WEBVTT 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:09.860 Welcome to the doctor of clinical psychology webinar. 00:00:09.920 --> 00:00:16.405 My name is Bradley Seifer, and I'm the admissions advisor for the PsyD program here at Divine Mercy University. 00:00:16.945 --> 00:00:22.085 Joining me today is a 2020 PsyD graduate, doctor Garrett Boyer. 00:00:22.465 --> 00:00:33.650 And so I'll be asking doctor Boyer about his own experience here at Divine Mercy and his journey within psychology and after graduation in addition to, the presentation. 00:00:33.870 --> 00:00:39.650 And then I'll be able to feel well, doctor Boyer and myself will be able to feel their questions after the presentation. 00:00:39.790 --> 00:00:50.095 So if you do have questions, either during the interview or the presentation, please lodge them in the chat box, and we'd be happy to attend to them, at the end. 00:00:50.635 --> 00:01:03.270 In addition, in the chat box, you will also find my email, my Calendly link, my, other ways to contact me, also prior webinars and testimonials from previous students in the PsyD program. 00:01:04.450 --> 00:01:07.410 So, it's please, get in touch with me. 00:01:07.410 --> 00:01:13.905 I'd be happy to meet with you and explore, whether the PsyD at Divine Mercy is a good fit for you. 00:01:14.685 --> 00:01:17.105 So with that, let's get started. 00:01:17.805 --> 00:01:28.000 So, doctor Voyer, why don't we begin, with exploring how exactly did you become interested in clinical psychology in the first place? 00:01:28.620 --> 00:01:29.100 Hi, sir. 00:01:29.100 --> 00:01:29.340 Yeah. 00:01:29.340 --> 00:01:31.340 Thank you so much for having me here today. 00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:37.920 I'm glad to get this chance to visit with you and to share kind of, an overview of my background. 00:01:39.075 --> 00:01:44.215 I'd always been interested in, behavioral health, the science of psychology. 00:01:44.835 --> 00:01:54.630 When I was in undergrad, in North Dakota where I where I did, seminary studies, I took a psychology class. 00:01:54.630 --> 00:02:02.250 I was really fascinated, at the contributions that the discipline of psychology could make and and did make. 00:02:02.550 --> 00:02:08.155 I referenced that I was a seminary student, and I was in the seminary for years and years. 00:02:08.155 --> 00:02:11.295 Got close to ordination before I discerned out. 00:02:11.835 --> 00:02:38.305 But I realized the importance of psychology as I went along in the seminary because often when I would visit with people, the things that a lot of folks wrestled with and struggled with were not as much related to, spirituality, religion, or theology, but they were really wrestling with behavioral health issues and and mental health concerns. 00:02:38.765 --> 00:02:44.285 And so that was one of the things that I started reflecting on and thinking about as a seminary student. 00:02:44.285 --> 00:02:44.605 Wow. 00:02:44.605 --> 00:02:56.390 The stuff that they're working on and working through, I don't really have a lot of the tools or resources or or background to to help them address some of this stuff. 00:02:56.770 --> 00:03:02.455 After I just turned out of the seminary, I wasn't exactly sure, what direction I was gonna take. 00:03:02.455 --> 00:03:09.915 So I lived and worked in the Washington DC region for a number of years, doing a lot of different things. 00:03:10.695 --> 00:03:17.030 But it was always in the back of my mind to consider behavioral health psychology as an option. 00:03:17.090 --> 00:03:22.870 And so, eventually, that that thought kept coming back. 00:03:23.250 --> 00:03:29.750 That invitation to to explore behavioral health, to explore psychology just wasn't going away. 00:03:30.105 --> 00:03:41.225 And so I submitted a few different applications, and at the end of the day, I'm thankful that I was accepted and and and got into Divine Mercy University. 00:03:41.225 --> 00:03:47.390 It worked out well for me in that I was already living in the Washington DC region. 00:03:48.170 --> 00:04:10.055 But more importantly, the scope, the mindset, the direction of the school, the way that they conceptualize behavioral health, behavioral science, It it really fit in well with me, my own personality, and and the way that I wanted to approach the discipline of psychology. 00:04:11.555 --> 00:04:12.055 Excellent. 00:04:12.275 --> 00:04:15.095 Thank you for for sharing that, doctor Boyer. 00:04:16.100 --> 00:04:24.680 Say then a little bit more about you you know, you mentioned that you were in the DC area, and this was, also, you know, close by. 00:04:24.980 --> 00:04:28.200 But, expand on why you chose DMU in particular. 00:04:29.540 --> 00:04:30.040 Yeah. 00:04:30.420 --> 00:04:36.615 I think in psychology, there are a lot of different subspecialties. 00:04:37.315 --> 00:04:39.075 There are a lot of directions you can go. 00:04:39.075 --> 00:04:42.215 There are a lot of different things you can do as a psychologist. 00:04:43.235 --> 00:04:45.635 You can do a lot of therapy work. 00:04:45.635 --> 00:04:48.130 You can specialize in assessment. 00:04:48.350 --> 00:04:53.250 You can zero in an education or, consultation. 00:04:54.270 --> 00:04:55.950 I took the military route. 00:04:56.190 --> 00:04:59.250 There are a lot of things that you can do with psychology. 00:04:59.630 --> 00:05:08.615 You can get those skills, that training to to be that subject matter expert, at a lot of different institutions. 00:05:09.475 --> 00:05:25.250 The thing that distinguished Divine Mercy University for me, which I appreciated, was the fact that they approached the discipline in science of psychology looking at it through a lens of Catholic anthropology. 00:05:26.270 --> 00:05:50.580 And so I think having that foundation of a well thought out, time tested, true Catholic anthropology, using that as a stepping stone for advancing and, approaching and and furthering the discipline of psychology was just very appealing, very attractive. 00:05:51.840 --> 00:06:23.380 One thing that I have observed in, in behavioral health is I looked, say, at the American Psychological Association's publications and and magazines, these sorts of things, I get the sense sometimes that behavioral health fields of psychology sometimes feels like it's kind of clinging to a a small wrap bobbing up and down in a in a stormy ocean. 00:06:24.045 --> 00:06:32.385 And I never got that sense at Divine Mercy University that we were trying to go at psychology, on shaky ground. 00:06:32.765 --> 00:06:50.930 I think the fact that we have approached psychology, that's built on this foundation of the Catholic anthropology, it made studying and reasoning, thinking things through approaching the science so much better. 00:06:50.930 --> 00:06:58.165 And and just it was an excellent way to, go about studying and and growing in this discipline. 00:06:59.105 --> 00:06:59.605 Excellent. 00:06:59.825 --> 00:07:05.665 So it it sounds like the Catholic anthropology that the school provided. 00:07:05.665 --> 00:07:09.640 And like you like you said so well, it was rather well thought out. 00:07:09.640 --> 00:07:23.080 I mean, there are as I as I tell many, people with whom I speak with daily, there are many Catholic schools that teach psychology that have wonderful, either PsyD or PhD programs. 00:07:23.080 --> 00:07:35.085 But the unique thing about divine mercy, it's like we our faculty have compiled, an entire volume, the Catholic Christian meta model, and you as you can see, it's rather substantial. 00:07:36.105 --> 00:07:47.260 So they've thought they've thought about this in a lot of detail in in terms of, the intermachinations, the interplay between the anthropology on the one hand and the science of psychology on the other. 00:07:47.260 --> 00:07:59.221 And it sounds based on your experience that, this has been helpful, you know, for you as a as now as a as a psychologist in the field. 00:07:59.221 --> 00:07:59.306 Is that fair? 00:07:59.306 --> 00:07:59.364 Oh, absolutely. 00:07:59.364 --> 00:08:06.035 And one thing that was so remarkable about it was after I graduated, I work in the military now as you can see from my uniform. 00:08:06.255 --> 00:08:06.575 Yeah. 00:08:06.815 --> 00:08:09.410 A thoroughly secular environment. 00:08:09.950 --> 00:08:16.770 A lot of my people that I graduated with went off and and worked in in distinctly Catholic settings. 00:08:17.230 --> 00:08:19.570 That's not the case for the United States military. 00:08:20.030 --> 00:08:40.590 Nevertheless, the people that I work with on a daily basis, whether it's my peers, my patients, my subordinates, leaders that I consult with, that framework that you find in the Catholic Christian metamodel of the human person is applicable to everybody. 00:08:41.210 --> 00:08:55.455 And so it doesn't matter whether I'm approaching my work, in a in a distinguished Catholic way or whether it's the kind of work that I do as a military psychologist. 00:08:56.315 --> 00:09:14.590 That framework is equally useful, important, valid, and to me has been very helpful because the kind of material that you're gonna read in the Catholic Christian meta model of the human person, it's the story of of everybody. 00:09:15.290 --> 00:09:18.910 We're all we're all sharing in the human experience. 00:09:19.770 --> 00:09:23.605 We're all striving to be the best version of ourselves. 00:09:24.065 --> 00:09:25.125 We've been created. 00:09:25.665 --> 00:09:27.525 We have our struggles fallen. 00:09:28.385 --> 00:09:31.045 The savior has come, and we've been redeemed. 00:09:32.065 --> 00:09:54.715 Everybody is working that and experiencing that journey in their own way, their own shape, their own form, and it's it's been so relevant and useful to conceptualize the human person in that way because even in the military, even in most secular settings, that same kind of dynamic is very, very present. 00:09:54.715 --> 00:10:04.120 And I'm glad that I can address it and use the kind of language and and think it through, in a way that I was trained to do at Divine Mercy University. 00:10:04.900 --> 00:10:05.400 Excellent. 