do with a Eucharistic minister. 00:17:09.945 --> 00:17:18.825 And, and I really was drawn to people that were homebound because of my experience of being a Eucharistic minister. 00:17:18.825 --> 00:17:19.745 I felt Mhmm. 00:17:19.865 --> 00:17:28.660 Those people are somehow not connected, some more, isolated than others. 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:35.940 And I just felt that the role of you, Chris minister was really important, but it could be strengthened. 00:17:36.885 --> 00:17:43.625 So my capstone project was on how the Eucharistic minister could enhance relationships. 00:17:44.165 --> 00:17:44.725 Oh, yeah. 00:17:44.885 --> 00:17:47.385 And so, of course, there's three major relationships. 00:17:47.525 --> 00:17:55.400 One with the Eucharistic minister and the person receiving the, communion, the relationship with the church. 00:17:55.400 --> 00:18:08.665 So in fact, I was bringing the church to them and sharing what was going on at church and seeing how we could get that person still feeling like they belonged to the church even though they may not physically be there. 00:18:08.665 --> 00:18:12.605 And, of course, the most important one was with Jesus in the Eucharist. 00:18:12.905 --> 00:18:33.650 So, it had to do with relationships and, the, you know, the homebound to the struggles that the homebound could have and then the research that showed how relationship with other people made a huge difference in those people that, that were homebound. 00:18:34.110 --> 00:18:45.535 So I I just had a real strong sense of, helping people that had the chance of despairing from loneliness and being older aged. 00:18:46.715 --> 00:19:05.835 And, you know, what what, folks, when, you know, Debbie was in school, you know, we I I don't believe we have the five different concentrations that we do now, which are, you know, marriage and family, human services leadership, pre PhD, and self design, but we still have the eight core courses. 00:19:06.135 --> 00:19:09.675 And so what was your what was your favorite core course? 00:19:11.255 --> 00:19:22.800 Was I was, I and many others were very afraid of statistics, and our instructors, like, handheld us through that course. 00:19:22.800 --> 00:19:24.500 So we we all did fine. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:29.300 But the and the philosophy, I thought, was gonna be very challenging. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:38.665 But my daughter, Kristen, who lives with us now, she minored in philosophy, and she loved philosophy. 00:19:39.525 --> 00:19:40.265 Still does. 00:19:42.005 --> 00:19:50.390 So I was I was a little afraid of that course too, but it turned out to be a very enriching course. 00:19:50.770 --> 00:20:11.035 And, also, I felt, in my role as a nutrition counselor that the courses on the diagnosing of mental health disorders, and how to manage, those situations. 00:20:12.295 --> 00:20:19.950 I felt that was more very, important to my professional, my to my career with the persons might come come in. 00:20:19.950 --> 00:20:39.745 You know, I would come across people with eating disorders, history of, you know, abusive marriages, all this baggage that influenced how they ate, how they thought, what they did, how they cared for themselves, their diabetes. 00:20:39.965 --> 00:20:40.625 You know? 00:20:41.325 --> 00:20:43.185 And they just needed to be heard. 00:20:44.445 --> 00:20:44.685 Right. 00:20:44.685 --> 00:20:45.085 You know? 00:20:45.085 --> 00:20:47.885 And and I think, you know, everybody's different on that. 00:20:47.885 --> 00:20:52.190 I know myself, I've always going through a stressful time, I don't eat. 00:20:52.330 --> 00:20:53.310 I won't eat anything. 00:20:53.690 --> 00:20:55.450 And if I'm happy, I eat a lot. 00:20:55.450 --> 00:20:59.390 I know some people when they're stressed, all they wanna do is eat. 00:20:59.850 --> 00:21:02.250 And then when they're not stressed, they don't eat. 00:21:02.250 --> 00:21:04.590 So, I mean, how does that work? 00:21:05.635 --> 00:21:20.640 What do you think from your Well, you know, so some of it is triggers and kind of helping them walk through what triggers them, thoughts, places, persons. 00:21:21.260 --> 00:21:21.740 Mhmm. 