00:10:05.540 --> 00:10:42.920 So, yeah, doctor Boris, it's interesting that you make that point about the that use that word, the relevance of the meta model and and the import of Christianity for psychology because, maybe, ironically, a lot of people with, that I talk to daily have kind of the opposite concern or maybe an attending concern, which is that, you know, how, you know, as a as a person that is trained in, a Catholic graduate school of psychology, you know, how will I be able to reach, the secular world, the people that aren't religious, and and things like that? 00:10:42.920 --> 00:10:54.975 And it sounds like well, first so first of all, that we are all kind of, embedded within a similar or these the same human nature and that the, you know, the Catholic anthropology is able to attend to all people. 00:10:54.975 --> 00:10:57.615 I mean, Catholic being universal, right, in the Greek. 00:10:57.615 --> 00:10:59.555 Is it is that is that an accurate take? 00:11:00.210 --> 00:11:00.450 Yeah. 00:11:00.450 --> 00:11:00.950 Yeah. 00:11:01.010 --> 00:11:01.810 For sure. 00:11:01.810 --> 00:11:12.150 And I I I think that that, point that you bring up was certainly something that was relevant, especially when I started at Divine Mercy University. 00:11:12.665 --> 00:11:20.765 When I first got to school, they had not gotten the APA accreditation, the American Psychological Association accreditation. 00:11:21.545 --> 00:11:34.500 And so there was concern, and it was a little bit of a risk, that myself and and my peers all took, by applying to the school because we didn't know for sure that the accreditation would happen. 00:11:34.640 --> 00:11:40.340 I think we all certainly prayed and hoped that it would and and felt pretty good about the chances. 00:11:41.760 --> 00:11:43.040 But there was that concern. 00:11:43.040 --> 00:11:46.535 Well, what happens if, worst case scenario, there is no accreditation? 00:11:46.835 --> 00:11:51.735 We're gonna be pretty limited in in what we can do and how we can practice and where we can go. 00:11:52.515 --> 00:12:10.590 Once the accreditation came, that opened a ton of doors, a lot of opportunities to then go out to parts of, parts of the world where previously our students and graduates hadn't been able to go, like the military, for instance. 00:12:10.730 --> 00:12:11.130 Mhmm. 00:12:11.930 --> 00:12:22.355 With the APA accreditation, I was able to get an internship and residency in the army and work as a behavioral health officer for the government. 00:12:23.375 --> 00:12:23.855 Excellent. 00:12:23.855 --> 00:12:37.020 And in a way, you've all you've already anticipated one of my other questions, which is relevant to the internship and indeed how impactful is the internship, you know, for, you know, your trajectory as a as a psychologist. 00:12:37.020 --> 00:12:46.565 And it sounds like, the APA accreditation, has been has allowed you to get a fantastic internship and and sort of provided for the career track in which you're on now. 00:12:46.565 --> 00:12:47.305 Is that right? 00:12:47.845 --> 00:12:48.345 Yes. 00:12:48.405 --> 00:12:53.465 And I will say one thing, about my training at Divine Mercy University. 00:12:53.605 --> 00:12:58.825 Just like any school, just like any kind of training that you participate in Mhmm. 00:12:59.580 --> 00:13:03.660 Set you on a trajectory, but the work isn't done. 00:13:03.660 --> 00:13:04.800 It's not finished. 00:13:05.180 --> 00:13:07.260 And just very, very thankful. 00:13:07.260 --> 00:13:21.105 I'm very fortunate to have the internship experience that I did because they really tried and tested the, the the training that I had gotten at Divine Mercy University. 00:13:21.805 --> 00:13:51.565 And I think my my formators, my superiors, my military supervisors were all very, very pleased and and surprised that a student coming from a school that they hadn't had as much exposure to, Divine Mercy University, that a student could come out of there, with the kind of skill set that I had and really fit in and plug in perfectly within the military system. 00:13:51.785 --> 00:14:01.370 A lot of times, students who come into a military internship come from different schools, secular schools. 00:14:01.830 --> 00:14:02.790 And that's fine. 00:14:02.790 --> 00:14:03.610 That's great. 00:14:03.670 --> 00:14:06.710 I think they were wondering, how is this guy gonna fit in? 00:14:06.710 --> 00:14:08.010 How is he gonna work? 00:14:08.230 --> 00:14:11.030 They they knew they knew where I had come from. 00:14:11.030 --> 00:14:12.070 They knew my background. 00:14:12.070 --> 00:14:13.210 They read my resume. 00:14:13.670 --> 00:14:13.830 Mhmm. 00:14:13.830 --> 00:14:17.805 So the question question that I I'm sure they were asking was, is this guy gonna be able to deliver? 00:14:17.805 --> 00:14:21.985 Is he gonna be able to give the military, our soldiers, what they need? 00:14:22.285 --> 00:14:34.730 And not only was I able to do that, I think I distinguished myself from my peers with some of the skill sets that I was able to bring because of the training that I had gotten at Divine Mercy. 00:14:35.270 --> 00:14:35.770 Excellent. 00:14:35.830 --> 00:14:39.850 I I wanna I wanna press this business to the meta model just one step further. 00:14:42.165 --> 00:14:48.805 So sometimes I hear from from graduates such as yourself, you know, when they talk about the the impact of the meta model within psychotherapy. 00:14:48.805 --> 00:14:55.625 You know, they're asking the question, what difference does what concrete difference does the meta model make within psychotherapy? 00:14:56.320 --> 00:15:03.840 And one thing that has come up, has been that many clients, in fact, want to discuss religion within the context. 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:07.120 So it's like they're not not all of them, but some of them some of them do. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:26.450 And, those of our graduates who've gone through our program and are well acquainted with how to integrate, in the discussion of philosophy and theology within psychotherapy has has turned out to be a a blessing in terms of their their comfort and and ease of of having those conversations with clients. 00:15:26.450 --> 00:15:27.670 Has that been your experience? 00:15:28.850 --> 00:15:29.990 It really has. 00:15:31.250 --> 00:15:44.685 I never have forced it on any of my patients, on any of my clients, but it has happened so so often that it just sort of naturally comes up in the process of therapy. 00:15:44.985 --> 00:15:48.125 And even in the process of assessment, I do a lot of assessment. 00:15:48.825 --> 00:16:04.870 It really has been remarkable for me to see how just naturally as a result of conversation, topics with these sort of themes come up, because it's it's it's what being a human is all about. 00:16:04.930 --> 00:16:09.925 We're all experiencing this dynamic of of humanity. 00:16:10.385 --> 00:16:16.245 The fact that we're wrestling through, we're working through, we're progressing, we're on a journey. 00:16:17.745 --> 00:16:25.900 Sometimes my my clients, my patients, folks that I work with will use explicitly Christian or Catholic language. 00:16:27.400 --> 00:16:28.620 Sometimes they don't. 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:35.900 But they're all getting at the same kind of thing, which is that metamodel of the human person. 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:42.295 This is what this is what it looks like to be made in the image and likeness of god. 00:16:42.435 --> 00:16:44.375 It means that there's gonna be trial. 00:16:44.595 --> 00:16:45.975 There's gonna be tribulation. 00:16:46.275 --> 00:16:47.815 It means there's gonna be struggle. 00:16:48.195 --> 00:16:53.335 It means that we're gonna have to journey together and walk this thing through. 00:16:53.860 --> 00:16:58.440 And it's okay to to be on a journey like this. 00:16:59.060 --> 00:17:09.705 It's just been very, very enlightening to me, that so many of the folks that I've worked with have have been able to articulate this themselves. 00:17:10.085 --> 00:17:17.205 And, again, like you have mentioned, sir, I'm just grateful that I have the the the lingo. 00:17:17.205 --> 00:17:18.565 I know how to address it. 00:17:18.565 --> 00:17:32.540 I know how to speak about it in a way that is therapeutic, grounded in evidence and is evidence based, and ultimately is helpful for my patients and the people that I work with. 00:17:32.840 --> 00:17:33.320 Excellent. 00:17:33.320 --> 00:17:33.820 Fantastic. 00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:38.845 So, so you've spoken already to the trajectory that, you know, your your career is on. 00:17:38.845 --> 00:17:40.285 You've taken the military path. 00:17:40.285 --> 00:17:40.785 Fantastic. 00:17:41.325 --> 00:17:48.865 Can you expand a little bit, more about your own sort of clinical and academic interest in psychology and what role that's played in your career? 00:17:49.390 --> 00:17:49.890 Yes. 00:17:51.150 --> 00:17:52.770 I am a military psychologist. 00:17:53.390 --> 00:18:00.130 I mentioned at the beginning that there are different subspecialties under the umbrella of psychology. 00:18:00.830 --> 00:18:11.105 And being a military psychologist is most definitely a specialty and a a very distinct way of applying the science of psychology. 00:18:11.165 --> 00:18:18.940 And even in military psychology, there are different avenues that you can take or different kinds of applications that you can have. 00:18:20.120 --> 00:18:31.045 I referenced at the beginning that in psychology, some of the bigger roles are, educator, teacher, supervisor, consultant. 00:18:32.705 --> 00:18:46.650 In the military, what I love about being a military psychologist and especially the role that I'm in right now is that I get to do all of those things and so much more on a daily basis. 00:18:47.190 --> 00:19:03.125 That's one thing that I really have appreciated and enjoyed about the army is that you are thrust into environment circumstances, situations where you're gonna have to rely on the training that you've got very quickly. 00:19:03.125 --> 00:19:16.430 So the job I'm in now, for example, on the secular side of psychology, I I'm doing the work that somebody who's been in maybe ten or fifteen years after graduation will be doing. 