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:39.995 And then just kinda helping them set very, very small goals, and surviving many experiences and helping them make a small, you know, step in success to kinda reinforce it. 00:21:39.995 --> 00:21:50.400 But a lot of them are very deep and challenging and and, again, just not in good relationships. 00:21:51.980 --> 00:22:17.595 So it's it's basically just accompanying them through their challenges and getting them on the other side if possible, putting people in their life that can, help them, you know, in a more professional way because I I'm I'm not a professional counselor or therapist, but I felt like I knew what to do to to help them. 00:22:17.980 --> 00:22:28.640 And so the eating disorders is pretty much that was where I focused a lot of my mental health topics because I had some patients with eating disorders. 00:22:29.900 --> 00:22:37.645 And, again, a lot of that is a lot of history, from their younger years. 00:22:37.645 --> 00:22:39.565 They're just coming through. 00:22:39.565 --> 00:22:48.830 But when they see me, they're not intense, so they may have been through an intensive inpatient rehab program for their eating disorders. 00:22:49.690 --> 00:22:55.230 For me, they're if they see me, they're just kind of keeping their head above water in the real world. 00:22:56.570 --> 00:22:57.530 So okay. 00:22:57.530 --> 00:22:58.650 That's very, very good. 00:22:58.650 --> 00:23:01.775 Very rich to what you're saying, Debbie. 00:23:01.835 --> 00:23:16.200 But, you know, does anybody of the, you know, the the audience have any questions, you know, for Debbie, you know, about the program, you know, other things that I mean, we covered a lot, on that. 00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:25.720 So anybody have any specific questions other than I mean, I'm gonna answer a lot of specifics, you know, on my part of this. 00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:28.475 But, okay. 00:23:28.475 --> 00:23:30.495 Well, yeah, thank you, Debbie. 00:23:31.915 --> 00:23:32.815 It was a pleasure. 00:23:33.115 --> 00:23:51.460 It was nice to to hear from DMU again, and I was, I will continue to recommend it to to people that are interested in, the careers that, DMU offers, and, I'll continue to use what I learned. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:52.240 Okay. 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:53.200 Thank you so much. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:24:11.790 And, again, you can stay on, but as of right now, folks, I'm going to share my screen with you and, give you more specifics on the, master's degree in psychology program. 00:24:12.010 --> 00:24:21.390 And it is a 100% online, meaning that the only time you would ever have to come to campus in Sterling, Virginia would be for graduation. 00:24:22.425 --> 00:24:25.805 And, you know, we're a Catholic university. 00:24:26.025 --> 00:24:31.165 We have two schools, school counseling and school of, you know, psychological sciences. 00:24:33.625 --> 00:24:39.730 And, but, anyway, we are built on what we call the Catholic Christian meta model. 00:24:39.790 --> 00:24:43.490 And and what this is, we deal with the whole person. 00:24:43.630 --> 00:24:54.395 And in secular psychology, you know, from, you know, you know, your your state schools, you know, they teach, you know, about, you know, the mind and behavior, and we certainly do too. 00:24:54.695 --> 00:25:04.235 But we add some philosophy in there, and we infuse, some theology, and we do not have religion questions per se. 00:25:04.295 --> 00:25:06.880 However, we make references to the saints. 00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:11.740 And, yeah, you know, my motto is, you know, have faith in your faith. 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:14.220 And, you know, I never ask what your faith is. 00:25:14.220 --> 00:25:15.420 Sometimes you tell me. 00:25:15.420 --> 00:25:15.820 Okay? 00:25:15.820 --> 00:25:25.545 But if you're a Catholic Christian, you know, Jewish, Muslim, or whatever, you know, faith is when you you believe in something higher than you, higher than yourself. 00:25:26.005 --> 00:25:30.985 And what we do with this flourishing could help anybody anybody on that. 00:25:31.330 --> 00:25:39.270 Anyway, we were founded in 1999, and we started this program 100% online in psychology in 2014. 00:25:39.810 --> 00:26:00.180 And in 2015, we changed our name to Divine Mercy University, and we are accredited by the Southern Association of Schools Colleges and Schools, and that's the same accrediting body that, credits Florida State up to Duke, you know, Sanford, you know, over into Texas and up through Kentucky. 00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:05.320 It's about, one sixth of the colleges in The US in the Southeastern part. 00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:09.560 And this is our, program chair, doctor Julia Clausley. 00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:24.475 And her big message is that when we form a class of about 25 or so students, they don't all have actually, very few have bachelor's in psychology. 00:26:25.015 --> 00:26:32.820 And a lot of them, they may have master's in other things, but this makes for a good diverse learning group. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:46.915 And to add to that, you know, we have we can have students from all over the world, from Brazil to Africa to Australia, and that even adds more to itself then the, how is online different? 00:26:46.915 --> 00:26:57.095 And I don't know if you've had online, classes before that you're taking for credit or even maybe you took them in high school, but it's, you know, they're on your schedule. 00:26:57.300 --> 00:27:01.720 And what Debbie was saying that, she did her work, you know, on the weekends. 00:27:01.860 --> 00:27:09.460 And when I when I when I did my master's, I would do probably about I wanna say four hours a night, Monday through Thursday. 00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:15.065 I took off Friday and either did I finished up my work on Saturday or Sunday. 00:27:15.065 --> 00:27:23.385 So and we are built on the integrative approach to psychology for the deeper understanding of that whole person. 00:27:23.385 --> 00:27:27.430 So it's just not bromide or, you know, superficial. 00:27:27.430 --> 00:27:33.450 It's we we try to find that deeper understanding through our Catholic Christian metamol. 00:27:34.310 --> 00:27:36.310 And, you know, you can finish the program. 00:27:36.310 --> 00:27:39.030 Someone asked, can you do this part time? 00:27:39.030 --> 00:27:43.865 Well, in, in a sixteen month program, you're taking two classes at a time. 00:27:44.325 --> 00:27:48.185 In a twenty six month program, you're taking one class at a time. 00:27:48.245 --> 00:27:56.560 And the nice thing about part time, it's structured in a way so, you know, financial aid, if you're taking out student loans, can still cover it. 00:27:56.660 --> 00:28:02.620 And, individual feedback from instructors, well, a lot of time in classes, same with me. 00:28:02.620 --> 00:28:05.200 My only feedback is the grade on my paper. 00:28:05.580 --> 00:28:06.640 How did I do? 00:28:07.100 --> 00:28:11.600 And, you know, our instructors wanna get to know you and help you learn. 00:28:12.115 --> 00:28:12.855 You learn. 00:28:12.915 --> 00:28:17.575 You get to know you, finding out your learning style and your goals. 00:28:18.195 --> 00:28:24.855 And, you know, 24, 25, pretty small class, and we teach in the five learning modalities. 00:28:25.075 --> 00:28:30.970 So, you know, every class, there are three lectures. 00:28:30.970 --> 00:28:31.950 They're all recorded. 00:28:32.170 --> 00:28:33.610 You don't have to be there. 00:28:33.610 --> 00:28:36.190 So you can listen to them on your laptop. 00:28:36.730 --> 00:28:40.990 You can download them to text, or you can download them to an audiobook. 00:28:41.210 --> 00:28:46.215 So, you you know, if you're driving or doing things around the house, you can hear that. 00:28:46.595 --> 00:28:47.175 You know? 00:28:47.315 --> 00:28:50.355 And then we, you know, good experienced faculty. 00:28:50.355 --> 00:28:53.395 You know, they've been there, and and they know pretty well. 00:28:53.395 --> 00:29:05.290 So, anyway, the benefits of the psychology program, master's in psychology, and, you know, gaining a deeper understanding of yourself in professional or ministry settings. 