00:19:17.210 --> 00:19:28.175 In the military, you're gonna be thrust into, very important positions very quickly because of the needs of the army, because of the demands of the of the mission set. 00:19:28.235 --> 00:19:35.355 And so I find myself in a situation now where, I'm responsible for a lot. 00:19:35.355 --> 00:19:36.815 I've got a lot on my plate. 00:19:37.300 --> 00:19:40.920 And, nevertheless, even with that, I don't feel intimidated. 00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:47.560 I don't feel scared because I've had excellent training in residency and internship. 00:19:48.100 --> 00:19:58.235 But even before that, it was all built on that very solid foundation of clinical skills, that I picked up while I was studying at Divine Mercy University. 00:19:59.015 --> 00:20:03.435 So my interests are specifically related to military psychology. 00:20:03.655 --> 00:20:05.310 I wanna make a career of it. 00:20:05.790 --> 00:20:10.350 I would love to, see where it takes me. 00:20:10.350 --> 00:20:13.010 I mean, the army can look a lot of different ways. 00:20:13.390 --> 00:20:25.345 The model that we use generally is called an embedded behavioral health model, which means that the psychologist doesn't sit in the hospital and wait for soldiers to come to him or her. 00:20:25.805 --> 00:20:28.125 We get embedded with the unit. 00:20:28.125 --> 00:20:32.065 So if the unit deploys, psychologist deploys too. 00:20:32.320 --> 00:20:42.500 If the unit goes to a range to practice shooting or goes out to the field for a training exercise, psychologist is right there with them. 00:20:43.040 --> 00:20:45.780 So I love that aspect of military psychology. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:56.595 It's the discipline, the science of psychology, but also the super fun army soldier stuff, because that's what happens in the army. 00:20:56.595 --> 00:21:03.350 You're a soldier first, and officer second, and then whatever your job is comes third. 00:21:04.050 --> 00:21:08.690 And and and that's how I've sort of formed this in my own mind. 00:21:08.690 --> 00:21:10.070 I'm a soldier first. 00:21:10.210 --> 00:21:11.510 First job is soldier. 00:21:11.570 --> 00:21:12.470 I'm an officer. 00:21:12.845 --> 00:21:13.805 I lead others. 00:21:13.805 --> 00:21:17.825 I have responsibilities to others, and then I do my job. 00:21:17.885 --> 00:21:20.685 And I try my best to do it very, very well. 00:21:20.685 --> 00:21:21.505 I'm a psychologist. 00:21:22.285 --> 00:21:31.050 And that means teaching, working with therapy, doing assessments, consulting, all these sorts of things. 00:21:31.430 --> 00:21:33.610 It's been an awesome journey. 00:21:33.670 --> 00:21:35.190 I've loved every minute of it. 00:21:35.190 --> 00:21:37.930 Can't can't wait to see what's gonna happen next. 00:21:37.990 --> 00:21:38.490 Fantastic. 00:21:39.430 --> 00:21:40.570 That does sound exciting. 00:21:41.045 --> 00:21:45.705 Let's let's go back, though, to your time at divine mercy for a minute. 00:21:46.085 --> 00:21:54.025 What would you say would be sort of on the one hand, the most enjoyable and rewarding part of divine your divine mercy experience? 00:21:54.485 --> 00:22:03.020 On the other, what would you say would be sort of the most challenging and the most difficult part of the journey, in the PsyD program? 00:22:04.280 --> 00:22:04.760 Okay. 00:22:04.760 --> 00:22:05.080 Yeah. 00:22:05.080 --> 00:22:06.300 I love that question. 00:22:07.560 --> 00:22:09.455 Do you want me to be perfectly honest? 00:22:09.515 --> 00:22:11.295 Or Brutally honest. 00:22:11.755 --> 00:22:12.075 Okay. 00:22:12.075 --> 00:22:13.055 It's not brutal. 00:22:14.075 --> 00:22:16.175 Well, at times, it's been brutal, perhaps. 00:22:16.475 --> 00:22:23.770 When I was at Divine Mercy University, I met a girl, and I ended up getting married to her. 00:22:23.910 --> 00:22:31.430 And so that was not something I went to school looking for, but, that's the way it happened. 00:22:31.430 --> 00:22:40.395 Actually, there were a number of students, while I was in school and then after I left who had gotten married to other students. 00:22:40.775 --> 00:22:42.695 Kinda interesting how that all works out. 00:22:42.695 --> 00:22:55.830 So for me, that was, that was a great benefit of of being at DeFei University more more towards the question that you're asking about specific kinds of things you'll get at the school. 00:22:55.970 --> 00:23:06.305 I think one of the things that I found most enjoyable, most interesting, were the different personalities, styles of the professors. 00:23:07.725 --> 00:23:17.905 We had we have had and we still do have at Divine Mercy, upnotch professionals, who really are experts in the field. 00:23:18.790 --> 00:23:36.005 And I had had a background doing teaching, and so I just thought it was awesome to go to different classes and see the style, the approach, the technique that different, professors use and how they kind of structured their classes and presented. 00:23:36.385 --> 00:23:45.825 And it's been very helpful for me because as a military psychologist, a big part of my role is teaching, presenting, doing educational kinds of things. 00:23:45.825 --> 00:23:54.550 So even though it wasn't a formal part of the curriculum, I learned a lot by observing my professors watching. 00:23:54.550 --> 00:24:10.885 And so that was one of those things that I really enjoyed, about this school is the diversity of the professors, the the way that they were all distinct from one another, and yet each of them just did an excellent job, I thought, in their own way. 00:24:11.265 --> 00:24:13.685 And I was glad to to get to see that. 00:24:14.785 --> 00:24:15.845 Different challenges. 00:24:19.070 --> 00:24:21.730 It's graduate school, so it is challenging. 00:24:22.110 --> 00:24:26.350 It wouldn't be worth doing if it didn't challenge you, if it didn't stretch you. 00:24:26.350 --> 00:24:26.850 Right. 00:24:27.230 --> 00:24:31.170 I didn't, pull you out of your comfort zone a little bit. 00:24:31.310 --> 00:24:36.055 I think one of the challenges that I had was doing externships. 00:24:36.515 --> 00:24:47.400 Throughout the course of your time, you'll be expected to participate in externships, which can be at different, sites around the Washington DC area. 00:24:48.660 --> 00:24:53.380 And I had a few externships, that were very, very good. 00:24:53.380 --> 00:24:57.320 I love them, and I grew a lot from them. 00:24:57.700 --> 00:25:09.985 I think what made it challenging was to take the material that I was getting on externship and connect it to everything that we had been learning at Divine Mercy University. 00:25:10.890 --> 00:25:20.110 So take, for example, I did an externship at the NIH in, Bethesda, and the externship was specifically in neuropsychology. 00:25:21.290 --> 00:25:21.530 Oh. 00:25:21.530 --> 00:25:33.155 Now we've been exposed to neuropsychology, quite a bit at Divine Mercy University, but it wasn't, like, the main thrust of our curriculum. 00:25:33.695 --> 00:25:40.400 We had gotten plenty of, exposure to it, but it wasn't like that was our thing all day every day. 00:25:40.780 --> 00:25:53.835 But that was the case at the NIH, and so it was a matter of, for me, finding a way to get all the material that I needed in order to be successful at that externship. 00:25:55.015 --> 00:26:00.475 So that was one of the challenges, but a very good challenge, a very relevant challenge. 00:26:00.535 --> 00:26:10.900 I I especially was grateful for that opportunity because it became such a, an important part of the work that I do as a military psychologist. 00:26:11.040 --> 00:26:31.825 As you can imagine, there's a lot of neuropsychology in military behavioral health, people with traumatic brain injuries, people who jump out of helicopters, hit their heads, people who are exposed to a lot of explosions, gunfire, the vibrations from being in flying aircraft. 00:26:32.550 --> 00:26:48.605 These sorts of things all have a big impact on brain health and having that experience at the NIH and being able to take what I had been learning in Divine Mercy University and apply it at the NIH and then carry it forward to what I'm doing now in the military. 00:26:49.305 --> 00:26:49.965 It's awesome. 00:26:50.505 --> 00:26:51.005 Fantastic. 00:26:51.385 --> 00:26:52.285 Excellent answer. 00:26:53.625 --> 00:26:57.965 Again, you anticipated another one of my questions, which is about marriage, actually. 00:26:58.910 --> 00:26:59.230 You know? 00:26:59.230 --> 00:27:09.730 Because I there are lots of prospective students ask this question about, you know, either they are already married or they hope to get married, you know, soon within the next, hopefully, few years. 00:27:11.135 --> 00:27:13.215 Could you expand on that point a little bit? 00:27:13.215 --> 00:27:15.215 Because, I mean, you know, you've you've gone through it. 00:27:15.215 --> 00:27:15.615 You've done it. 00:27:15.615 --> 00:27:16.135 You've got married. 00:27:16.135 --> 00:27:18.115 It sounds like you got married in graduate school. 00:27:19.055 --> 00:27:26.115 So to other people that have that concern or or even speaks to the experience of others who were also married, how manageable is it? 00:27:27.510 --> 00:27:27.830 Yeah. 00:27:27.830 --> 00:27:28.970 That's a great question. 00:27:29.510 --> 00:27:33.370 I think it depends on each individual person. 00:27:33.670 --> 00:27:41.290 It depends on one's own ability to manage their time, how they go about getting tasks done. 00:27:43.075 --> 00:27:43.575 Listen. 00:27:44.195 --> 00:27:46.375 Eight plus one is nine. 00:27:46.515 --> 00:27:50.115 Seven plus two is nine, so on and so forth. 00:27:50.115 --> 00:27:55.095 There are a lot of different ways to get to the end, to get to the right answer. 00:27:55.430 --> 00:27:58.490 And I think somebody is looking at graduate school. 00:27:58.550 --> 00:28:03.050 They're concerned about, that work life balance. 00:28:03.270 --> 00:28:19.295 They're concerned about the demands of graduate school and other commitments, married life, family life, if if that's the state you find yourself in, you're gonna have to find what we call in the military your battle rhythm. 