00:29:05.290 --> 00:29:07.450 And that's the first thing you learn now. 00:29:07.450 --> 00:29:12.945 And, and the the other part is the flourishing, and we want to help people flourish. 00:29:13.005 --> 00:29:17.345 And I was asking, you know, what is your definition of flourishing? 00:29:17.565 --> 00:29:25.520 And, you know, and it's, you know, helping people feel better, grow and grow, and to have hope, like like Debbie said. 00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:36.880 And, you know, problem solving to, you know, develop excellence in communication, and you have to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of a program. 00:29:36.940 --> 00:29:46.195 So if you are dealing with someone, you you may have a plan or treatment for them, but, you know, you always gotta say, is it working? 00:29:48.415 --> 00:29:58.540 And then in our program, we have five different concentrations, marriage and family, human services, leadership, pre PhD, and self design. 00:29:58.920 --> 00:30:11.965 And, and what a concentration is, they are three, unique electives that are focused in either the marriage and family, human service leadership, design. 00:30:11.965 --> 00:30:19.345 But everybody takes these same eight core courses regardless of their, their concentration. 00:30:20.445 --> 00:30:21.905 Helping people flourish. 00:30:22.525 --> 00:30:23.265 It's a big thing. 00:30:23.485 --> 00:30:26.450 I mean, we're we're, you know, kind of like the good guys. 00:30:26.450 --> 00:30:31.830 We want we wanna help people feel better about themselves, you know, human growth and development. 00:30:32.130 --> 00:30:37.750 And this is a study of people, you know, from birth to life's end. 00:30:38.215 --> 00:30:45.755 And and big thing on this is that, you're gonna approach people of different ages differently. 00:30:46.055 --> 00:30:53.035 I mean, you're not going to treat a 12 year old like you would a 50 year old or a 50 year old like they're a 12 year old. 00:30:53.100 --> 00:30:59.260 And then your developmental psychology and this is this gets sent to making plans. 00:30:59.260 --> 00:31:00.640 You know, plans of treatments. 00:31:01.100 --> 00:31:03.740 You know, your cognition, emotion, and motivation. 00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:05.520 You know, cognitions, your thinking. 00:31:06.225 --> 00:31:10.485 Everybody has emotions, and, you know, emotions are a good thing. 00:31:10.785 --> 00:31:15.045 And then your motivation and motivation is a reason for change. 00:31:15.265 --> 00:31:20.570 And, you know, everybody's motivated just by different things. 00:31:20.710 --> 00:31:22.950 You know, what motivates someone to lose 20 pounds? 00:31:22.950 --> 00:31:27.130 What motivates you to get your, you know, your your a master's in psychology? 00:31:27.270 --> 00:31:29.670 What motivates you to to move? 00:31:29.670 --> 00:31:31.290 I mean, it's it's all different. 00:31:31.875 --> 00:31:38.855 And then your Catholic Christian vision of flourishing, vocations, those are your jobs, kinda like your life's work and virtues. 00:31:38.915 --> 00:31:40.775 These are the good things that you do. 00:31:41.155 --> 00:31:46.650 You know, statistics so you know how to quantitatively measure progress. 00:31:47.030 --> 00:31:51.990 And, you know, many times you're doing group psychology, and we got a group of people. 00:31:51.990 --> 00:31:58.890 You have all kinds of different people in the group and, you know, and help you, you know, handle that diversity in there. 00:31:59.415 --> 00:32:04.795 Then your research methodology, and this helps with the your capstone paper. 00:32:05.815 --> 00:32:10.395 And all students to graduate, you have to write a capstone paper. 00:32:10.775 --> 00:32:16.260 And it could be on anything you want as long as you have the psychology or the research to support it. 00:32:16.260 --> 00:32:18.440 So let me check these questions here. 00:32:21.860 --> 00:32:22.020 Okay. 00:32:22.020 --> 00:32:23.700 Someone's wondering about the self design. 00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:25.640 I'm gonna get to that here very shortly. 00:32:26.135 --> 00:32:28.455 And then I have a priest, oh my god. 00:32:28.455 --> 00:32:29.915 Loyola Marymount. 00:32:30.295 --> 00:32:31.835 Thanks so much to help him. 00:32:32.055 --> 00:32:35.015 And I know financial involvement in the program. 00:32:35.015 --> 00:32:37.195 We I can get to that too. 00:32:38.055 --> 00:32:46.500 And, and we okay, and all we have is a a PhD in psychology. 00:32:46.800 --> 00:32:50.980 However, that is all on campus in Sterling, Virginia. 00:32:51.120 --> 00:32:56.225 So and then, anyway so and in the I'll go over this briefly. 00:32:56.365 --> 00:33:08.670 In your, say you do marriage and family, and your electives are, you know, Catholic Christian marriage and human sexuality, marriage and family interventions, and marriage and family systems theory. 00:33:08.670 --> 00:33:13.810 Now one thing, this does get your certification, your certification. 00:33:13.950 --> 00:33:17.230 It's called FOCUS, f o c c u s. 00:33:17.230 --> 00:33:22.530 And that is when you're counseling, you know, couples before they get married. 00:33:23.045 --> 00:33:31.065 And it is kind of a scientific way to help them well to compatibility and to see, you know, in the future. 00:33:31.445 --> 00:33:43.540 But these are some of the different career opportunities afterwards from, you know, with the offices, you know, head of child and family service organizations, and we must have one out there. 00:33:43.540 --> 00:33:47.800 And then family services work, services work. 00:33:47.940 --> 00:33:54.665 And then in the human services, now this gets more, you know, into social work. 00:33:55.125 --> 00:33:56.325 You know, it's very good thing. 00:33:56.325 --> 00:34:06.805 And but, you know, leading and facilitating groups and, you know, your your relationships and interventions, personality, individual differences, addictions counseling, which is a big thing today. 00:34:06.805 --> 00:34:13.760 Now we don't do the license in the addiction in addictions, but that's something you can do afterwards. 00:34:13.980 --> 00:34:17.920 But, it is it's just an awful problem today. 00:34:18.220 --> 00:34:18.940 Awful problem. 00:34:18.940 --> 00:34:20.000 And they need help. 00:34:20.380 --> 00:34:29.085 And then your, leadership, this is if you maybe you're leading people now in your job or you foresee it or want to lead people. 00:34:29.085 --> 00:34:35.325 But, you know, transformation leadership, leading people in organizations that apply leadership skills. 00:34:35.325 --> 00:34:39.260 But, you know, that's in part human resource management. 00:34:39.560 --> 00:34:41.640 You know, focus groups is in there. 00:34:41.640 --> 00:34:45.500 You know, interpreting data through a psychology standpoint. 00:34:46.440 --> 00:34:51.500 And then your, self design, and this is it's the most popular. 00:34:52.595 --> 00:34:57.815 And in self design, you pick one elective out of each of these areas. 00:34:58.435 --> 00:35:01.655 So you're getting a little bit of, marriage and family. 00:35:01.795 --> 00:35:06.595 You get a little bit of human services and a little bit of leadership in there. 00:35:06.595 --> 00:35:10.890 So that way, you have a say so in in your major. 00:35:10.950 --> 00:35:14.010 But a lot of different, you know, opportunities on that. 00:35:14.470 --> 00:35:28.775 And then we have a a pre PhD program, and this is for students who well, you know you're gonna go for your PhD, you know, within maybe the next year. 00:35:29.315 --> 00:35:37.340 And it get and we concentrate on thesis writing, and we have six one credit hour courses on thesis writing. 00:35:38.120 --> 00:35:46.360 Difference between a thesis and a capstone as well, a thesis is a little bit more in-depth, and you have to orally defend your thesis. 00:35:46.360 --> 00:35:52.565 So, once you write your thesis, you know, you're you're in a panel probably on Zoom maybe today. 00:35:52.565 --> 00:35:57.445 Usually, about four people, they have their paper, and and they ask you questions on that. 00:35:57.445 --> 00:36:13.730 So and, you know, one thing a master's also does is qualify you to teach at a community college because, you know, the they have, you know, one hundred and two hundred level courses, and it they could be online teaching too. 00:36:13.730 --> 00:36:17.325 So and then at research, they think so. 00:36:17.625 --> 00:36:25.305 And then these are, I guess, the, the good things about online learning. 