00:28:19.595 --> 00:28:25.070 And it's not it's not something that's out of your reach. 00:28:25.210 --> 00:28:28.890 It's something that you can it's something that you can work on, get better at. 00:28:28.890 --> 00:28:35.370 But I think that it's gonna be a matter of understanding as best you can before you get into grad school. 00:28:35.370 --> 00:28:37.050 What is the pace gonna look like? 00:28:37.050 --> 00:28:38.565 How is this gonna work? 00:28:38.645 --> 00:28:42.165 Kinda thinking through what your day to day might look like. 00:28:42.165 --> 00:28:48.585 If I'm on class all day, how is this gonna impact the time that I get to spend with my spouse, with my children? 00:28:48.645 --> 00:28:50.105 Am I gonna be able to go home? 00:28:50.485 --> 00:28:52.025 My family is in the Midwest. 00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:55.180 How often will I be able to fly back and visit family? 00:28:55.180 --> 00:28:58.960 How am I gonna be able to take care of all these other aspects of life? 00:28:59.260 --> 00:29:05.440 Really, the question of graduate school is the question that anybody else has to ask themselves all the time. 00:29:05.925 --> 00:29:07.385 How do I balance everything? 00:29:07.445 --> 00:29:08.905 How do I juggle everything? 00:29:09.445 --> 00:29:13.845 Graduate school is, in fact, gonna be placing a heavy burden on you. 00:29:14.085 --> 00:29:16.485 It's a lot, and you want it to be. 00:29:16.485 --> 00:29:27.810 Because by the time you finish with graduate school, you wanna have the competency to go out into a practice and do the job exceptionally well. 00:29:28.030 --> 00:29:33.630 So if you're gonna be able to do that, you're gonna have to carve out the time and find a way to make it work. 00:29:33.630 --> 00:29:40.665 And that doesn't mean that the rest of life is just gonna stop or that everything else is gonna be put on pause. 00:29:41.445 --> 00:29:44.185 You gotta find a way to balance, to juggle. 00:29:44.725 --> 00:29:49.625 The good news is that it's something that a lot of us were able to do. 00:29:50.090 --> 00:29:51.950 You'll be able to do it as well. 00:29:52.490 --> 00:29:52.990 Excellent. 00:29:53.050 --> 00:29:53.790 Well said. 00:29:54.090 --> 00:29:54.410 Okay. 00:29:54.410 --> 00:30:05.470 So, what doctor Boire, in your opinion, what would be some very good reasons to do this ID, and what would be some very bad reasons to do this ID? 00:30:06.625 --> 00:30:06.945 Okay. 00:30:06.945 --> 00:30:07.185 Yeah. 00:30:07.185 --> 00:30:13.605 I like that question, and I think that there are more good reasons to do it than bad reasons. 00:30:14.065 --> 00:30:27.150 One that I have really come to appreciate and and love about the work of a psychologist is the expertise that they can bring as a an assessor. 00:30:27.770 --> 00:30:39.855 And so that's one thing that distinguishes psychologists from other counseling professions, whether it be social worker, LPCs, even psychiatrists. 00:30:40.475 --> 00:30:45.055 We bring a unique skill set of being able to assess to the table. 00:30:45.355 --> 00:31:00.380 And so Divine Mercy University formed me, I think, exceptionally well and prepared me very well to come right out of grad school and be a very effective and efficient assessor. 00:31:01.265 --> 00:31:11.685 Personality assessments, intelligence assessments, personnel decisions, all these sorts of things are very relevant and important in the military. 00:31:12.145 --> 00:31:24.270 And so for me, it was a great idea to do the PsyD program because it gave me that foundation and that expertise as an assessing, provider. 00:31:24.410 --> 00:31:35.415 And so now I can come into an institution like the army and do complicated psychological assessments answering very challenging behavioral health questions. 00:31:35.475 --> 00:31:41.895 Perhaps in the context of therapy, a provider has got a patient, and they can't quite put their finger on it. 00:31:41.990 --> 00:31:47.190 You know, they had this experience, but they're reporting this, and I just don't know what to what to do with this. 00:31:47.190 --> 00:31:49.130 Doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. 00:31:49.590 --> 00:31:49.910 Boom. 00:31:49.910 --> 00:31:52.090 That's where the psychologist comes in. 00:31:52.150 --> 00:31:53.770 Here's an assessment battery. 00:31:53.910 --> 00:31:56.650 Let's do a diagnostic interview. 00:31:57.095 --> 00:32:04.315 We can iron out some of those questions, provide some clarity, get some guidance, helping the provider, helping the patient. 00:32:04.935 --> 00:32:15.690 To me, doing the PsyD program, is tremendous, and that skill set of being an effective, competent assessor is tremendous. 00:32:16.310 --> 00:32:21.130 Very good idea to do this ID program if you are interested in being an assessor. 00:32:22.565 --> 00:32:26.985 Are there bad reasons to go into this ID program? 00:32:27.605 --> 00:32:38.290 I don't know that it's necessarily a bad reason, but one thing that might be it might have an impact is if you've got your own stuff, and everybody does. 00:32:38.290 --> 00:32:43.110 We all have our own, issues that we're working on working through. 00:32:43.890 --> 00:32:54.455 I think one thing that can make your experience, a little different is that if you're trying to work on your own behavioral health in the midst of school. 00:32:54.455 --> 00:32:58.775 And there's a sense that we're all kinda doing that because you're learning new stuff. 00:32:58.775 --> 00:33:01.355 You're taking in new theories, new ideas. 00:33:01.670 --> 00:33:10.650 I remember very explicitly one course we had, which was, sort of an overview of the DSM, the diagnostic statistical manual. 00:33:12.150 --> 00:33:19.015 Essentially, it's a book which gives you the different behavioral health and mental health diagnosis, and we go through it very thoroughly. 00:33:19.555 --> 00:33:23.875 And I remember as we were in class, I would read this, and I'd be like, oh, boy. 00:33:23.875 --> 00:33:25.655 Well, that kinda sounds like me. 00:33:25.715 --> 00:33:27.235 Or, oh, is this one me? 00:33:27.235 --> 00:33:28.295 My oh, gosh. 00:33:29.730 --> 00:33:30.130 You know? 00:33:30.130 --> 00:33:47.705 There's that sense that we can all sort of identify with some of these issues at various points in our life, but you don't want you don't want your own stuff, regardless of how significant it is, if it's if it's really troubling or problematic or less troubling or problematic. 00:33:48.645 --> 00:33:59.610 I would be conscientious of how your own personal stuff is fitting into the way that you are training to work with, other patients. 00:34:00.950 --> 00:34:11.930 Fortunately, that part of what you study is how to manage that, how to keep from projecting your own stuff into the therapy session or onto your clients or patients. 00:34:12.845 --> 00:34:17.825 So that's just something that would be conscientious on because I've heard others I've heard of that happening. 00:34:17.965 --> 00:34:27.520 Others will get into this disappointment because they've they've thought this might be a way to kind of work through their own issues. 00:34:27.520 --> 00:34:34.420 I'm not saying you can't do that, but just realize that that might have an impact on the way that you approach any stuff. 00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:35.860 Excellent. 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:37.460 That's that's super helpful. 00:34:38.560 --> 00:34:39.060 Alright. 00:34:39.760 --> 00:34:55.585 Now what would you say would be maybe one or two, three at the most most formative ideas that you learned at Divine Mercy that have been especially impactful in your work as a psychologist today? 00:34:57.150 --> 00:34:57.390 Yeah. 00:34:57.390 --> 00:35:05.570 I like that question, and there are a couple things that I definitely see, on the day to day where I'm like, Yep. 00:35:05.870 --> 00:35:09.170 This this links back to what we learned at school. 00:35:10.085 --> 00:35:18.265 The first one that I'll say is the idea of attachment, which is sort of built on the idea that Freud had. 00:35:19.765 --> 00:35:28.050 In a nutshell, Freud's idea is that you're kinda set on a trajectory from the time you're young. 00:35:28.430 --> 00:35:43.965 And we can deviate a a a certain way from that, but our early experiences with other people have an influence and impact the way that we're gonna get along with others as we go about, the course of our life. 00:35:44.105 --> 00:35:46.185 And so attachment theory came in. 00:35:46.185 --> 00:36:01.110 It was introduced by a theorist named John Bowlby, and his idea kind of built on Freud's thought, which is that early relationships influence and impact relationships later in life. 00:36:01.730 --> 00:36:04.085 Well, who has a relationship? 00:36:04.785 --> 00:36:05.285 Everybody. 00:36:06.065 --> 00:36:09.685 Nobody lives in a cocoon or in a little bubble. 00:36:10.705 --> 00:36:14.725 We're all involved in relationships with other people all the time. 00:36:15.110 --> 00:36:17.110 If you're at home, you've got family. 00:36:17.110 --> 00:36:20.090 If you're at work, you have peers and colleagues and coworkers. 00:36:21.030 --> 00:36:24.790 If you're out on the street, you're in a community on the subway. 00:36:24.790 --> 00:36:27.370 I mean, we're always involved in relationships. 00:36:28.310 --> 00:36:42.435 And the things we say, the way we think, the things we do, the behaviors we we do, the things that we don't do, all of this stuff plays into that equation of of how a relationship is gonna look and work. 00:36:42.620 --> 00:36:50.940 And so Bowlby really worked this out and other theorists as well, Mary Sporth, Mary Maine, have some great literature on this. 00:36:50.940 --> 00:36:59.845 But this whole idea of attachment, I see it all the time, every day because we're all, in a relationship with others. 00:37:00.145 --> 00:37:02.945 So how does that relationship work out? 00:37:02.945 --> 00:37:20.300 I I see with my soldiers, if they're having problems with their leadership, if a leader is having a problem with their subordinates, one of my soldiers is having difficulties, at home with a loved one or a spouse, or if they're a junior enlisted with the person there in the barracks. 