00:36:25.305 --> 00:36:27.805 And you can work anywhere, anytime. 00:36:28.025 --> 00:36:37.050 So you can work from home, work from your office, you can work from your mother's house, your father's house, okay, as long as you have an Internet connection. 00:36:37.670 --> 00:36:45.495 And you'll always have access to our learning platform that is called Canvas, and Canvas is it's the best. 00:36:45.495 --> 00:36:46.375 You know? 00:36:46.375 --> 00:36:47.255 They're all good now. 00:36:47.255 --> 00:36:47.575 You know? 00:36:47.575 --> 00:36:50.935 Blackboard, you know, they all get better and try to get better too. 00:36:50.935 --> 00:36:55.755 Because online, learning is it's it is the future. 00:36:56.135 --> 00:36:57.915 It is the present in the future. 00:36:58.660 --> 00:37:02.600 And then these five learning points, videos, books, classrooms, tutorials. 00:37:03.220 --> 00:37:18.505 You know, you can down actually, you can download the audiobooks to, you know, say, if your native language is Spanish or maybe, you know, Italian or German, you can download them there if it help helps you learn, then the feedback instructs. 00:37:19.365 --> 00:37:20.265 Let me see. 00:37:24.340 --> 00:37:24.660 No. 00:37:24.660 --> 00:37:29.000 We do not have a, PhD in pastoral theology. 00:37:38.015 --> 00:37:38.815 That's all good. 00:37:38.815 --> 00:37:46.755 Good question, Gabriel, on, you know, can you partner with other universities for further education? 00:37:47.375 --> 00:37:53.230 Like, something like that is, you know, we're doing now for an area called bioethics. 00:37:55.370 --> 00:37:55.690 Okay. 00:37:55.690 --> 00:38:02.430 So, anyway, moving along, this is our core instructional staff, and all the instructors have PhDs. 00:38:03.315 --> 00:38:05.655 And and they they work out of their homes. 00:38:05.955 --> 00:38:10.695 And most of them are in The US, but Giovanni, he is in Australia, big researcher. 00:38:11.555 --> 00:38:15.235 You know, Chris is he was in the air force. 00:38:15.235 --> 00:38:16.935 He has his own management consultant. 00:38:17.510 --> 00:38:20.090 Doctor Classley, she is the head person. 00:38:20.310 --> 00:38:22.630 And doctor Gross, very good teacher. 00:38:22.630 --> 00:38:24.090 He teaches a lot of the philosophy. 00:38:24.630 --> 00:38:27.770 And then here are our acceptance requirements. 00:38:27.830 --> 00:38:35.405 You need you have to have a bachelor's degree, and it doesn't matter what it's in as long as you have a 2.5 or better grade average. 00:38:36.345 --> 00:38:37.885 Two, letters of recommendation. 00:38:38.105 --> 00:38:42.205 Now these aren't letters that, your recommender has to compose. 00:38:42.905 --> 00:38:53.930 It is we we email them a reading form where they rate you in many areas on a one to five scale, and, they complete it, hit submit, and it comes back to us. 00:38:54.390 --> 00:39:02.325 You know, your resume you know, your resume that is kind of your history from the past till what you're doing now. 00:39:02.325 --> 00:39:08.145 And, you know, I call it the past and the present, and then your written statement of intent. 00:39:08.525 --> 00:39:21.520 This is the a 300 to 500 word essay, so to speak, on how the masters in psychology will help you achieve your goals, and I call that the future. 00:39:21.980 --> 00:39:26.635 And then if English is not your first language, you may have to take a TOEFL or IETLS. 00:39:27.735 --> 00:39:31.355 And then we do have it's a mandatory virtual orientation. 00:39:31.495 --> 00:39:45.260 And this happens, obviously, after you have applied to school, but it is a small group Zoom meeting with, you know, like, four or five, people in your in your class formation and doctor Clousely. 00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:53.955 You know, it's question and answering, answer and this is gonna be focusing more on the academics and time management side. 00:39:53.955 --> 00:39:56.375 And she wants to get to know me too. 00:40:04.355 --> 00:40:05.235 The counseling program. 00:40:05.235 --> 00:40:06.755 I can't answer that one. 00:40:06.755 --> 00:40:06.995 Okay. 00:40:06.995 --> 00:40:07.315 Alright. 00:40:07.315 --> 00:40:09.240 So for that. 00:40:09.240 --> 00:40:13.020 So and then now we do have government financial aid. 00:40:13.080 --> 00:40:19.660 And when you get to master's level, the only thing the government does is they'll loan you the money. 00:40:19.880 --> 00:40:20.380 Okay. 00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:31.555 And they will loan you enough to cover everything, but we do have scholarships too to help, you know, level the playing field a little bit. 00:40:31.555 --> 00:40:40.800 And, you know, right now, we have a $1,500 early admissions star or application scholarship just by from getting your application in by Saturday, I believe. 00:40:40.940 --> 00:40:43.100 And then we have different ones. 00:40:43.100 --> 00:40:49.680 You know, if you're in public service, a teacher, you know, where you work, and many are you know, you write an essay. 00:40:49.900 --> 00:40:50.400 Okay. 00:40:50.460 --> 00:40:59.295 Anyway, that can take anywhere from, you know, 10 to, you know, 20, maybe 25% of your tuition reduced. 00:40:59.835 --> 00:41:06.075 And then this is our tuition, and it is $8.50 a credit hour for thirty three credit hours. 00:41:06.075 --> 00:41:09.910 And, again, this is everything, books, everything. 00:41:10.610 --> 00:41:11.090 Okay? 00:41:11.090 --> 00:41:22.130 And without scholarships, the, $50, per class, we call technology fees, $5.50, and a residency fee of $2.50. 00:41:22.130 --> 00:41:33.535 Now the only time you you're required to be online is that's after the last week of your first class, and it is called, virtual residency. 00:41:33.675 --> 00:41:38.950 And that would be on Monday and Friday from ten to five, Eastern time. 00:41:38.950 --> 00:41:47.530 So so Friday and Saturday, ten to five, and it's you, all your classmates, and all your instructors for a a a learning session. 00:41:47.830 --> 00:41:49.450 Man, it is it's fun. 00:41:49.670 --> 00:41:50.810 You really like it. 00:41:51.185 --> 00:41:55.505 Then a $55 application fee, you can always talk about, you know, waiving that. 00:41:55.505 --> 00:41:59.985 So now and, again, this is for one class at a time. 00:41:59.985 --> 00:42:12.140 Now if you do the sixteen month, which is two classes at a time, I mean, it it takes your tuition down, you know, almost $3,000 because you're taking two classes. 00:42:12.360 --> 00:42:19.295 And and the way our classes are structured, whether you take two classes or one class at a time. 00:42:19.295 --> 00:42:23.155 You know, we have a class that starts on the January 10. 00:42:23.375 --> 00:42:28.195 So, you you know, a class lasts eight weeks, then you get a week off. 00:42:28.655 --> 00:42:36.850 And then you take your next one or two classes, for eight weeks, and then you get two weeks off. 00:42:36.850 --> 00:42:39.350 So that would be your your your spring break. 00:42:39.890 --> 00:42:44.470 And then in the summer, you know, we only take one eight week class in the summer. 00:42:44.555 --> 00:42:48.735 Everybody just takes one class for eight weeks, then you get five weeks off. 00:42:49.195 --> 00:42:55.835 Then the fall, you know, again, you you can get a midterm break of a week, then then a Christmas break of about four weeks. 00:42:55.835 --> 00:43:01.780 So you get plenty of time off, and that is important for you and the instructors need time off too. 00:43:01.780 --> 00:43:05.880 So, anyway, these are the questions you have to ask yourself. 00:43:06.420 --> 00:43:13.960 And from what I said, which, you know, we don't we don't know yet, but will the completion of the program help you obtain your goals? 00:43:14.845 --> 00:43:17.405 And can you fit in the time? 00:43:17.405 --> 00:43:20.765 You know, realistically, you're taking one class at a time. 00:43:20.765 --> 00:43:23.745 You're looking at, you know, fifteen, twenty hours a week study. 00:43:23.885 --> 00:43:30.490 You may be able to do it, you know, in twelve hours, but just giving you a realistic expectation. 00:43:31.110 --> 00:43:35.510 And if you're taking two classes, you know, twenty five to thirty hours a week. 00:43:35.510 --> 00:43:40.570 So if you're working full time, I suggest you take one class. 00:43:40.630 --> 00:43:45.625 And the good thing is everybody starts out with just one class. 