00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:27.980 I always try and get a sense for, well, what do other relationships you have look like? 00:37:28.205 --> 00:37:31.265 Is this distinguished from from other relationships? 00:37:31.325 --> 00:37:35.425 Is there a pattern of problematic interactions with other people? 00:37:36.045 --> 00:37:48.100 That idea of how are they attached to other individuals, very useful to understand, very helpful when you're kind of thinking through clinically where we at with this person. 00:37:48.100 --> 00:37:57.335 So that idea of the relationships, the attachment, the attachment style, how does that play into, where we're at with this patient? 00:37:57.475 --> 00:38:00.775 So that's one thing that was very helpful that we picked up and learned. 00:38:01.075 --> 00:38:08.535 Another thing is aspects of personality, aspects of personality functioning. 00:38:09.310 --> 00:38:27.815 As an assessor, one of the things that we will test for is to get a better sense of what a person's personality is like, what are their traits or customs or habits that kinda go into making up that that personality? 00:38:29.395 --> 00:38:39.920 Different theorists say different things, but, a lot of professionals sort of weigh in on five big personality factors. 00:38:40.780 --> 00:38:43.100 Maybe you've heard of them, the the big five. 00:38:43.100 --> 00:38:49.440 The acronym is OCEAN, so the openness to new experiences or different experiences. 00:38:50.475 --> 00:39:02.975 Conscientiousness, the level that we're conscientious of ourselves, of our environment, introversion versus extroversion, and then we've got agreeableness. 00:39:03.355 --> 00:39:04.975 How agreeable are we? 00:39:05.170 --> 00:39:07.350 Then finally, neuroticism. 00:39:08.050 --> 00:39:14.870 And and that kinda has a negative connotation to it, but what it's really getting at is particularities. 00:39:15.650 --> 00:39:18.105 How are we with being a certain way? 00:39:18.105 --> 00:39:25.405 So with all the personality factors, it's not a matter of right or wrong or good or bad or anything like that. 00:39:25.545 --> 00:39:28.605 It's a matter of having self knowledge. 00:39:28.745 --> 00:39:35.190 Where am I on these scales, on the continuum, say, of openness to new experiences? 00:39:35.330 --> 00:39:36.230 Where am I? 00:39:36.370 --> 00:39:46.950 And then how is it gonna work, or what will it look like if somebody else that I have a relationship with is maybe on the other side of that continuum? 00:39:47.170 --> 00:39:49.110 And I see that all the time in the military. 00:39:49.545 --> 00:39:51.005 There are leadership teams. 00:39:51.305 --> 00:40:04.050 Perhaps one leader, say, for example, is extremely conscientious, whereas his or her peer may be on the opposite side. 00:40:04.430 --> 00:40:07.890 There can be some differences of opinion in a case like that. 00:40:08.270 --> 00:40:18.085 I found it to be very helpful to give some of this education about the personality factors and to help leaders and and soldiers understand, hey. 00:40:18.085 --> 00:40:21.225 It's okay that you're here and that you're over here. 00:40:21.525 --> 00:40:23.625 And now how do we reconcile? 00:40:23.765 --> 00:40:24.885 How is this gonna work? 00:40:24.885 --> 00:40:30.985 How are we gonna come together when it comes time to make decisions about this or that or the other thing? 00:40:31.285 --> 00:40:40.000 So just off the top of my head, those are two big elements that I I find myself thinking about every day. 00:40:40.380 --> 00:40:53.885 The idea of attachment, how how are we with our relationships with others, And then the personality aspects, those personality factors, how do those play into the bigger picture? 00:40:54.025 --> 00:41:05.620 And it's useful for me personally because I always have to think about my own relationships, my relationship with my family, with my spouse, with my boss, with the people that I am a leader for. 00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:10.260 I'm always thinking about my own relationships, and I'm always thinking about my own personality. 00:41:10.880 --> 00:41:12.020 I'm this way. 00:41:12.240 --> 00:41:15.485 How does that how does that impact somebody else? 00:41:16.025 --> 00:41:23.485 I may be very gregarious and and and in your face and sort of that alpha personality. 00:41:23.945 --> 00:41:27.165 What if there's somebody who's on the other side of that? 00:41:28.020 --> 00:41:29.960 How are they gonna receive me? 00:41:30.260 --> 00:41:40.440 So it's been useful for me to kind of navigate my own leadership style, my own, way of plugging into the military community. 00:41:40.695 --> 00:41:47.035 But then I see it, and I try and coach and teach about it with everybody else that I work with in the army as well. 00:41:47.895 --> 00:41:48.375 Excellent. 00:41:48.375 --> 00:41:49.335 I love that answer. 00:41:49.335 --> 00:41:57.600 That's that that gives a nice sort of, over just, like, a few important and impactful, points that you learned at Divine Mercy. 00:41:57.660 --> 00:42:12.375 For those that are, who are listening, who are sort of on the fence between psychology and counseling, and they're interested in those points that you just made, namely, attachments, theory, and Freud and Bowlby versus the big five in personality. 00:42:12.915 --> 00:42:22.035 Would you say that those are topics that could be explored just as well in a counseling program, say, at the master's level, as in a doctoral level? 00:42:22.035 --> 00:42:28.140 Or is this something that really, you know, to get to plumb the depths of the those those two realities, you really have to do the doctorate? 00:42:29.720 --> 00:42:34.620 I think it depends on what kind of work you're doing as a counselor. 00:42:35.160 --> 00:42:44.915 I certainly believe the idea of attachment and relationships, are relevant across the spectrum of behavioral health. 00:42:45.935 --> 00:42:48.095 I supervise a lot of social workers. 00:42:48.095 --> 00:43:00.140 I supervise a lot of LPCs, counselors, and I I would be concerned if they weren't able to address issues related to attachment. 00:43:00.840 --> 00:43:12.145 If they can't work with a a service member, who's who's got stuff like that going on, I would have some concerns as a leader and as a supervisor. 00:43:13.245 --> 00:43:18.945 At the same time, and I alluded to this earlier, there are some things that distinguish a psychologist. 00:43:19.790 --> 00:43:29.730 I think a psychologist is gonna be able to go into those elements of attachment maybe a little deeper, but then certainly the personality factors. 00:43:30.270 --> 00:43:43.495 I think my counselors, my social workers that I work with in the military are aware of it and and maybe have studied it somewhat extensively, but they don't have the expertise to assess for it. 00:43:43.555 --> 00:43:52.890 They can't interpret, a testing instrument, with the kind of clarity or expertise that I could bring as a psychologist. 00:43:53.670 --> 00:44:05.015 And so you may have exposure to this and may even have, built up some expertise in these in these different things as a counselor or as a social worker. 00:44:05.395 --> 00:44:12.455 But as a doctor of psychology, I I can just see it in my own work. 00:44:12.595 --> 00:44:22.010 I can take these things to a different level than other professionals in my in my clinic cannot. 00:44:22.550 --> 00:44:22.790 Yeah. 00:44:22.790 --> 00:44:27.830 So it so it sounds like, say, with the with the with the counselors, like, they might be aware of the big five. 00:44:27.830 --> 00:44:42.995 They might be able to spot neuroticism or extroversion or conscientiousness or what have you, but you as the psychologist are actually able to carry out those assessments and have a more precise, diagnosis of whatever that personality is. 00:44:42.995 --> 00:44:43.815 Is that right? 00:44:44.230 --> 00:44:44.550 Sure. 00:44:44.550 --> 00:44:44.790 Yeah. 00:44:44.790 --> 00:44:49.370 We can just we can we can take it deeper. 00:44:49.430 --> 00:44:52.890 We can be more precise, be more zeroed in. 00:44:52.950 --> 00:44:54.570 But I think it too. 00:44:54.870 --> 00:44:58.375 You see things similar in medical models. 00:44:59.875 --> 00:45:08.455 Doctors, physicians, and and nurses do a lot of things similarly, but the scope is somewhat somewhat distinct. 00:45:08.595 --> 00:45:13.880 And they're they're they're they're doing some things in a different way. 00:45:14.340 --> 00:45:16.840 So it is with the psychologists and the counselor. 00:45:16.980 --> 00:45:22.820 There's a lot of ways that our disciplines overlap, or the psychologist and a social worker. 00:45:22.820 --> 00:45:33.425 There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn, and yet sort of the thrust or, some of the focuses of a social worker are gonna look different than that of a psychologist. 00:45:34.125 --> 00:45:47.610 And we just bring to the table a a very big and relevant piece of the puzzle with the expertise that we get along the way as, psychologists when we train. 00:45:48.150 --> 00:45:49.670 That's a excellent answer. 00:45:49.670 --> 00:45:50.550 Thank you, doctor Boire. 00:45:50.550 --> 00:45:55.925 At this point, let's transition, to our slideshow presentation. 00:45:56.225 --> 00:45:59.505 I'm gonna put this up on the for everyone to see. 00:45:59.505 --> 00:45:59.825 Okay. 00:45:59.825 --> 00:46:12.800 So as I go through this, I'm going to, you know, ask doctor Boire to comment, in certain places just to sort of get his take on on, his experience at Divine Mercy, but also to give you all a good take of the whole. 00:46:12.800 --> 00:46:14.500 So let's get into it here. 00:46:15.680 --> 00:46:30.845 So Divine Mercy University is a Catholic graduate school of psychology founded in 1999 as the Institute of the Psychological Sciences, and it is dedicated to the scientific study of psychology with the Catholic Christian understanding of the person, marriage, and family. 00:46:31.350 --> 00:46:40.250 Its expansion, from IPS to Divine Mercy University occurred in 2016 to facilitate growth and add a counseling program at the graduate level. 