00:43:46.005 --> 00:43:48.825 That's all we let you take at first so you can get adjusted. 00:43:50.085 --> 00:43:51.845 And then will financial aid work? 00:43:51.845 --> 00:43:57.945 Well, you don't know, you know, till you get with financial aid and see what kind of scholarships you get and see. 00:43:58.580 --> 00:43:59.940 Nobody goes for free, folks. 00:43:59.940 --> 00:44:01.140 Nobody goes for free. 00:44:01.140 --> 00:44:03.960 Some go for less depending upon different things. 00:44:04.260 --> 00:44:08.680 And if you start the program, you know, please, you know, complete it. 00:44:09.460 --> 00:44:12.500 And that's so, anyway, you know, that is it. 00:44:12.500 --> 00:44:17.255 And let's see if you got any other questions here. 00:44:22.035 --> 00:44:23.235 Someone said the role. 00:44:23.235 --> 00:44:25.815 PhD pathway instructor roles. 00:44:26.480 --> 00:44:26.720 No. 00:44:26.720 --> 00:44:29.060 All our instructors have, PhDs. 00:44:30.400 --> 00:44:43.365 And, the thing about the pre PhD it's a great question is, you know, when you're doing a pre PhD, we our goal is to help you get published. 00:44:43.905 --> 00:44:44.405 Okay? 00:44:44.705 --> 00:44:47.525 And when you get published, you know, they publish your thesis. 00:44:47.985 --> 00:44:53.780 That gives you an opportunity to get into more competitive PhD programs. 00:44:53.920 --> 00:45:02.900 And there are some PhD programs out there that, you know, they give you stipends that, you know, to, you know, for your for your research work on that if you're a good researcher. 00:45:03.040 --> 00:45:07.435 So, anyway, we can go more into that, you know, one on one in that. 00:45:07.435 --> 00:45:12.635 So, anyway, I I, you know, I thank everybody for being here today. 00:45:12.635 --> 00:45:14.735 I'm gonna stop and share here. 00:45:15.115 --> 00:45:23.520 And, you know, if, you know, if you're interested, you know, I you know, this is really a thumbnail sketch of what we do. 00:45:23.520 --> 00:45:30.420 And my procedure is, you know, I would get with you, you know, one on one where we can, you know, get to meet each other. 00:45:30.960 --> 00:45:32.560 I can answer all your questions. 00:45:32.560 --> 00:45:42.435 I can show you, you know, a little bit more about the program, but this is something, you know, ultimately, that, you you have to decide. 00:45:42.435 --> 00:45:54.630 You have to be motivated, and you have to see a goal at the end to where you're gonna get a good return on your investment, you know, dollar wise and and and and and intellect wise. 00:45:55.170 --> 00:45:56.710 And I can kick myself. 00:45:57.090 --> 00:46:01.330 I started looking at master's program age 25. 00:46:01.330 --> 00:46:04.795 And finally, at age 41, I I got this is it. 00:46:04.795 --> 00:46:06.095 I'm doing it, and I did. 00:46:06.715 --> 00:46:07.595 It was tough. 00:46:07.595 --> 00:46:08.475 It was tougher. 00:46:08.475 --> 00:46:10.715 I went a sharp through. 00:46:10.715 --> 00:46:11.775 I make it through. 00:46:12.075 --> 00:46:14.635 And, you know, people always, oh, how much does it cost? 00:46:14.635 --> 00:46:15.595 How much does it cost? 00:46:15.595 --> 00:46:16.495 You know what? 00:46:16.780 --> 00:46:18.220 That's the easy part. 00:46:18.220 --> 00:46:18.720 Okay. 00:46:19.100 --> 00:46:27.760 What costs I mean, what it costs is, you know, the time you put in, and what really costs is the time you wait. 00:46:28.060 --> 00:46:32.615 You know, ten years from now, say, oh, I need to do my master's in psychology. 00:46:32.835 --> 00:46:33.495 You know? 00:46:33.715 --> 00:46:34.455 That happens. 00:46:34.835 --> 00:46:37.315 But, you know you know, the sooner, the better. 00:46:37.315 --> 00:46:40.055 You know, hope you're motivated, and I hope to get with everybody. 00:46:40.595 --> 00:46:43.575 And, let me see if I got any other questions. 00:46:45.540 --> 00:46:50.500 And these are all great questions, and, and thank you everybody for being here. 00:46:50.500 --> 00:46:55.000 And, I will you know, I'll touch base with you probably sometime tomorrow. 00:46:55.300 --> 00:46:57.140 And, you know, and may God bless you. 00:46:57.140 --> 00:47:01.135 And, I hope always hope things go well. 00:47:01.275 --> 00:47:01.915 Thank you. 00:47:01.915 --> 00:47:02.655 Bye now.