00:46:41.510 --> 00:46:42.970 So we are one university. 00:46:43.110 --> 00:46:44.790 We do have two distinct schools. 00:46:44.790 --> 00:46:49.465 The school of counseling is a offers a master's program in counseling. 00:46:49.525 --> 00:46:50.905 It is mostly online. 00:46:51.285 --> 00:46:57.225 And then the Institute of Psychological Sciences houses both the residential doctorate and the master's in psychology. 00:46:57.525 --> 00:47:06.450 The doctorate, of course, being entirely residential, throughout the year, and the psychology the MSP being entirely online. 00:47:08.190 --> 00:47:21.655 So our mission is to provide students with an effective academic and educational environment that supports the integration of the psychological sciences and a Catholic Christian understanding of the person through teaching and learning both knowledge and critical skills. 00:47:21.875 --> 00:47:28.055 It also assists students intellectually and professionally as they prepare themselves to respond to the vocation as mental health professionals. 00:47:30.270 --> 00:47:34.130 So we are located outside of Washington DC in Sterling, Virginia. 00:47:34.430 --> 00:47:39.890 So for those of you who have been to this area, it's truly a wonderful place to work and live and study. 00:47:40.510 --> 00:47:47.315 We have access to both city life toward the East, toward DC, about an hour, drive. 00:47:47.315 --> 00:47:49.975 And then to the West, we have the Appalachian Mountains. 00:47:50.035 --> 00:47:59.010 So for those of you who are more outdoorsy in in, interest, we have hiking and canoeing and vineyards and and all kinds of things like that. 00:47:59.010 --> 00:48:03.510 So, really, this is a, a place that has something for everyone, I would say. 00:48:05.490 --> 00:48:13.830 So, as doctor Boyd had mentioned in in our interview, we are fully accredited at every level, including APA accreditation. 00:48:14.065 --> 00:48:18.405 So we attained, APA accreditation in 2016. 00:48:18.465 --> 00:48:22.325 And so, that has, of course, continues to the present day. 00:48:24.785 --> 00:48:33.780 So as a therapist practitioner, you would be able to perform psychological assessment and testing and diagnosis journeying with your clients toward flourishing and healing. 00:48:33.840 --> 00:48:49.285 And as doctor Breuer had mentioned, you know, the really key distinguishing hallmark of clinical psychology is the ability to assess and diagnose with more precision through psychological assessment, which, of course, you would, be offered ample training in in our doctoral program. 00:48:52.065 --> 00:48:56.085 Now in terms of the overall structure of the program, it is five years in total. 00:48:56.145 --> 00:48:56.625 Okay? 00:48:56.625 --> 00:49:04.500 So, it is a hundred and twenty two credit hours and does include a master's of psychology and passing on route to the doctorate. 00:49:04.560 --> 00:49:14.695 So after the first two years of successful coursework, you would be receiving a master's in psychology degree, and then an additional three years for the PsyD. 00:49:15.555 --> 00:49:19.815 In year one, the main task is the coursework in psychology. 00:49:20.915 --> 00:49:25.960 Also in the in the second semester in the first year, you're going to take a dissertation methods class. 00:49:25.960 --> 00:49:41.255 And so this is the, ideal opportunity, for you to really kind of think about your dissertation, think about what topic you want to explore and with whom you like to explore it, what faculty member would be most fitting for you to, dive into something in in a lot of detail. 00:49:41.255 --> 00:49:47.255 And whatever and like doctor Royer has said, there's, you know, psychology is a massively diversified field. 00:49:47.255 --> 00:49:52.635 There's so much there's so much exciting, areas of research that you could, become involved. 00:49:53.290 --> 00:50:02.110 In year two, similar to year one, we the coursework does continue, though this is sort of your first, foray into the world of being a clinician. 00:50:02.730 --> 00:50:08.590 You'll usually have two to three clients in your second year on our on campus clinic here on campus. 00:50:09.675 --> 00:50:19.355 In years three and four, it does shift somewhat, in in the sense that you're going to have more time spent in the clinic and somewhat less time spent in the classroom. 00:50:19.355 --> 00:50:28.530 So in that sense, it it resembles, medical school, and and there's an analogy there in the sense of the shifting, nature of how your time is is allocated. 00:50:29.150 --> 00:50:34.445 Now in year five, that is the internship year to which you'll be applying in year four. 00:50:34.825 --> 00:50:45.305 Now we've had being APA accredited, we've had a 100% success rate of getting our students into APA accredited internship sites, both this year and in the year before. 00:50:45.305 --> 00:50:48.665 And I think in the year before that, it was it was something like 98%. 00:50:48.665 --> 00:50:55.980 So you getting into a excellent, APA accredited, internship is is very high. 00:50:57.320 --> 00:51:00.140 Anything you would wanna add to to the schematic, doctor Porter? 00:51:01.720 --> 00:51:11.825 I will mention that the sites that our graduates are going to for internships, are really excellent. 00:51:11.965 --> 00:51:25.120 And especially in in the last few years, I've seen a diverse, number of internship sites where I hadn't even thought a person would go. 00:51:25.820 --> 00:51:30.320 Baylor University, for example, we've sent students there. 00:51:30.460 --> 00:51:32.080 University of North Dakota. 00:51:32.895 --> 00:51:38.595 So the university setting, private practices, military setting for myself. 00:51:39.535 --> 00:51:47.030 Some of our students have gone to places that specifically do, work with psychological testing. 00:51:47.410 --> 00:52:02.195 I just really enjoyed seeing from one year to the next the different kinds of internships that our students get picked up for and very competitive, sites that that they should definitely be proud of getting into. 00:52:02.895 --> 00:52:03.395 Excellent. 00:52:05.535 --> 00:52:11.455 So these are some questions of discernment, in terms of figuring out whether the society is is a good fit for you. 00:52:11.455 --> 00:52:13.395 So do you want to help people flourish? 00:52:13.920 --> 00:52:16.100 Are you interested in the science behind human behavior? 00:52:16.240 --> 00:52:19.460 Do you want to become an instrument of healing for the psychological sciences? 00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:25.140 Are you interested in performing psychological tests and assessments to diagnose your clients and create a treatment plan? 00:52:25.280 --> 00:52:31.385 Are you looking to start a career as a licensed mental health professional and specifically as a clinical psychologist? 00:52:31.385 --> 00:52:37.965 And do you have the ability and desire to work with all types of clients for more, acute care to more challenging and long term cases? 00:52:38.265 --> 00:52:39.545 So if you're thinking, yes. 00:52:39.545 --> 00:52:39.865 Yes. 00:52:39.865 --> 00:52:40.185 Yes. 00:52:40.185 --> 00:52:40.585 Yes. 00:52:40.585 --> 00:52:42.365 Then this is probably a good fit. 00:52:43.900 --> 00:52:51.020 Now the key areas of competency that we do aim to inculcate in our doctoral program are are these. 00:52:51.020 --> 00:53:02.865 So foundations in psychological science and research, integrity and practice, assessment and diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, professional roles, and then clinical practice from a Catholic and interpretive perspective. 00:53:02.865 --> 00:53:05.125 I'll go through each of these in turn. 00:53:06.545 --> 00:53:07.045 Alright. 00:53:07.265 --> 00:53:09.905 So the first, foundations in psychological science and research. 00:53:09.905 --> 00:53:23.160 Graduates will attain foundational psychological science knowledge of biological, cognitive, effective, social, and developmental aspects of the human person as well as history and systems of psychology, psychological measurement, research design, and statistical method. 00:53:23.300 --> 00:53:27.000 Graduates will have the skills necessary to conduct their own psychological research. 00:53:27.525 --> 00:53:28.885 Two, integrity and practice. 00:53:28.885 --> 00:53:34.905 Graduals will be knowledgeable in the areas of diversity and ethics and display critical thinking, self aware and effective practice and self care. 00:53:35.125 --> 00:53:41.065 Graduals will demonstrate responsiveness, supervision, collegiality, and professional comportments and professional practice. 00:53:43.470 --> 00:53:44.850 Three, assessment and diagnosis. 00:53:44.910 --> 00:54:00.725 Graduates be able to conduct clinical interviewing, perform intake evaluation, demonstrate knowledge and administration scoring and interpretation of psychological assessments, integrate multiple sources of test data and clinical interview information into written reports, diagnose, and develop treatment plan. 00:54:01.105 --> 00:54:14.510 For therapeutic intervention, I'm glad to be able to demonstrate case conceptualization, treatment planning, building and maintaining therapeutic relationship, psychotherapy skills, crisis management version, and special circumstances, and discharge planning. 00:54:16.730 --> 00:54:17.770 Five, professional roles. 00:54:17.770 --> 00:54:20.170 Graduates be able to function in a variety of required roles. 00:54:20.170 --> 00:54:26.190 Professional psychologists include consultants, educator, supervisor, practice manager, and program evaluator. 00:54:26.755 --> 00:54:30.135 They'll be able to work collaboratively within the Eastern teams and with clients. 00:54:30.835 --> 00:54:33.575 Six, clinical practice from a Catholic and interpretive perspective. 00:54:34.115 --> 00:54:44.100 Graduates will develop a Catholic understanding of human flourishing and individual person in marriage and family life and be able to integrate this with psychological sciences in clinical practice. 00:54:46.480 --> 00:54:46.880 Okay. 00:54:46.880 --> 00:54:51.520 So as as we said a number of times, today, you know, psychology is is very diverse. 00:54:51.520 --> 00:54:52.800 There are lots of different fields. 00:54:52.800 --> 00:55:02.385 But for our purposes, for the sake of time, really, I do want to highlight that really the main task of this program is to get you licensed as a clinical psychologist. 00:55:03.165 --> 00:55:03.565 Okay? 00:55:03.565 --> 00:55:12.740 And usually what attends this, you know, getting the highest level of academic and clinical training in psychology is oftentimes a position of leadership. 00:55:14.000 --> 00:55:21.040 You know, doctor Erboya is, you know, certainly a leader within, military, you know, being an officer, but, you know, that's that's one track. 00:55:21.040 --> 00:55:25.140 But there are men there are a myriad of others in which you could find yourself involved. 00:55:25.365 --> 00:55:26.885 You could go into private practice. 00:55:26.885 --> 00:55:28.185 You could work in a hospital. 00:55:29.125 --> 00:55:35.625 Doctor Gorrie, would you, care to mention any other specific settings where you could occupy a position of leadership as a psychologist? 00:55:36.885 --> 00:55:37.125 Yes. 00:55:37.125 --> 00:55:37.605 Certainly. 00:55:37.605 --> 00:55:52.280 One that is, some of my peers and colleagues I know have done this, where they'll get involved in formation of, seminary students or, or those in religious life. 00:55:52.475 --> 00:56:13.210 And so they'll be having the responsibility of perhaps providing counseling, but more so being a consultant to the formators, to help them understand the strengths, vulnerabilities of a candidate for the diaconate or priesthood or religious life. 00:56:13.510 --> 00:56:29.645 And that's a way that, especially within the Catholic community, psychologists can be real leaders and help guide formators in making these decisions about who are gonna be the best ones to send forward for the work of ministry. 00:56:31.385 --> 00:56:31.945 Thank you. 00:56:31.945 --> 00:56:32.685 That's helpful. 00:56:34.380 --> 00:56:34.860 Okay. 00:56:34.860 --> 00:56:45.280 Now in terms of testimonials, we've had really legions of students come through our school and the doctoral program and come out and flourish as, clinicians, as psychologists. 00:56:45.340 --> 00:56:48.125 So these are just a few of many, testimonials. 00:56:48.185 --> 00:56:53.885 So James Walovich has said, in our clinical psychology program, the training is focused on healing the whole person. 00:56:54.185 --> 00:57:00.445 Kristen Long, I was drawn to the PsyD program and as a desire to serve others in a more profound way in my previous positions offered. 00:57:00.890 --> 00:57:04.750 Timothy White, the school is not afraid to teach you what it means to be human at every level. 00:57:04.970 --> 00:57:08.910 Both psychologically, philosophically, and theologically, that's why I like it. 00:57:09.050 --> 00:57:11.790 And then Kirsten Curtis, I'm so thankful for DMU. 00:57:11.850 --> 00:57:18.255 The faculty members are very supportive and received lots of hands on and clinical experience. 00:57:18.255 --> 00:57:18.575 Okay. 00:57:18.575 --> 00:57:28.915 So speaking of military things, well, this is a video testimonial of one of our current third year doctoral students, William Johnson, who's on work with PTSD in combat veterans. 00:57:37.660 --> 00:57:37.980 Hi. 00:57:37.980 --> 00:57:46.655 My name is William Johnston, and I'm a PsyD student at Divine Mercy University, currently approaching the end of my third year in the program. 00:57:47.275 --> 00:57:55.035 Military service runs in my family, and, and so both my grandparents served. 00:57:55.035 --> 00:57:56.495 My parents both served. 00:57:57.115 --> 00:58:11.925 This door, the PsyD program at Divine Mercy University opened the opportunity for me to continue to give back, to conduct research, and hopefully implement a more robust program to treat PTSD as it relates to combat veterans. 00:58:12.885 --> 00:58:34.700 DMU has certainly provided the integration that I saw in terms of my formation, both the philosophy and theology core, in addition to the psychology curriculum, has provided me growth in terms of my faith, and my role as a husband and father, and, of course, a psychological clinician. 00:58:35.960 --> 00:58:46.125 So in essence, the Catholic Christian meta model of the human person is is why I'm here, both for my own sake as well as the sake of my future clients. 00:58:57.080 --> 00:58:58.860 We have one other video testimonial. 00:58:59.160 --> 00:59:02.060 This is from a recently graduated alumna. 00:59:07.480 --> 00:59:15.175 I would say that being a student at TY Mercy University or DMU is one of the best things that happens to me. 00:59:15.635 --> 00:59:20.855 I really appreciate a great support from faculty members and also classmates. 00:59:21.395 --> 00:59:29.320 I have gained a great deal of knowledge in all aspects of clinical practice, research, and also professional development. 00:59:30.180 --> 00:59:37.800 DMU not only provides students with strong academic skills, but also prepares them for a career in psychology. 00:59:38.745 --> 00:59:44.925 I personally benefit from mentorship with academic advisors and clinical supervisors. 00:59:45.465 --> 00:59:57.270 As a person, what I most appreciate from DMU is that its mission helped broaden my perspectives in understanding a human person through the lens of Catholicism. 00:59:58.130 --> 01:00:07.750 Catholic principle, especially in hope, love, and faith, are very valuable and certainly helped me become a better clinician. 01:00:15.035 --> 01:00:20.815 Now, about our faculty, we have a generalist, program in psychology here at Delimarcys. 01:00:21.035 --> 01:00:32.580 So what that means is you're going to be exposed to, virtually every major field within psychology, everything from developmental, personality, social, the entire spectrum of psychology. 01:00:32.580 --> 01:00:36.840 In addition to that, you're going to be trained in all the major areas of psycho psychotherapy. 01:00:38.625 --> 01:00:52.560 You know, certainly, as doctor Boyer mentioned, you're gonna be trained in theory, but also, things like, DBT, EFT, IFS, psychodynamic theories, CBT. 01:00:52.860 --> 01:00:56.320 Really, the whole panel play will be kind of set before you. 01:00:56.380 --> 01:00:58.800 Let's take a look at a few of these professors. 01:00:58.860 --> 01:01:01.840 There there are many others, but these are just a few, samples. 01:01:02.220 --> 01:01:05.020 So doctor Lisa Kulicki is our dean and program director. 01:01:05.020 --> 01:01:08.595 She's a specialist in adolescents, adults, and couples therapy. 01:01:08.595 --> 01:01:12.375 Doctor Graves is a expert in child and developmental psychology. 01:01:12.515 --> 01:01:15.175 She's also our program assistant program director. 01:01:15.395 --> 01:01:18.775 Doctor Piccararo is a specialist in addiction and trauma. 01:01:18.995 --> 01:01:23.770 These three gentlemen here at the bottom were amongst the founding faculty members of our school back in the late nineties. 01:01:23.770 --> 01:01:30.110 So doctor Scriffani is a specialist in CBT and group therapy, doctor Nordling in child marriage and family. 01:01:30.570 --> 01:01:40.315 Doctor Vitz's work, doctor Vitz is in fact has retired at the end of this year, though he'll probably return to campus sort of episodically, to visit. 01:01:40.615 --> 01:01:44.955 But, really, he played a found a a crucial role in the founding of our of our school. 01:01:45.015 --> 01:01:51.515 His work being sort of situated at the nexus between Catholic theology on one hand and modern psychology on the other. 01:01:53.130 --> 01:01:53.950 Now licensing. 01:01:54.010 --> 01:01:55.450 So is licensing required? 01:01:55.450 --> 01:01:55.690 Yes. 01:01:55.690 --> 01:01:56.090 Certainly. 01:01:56.090 --> 01:02:01.230 A license to practice is required by each state or jurisdiction where one might practice as a counselor. 01:02:01.850 --> 01:02:11.565 When licensing begins after the student has completed the approximate internship and officially graduates from Divine Mercy, states can and often do have additional and differing requirements. 01:02:11.865 --> 01:02:16.445 So students are responsible for checking state requirements where they plan to work and adhere to them. 01:02:16.585 --> 01:02:19.005 These do typically include national and state exams. 01:02:19.340 --> 01:02:23.440 So MRC will provide general information related to licensure during the student experience. 01:02:23.820 --> 01:02:25.200 Now who initiates licensing? 01:02:25.340 --> 01:02:34.880 Licensing is a student driven process, so it's important the student to begin research of licensing requirements in the state that he or she intends to work in as early in the program as possible. 01:02:35.100 --> 01:02:37.575 Now will students be fully licensed after graduation? 01:02:37.875 --> 01:02:38.275 No. 01:02:38.275 --> 01:02:44.135 Graduates must work about a year in a supervised clinical environment in addition to other state requirements to be licensed. 01:02:44.435 --> 01:02:50.055 And a graduate may be required to obtain a provisional license during this year period, so check your state for individual requirements. 01:02:53.050 --> 01:03:06.345 Now the this, these two graphs depict a distinction I like to draw between simply buying something on the one hand and something purely material like a car, in which case the value of that will rapidly depreciate within a few years. 01:03:06.825 --> 01:03:24.730 By contrast, investing in yourself for education, investing in your own minds, really, in your knowledge, to become trained as a clinical psychologist, a field that is in very much in high demand with, you know, so much mental health issues today in our modern world. 01:03:25.430 --> 01:03:33.290 The value to it that you will be able to bring to other people is still very likely to do precisely the opposite, namely appreciate, over the course of your career. 01:03:36.095 --> 01:03:36.335 Okay. 01:03:36.335 --> 01:03:44.915 Now the investment itself, it is, 1,170 per credit for a 122 credits, $149.40 over five years. 01:03:45.135 --> 01:03:50.590 Of course, that doesn't include fees or indirect expenses such as housing, food, gas, that kind of thing. 01:03:51.530 --> 01:04:01.630 Provided that you, feel comfortable moving forward and applying, our financial aid department can provide a lot more, information about the the financial side of things. 01:04:01.745 --> 01:04:08.405 But most students do, involve, federal aid, you know, to certain loans or grants from the government. 01:04:09.585 --> 01:04:16.405 And the FAFSA form, I do believe, opens for this coming year in October 2023. 01:04:17.010 --> 01:04:22.690 Now to defer any costs, however, we do offer students assistantships and work study programs on campus. 01:04:22.690 --> 01:04:29.315 So for example, if you wanted to, you could work with me and my colleagues here in admissions or in the business office, for example. 01:04:29.615 --> 01:04:35.135 There are also a number of alternative financing options that financial aid could, explain in more detail. 01:04:35.135 --> 01:04:39.875 But one thing I would like to highlight is this thing called diocesan investments. 01:04:40.815 --> 01:04:52.580 It's an MOU, a memorandum of understanding, through a diocese in the in the sense that provided that you're, a Catholic in good standing at a parish, say, you would wanna appeal to the diocese and say, hey. 01:04:52.580 --> 01:04:56.445 You know, I'm starting a doctoral program in psychology at Divine Mercy University. 01:04:56.445 --> 01:05:01.485 And in many cases, the diocese will offer 15% off of tuition. 01:05:01.485 --> 01:05:06.225 So that's certainly something that you would wanna take advantage of if that fits you. 01:05:07.950 --> 01:05:13.550 Now as you can also see, we have a slew of other scholarships that you could take advantage of. 01:05:13.550 --> 01:05:20.205 And these apply to various demographics, and they pay out in the amount up to the amount indicated here to the right. 01:05:21.005 --> 01:05:24.305 You can apply to up to four of them, receive up to two scholarships. 01:05:24.445 --> 01:05:30.705 And for more information about, each of these, you wanna visit divinemercy.edu/financialaid. 01:05:33.220 --> 01:05:38.280 Now in terms of entrance requirements, we do require a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school. 01:05:38.660 --> 01:05:44.200 We while it's true that we do prefer students who have studied psychology, it's by no means required. 01:05:44.740 --> 01:05:57.655 So we have had students that have attended and succeeded in all basically academic areas, everything from engineering, math, art science to music, arts, English, literature, and everything between economics. 01:05:59.635 --> 01:06:03.015 We do also ask for a minimum GPA of three o on a four o scale. 01:06:03.140 --> 01:06:11.220 If you're close to that, if you're sort of on the cusp of three o, maybe you had a, like, a two eight or two nine as an undergraduate, talk to me. 01:06:11.220 --> 01:06:16.740 We can probably, find a way to move forward, despite that. 01:06:16.740 --> 01:06:18.875 So let's see what else. 01:06:19.255 --> 01:06:19.575 Okay. 01:06:19.575 --> 01:06:27.015 Now in terms of the application process, the thing to do, provided that you wanna move forward, is to apply online. 01:06:27.015 --> 01:06:28.055 That's the first step. 01:06:28.055 --> 01:06:31.920 And once you do so, the financial aid office will get in touch with you. 01:06:32.080 --> 01:06:34.340 And then after that, we do maintain communication. 01:06:34.480 --> 01:06:41.860 And then once all the other elements of the application are received, and you're competitive, you'll be invited for an interview. 01:06:42.080 --> 01:06:46.740 Now there are three distinct interviews per year. 01:06:47.045 --> 01:06:48.425 The first is in November. 01:06:48.485 --> 01:06:49.785 The second is in January. 01:06:50.085 --> 01:06:51.625 The last one is in March. 01:06:51.765 --> 01:07:02.745 Now that we are having this webinar here at the end of Mar excuse me, end of May, means that most people listening to this now would want to apply for this one in November. 01:07:03.620 --> 01:07:07.880 However, I will say that that's the most competitive one, for a couple of reasons. 01:07:08.020 --> 01:07:15.960 The first is that, we offer $3,000 off of your first year's tuition if you get admitted into that interview, the early interview. 01:07:16.335 --> 01:07:24.835 Moreover, this is also the interview where we do allow the most money, the most scholarship money, especially to a merit based applicants. 01:07:24.895 --> 01:07:33.710 So, if you have a GPA of three five or higher, you're eligible for a merit scholarship ranging between fifty, five zero, and 25% off the tuition. 01:07:33.710 --> 01:07:40.770 So for that reason, this does tend to be the most competitive, but still, it's worth, applying to and getting into it. 01:07:42.830 --> 01:07:43.310 Alright. 01:07:43.310 --> 01:07:44.930 Now completing your application. 01:07:45.070 --> 01:07:50.665 So to be considered for admission, you have to get all of these things in before the interview. 01:07:52.085 --> 01:08:02.160 So for example, part one, as I mentioned, the online, application does include a $55 application fee, but it in part two, it includes the following. 01:08:02.160 --> 01:08:02.980 So essays. 01:08:03.120 --> 01:08:04.500 We do have two essays. 01:08:04.720 --> 01:08:11.940 The first will ask you about why you wanna be a clinical psychologist, why Divine Mercy would be a good fit for you and vice versa. 01:08:12.195 --> 01:08:19.175 And then the second asks about your academic and clinical interest within psychology and how you would, use those interest in a dissertation. 01:08:19.475 --> 01:08:23.235 You don't have to have a a dissertation worked out, a proposal worked out per se. 01:08:23.235 --> 01:08:24.835 That doesn't happen until much later. 01:08:24.835 --> 01:08:29.870 But to get a sense of where you wanna go with your research would be very helpful. 01:08:30.170 --> 01:08:34.190 Also, we do require a resume, an updated resume, and then three recommendations. 01:08:34.970 --> 01:08:40.030 Two of these recommendations do need to be from academics, so professor professorial recommendations. 01:08:41.075 --> 01:08:44.455 If you've been out of school for some time, that's that's okay. 01:08:44.915 --> 01:08:53.575 Just make sure that you offer us professional recommendations, say, from, employers, past employers, present employers, perhaps. 01:08:54.890 --> 01:09:05.710 But what we don't want here are personal letters from, say, your family, your friends, your therapist, your your your pastor, unless you work for your pastor. 01:09:06.570 --> 01:09:11.145 We want professional recommendations or academic recommendations. 01:09:11.145 --> 01:09:12.425 So, moreover okay. 01:09:12.425 --> 01:09:16.345 So official transcripts from post secondary institutions will need all those. 01:09:16.345 --> 01:09:19.245 So if you've gone to graduate school, we'll need those as well. 01:09:19.385 --> 01:09:20.505 And then the GRE. 01:09:20.505 --> 01:09:28.730 So we do require the GRE done before, you know, you you get into the interview. 01:09:29.350 --> 01:09:37.610 This is the school code, so you definitely once you get to the test site, you want to send your scores to us at, this is the school code 5639. 01:09:37.875 --> 01:09:43.575 If you've taken the GRE, within the past five years, you won't need to do it again. 01:09:43.795 --> 01:09:47.175 You can just send those to us, and that should be fine. 01:09:47.475 --> 01:09:51.575 But beyond five years, they're they're considered dated, and they do need to be retaken. 01:09:51.715 --> 01:09:52.215 Okay? 01:09:52.340 --> 01:10:00.200 The last thing that I need I should say about the GRE is it's simply not the most important elements of the application. 01:10:00.740 --> 01:10:02.740 So a lot this is a very common question. 01:10:02.740 --> 01:10:12.265 A lot of people are are nervous about the GRE not having had, say, math in long time, fifteen, twenty years in some cases or more. 01:10:13.125 --> 01:10:18.565 And and and just know that while it is required, there are we really consider the entire applicants. 01:10:18.565 --> 01:10:18.885 Okay? 01:10:18.885 --> 01:10:23.560 So everything from your the first of all, I would say the interview itself is extremely important. 01:10:23.560 --> 01:10:36.840 How you conduct yourself, your degree of professionalism, your humility, but also your your your intelligence and your insight and how you well, you respond to questions in the interview is extremely, impactful in admissions decisions. 01:10:36.840 --> 01:10:45.215 But also, of course, where they do look at essays, they look at resume, they look at transcripts and recommendations from professors and others. 01:10:45.215 --> 01:10:46.975 So don't fear not. 01:10:46.975 --> 01:10:51.715 If, you know, if standardized testing is not your can of worms, do not despair. 01:10:52.470 --> 01:10:56.630 It is one thing among many others and by no means is the most important thing. 01:10:56.630 --> 01:10:59.690 So do keep do bear that in mind if that applies to you. 01:11:01.270 --> 01:11:01.670 Okay. 01:11:01.670 --> 01:11:12.405 If you are international, applicants, and you've attained degrees outside The United States, you will need to have your, transcript evaluated by a NASIS approved service. 01:11:12.705 --> 01:11:15.505 And most commonly, this would be awes.org. 01:11:15.505 --> 01:11:19.365 So, have your course by course evaluation completed through that website. 01:11:20.010 --> 01:11:27.710 And then, if you pull degrees outside The United States, they need to be demonstrated to be at least the American baccalaureate degree. 01:11:28.490 --> 01:11:32.110 And if they're not English, they need to be translated into English. 01:11:32.425 --> 01:11:45.085 And then finally, I would say that if you would consider English to not be your primary language, and by that, I mean, English being the language that you use for the most part in your personal and professional lives. 01:11:45.260 --> 01:11:59.360 If that's not you, if it's mostly, say, Spanish or or another language, you will need to take the TOEFL test, which is a test of English, or the IELTS, I e l t s, academic test, and have that sent to us. 01:12:00.645 --> 01:12:01.145 Okay. 01:12:01.605 --> 01:12:03.145 That's all I have. 01:12:03.365 --> 01:12:11.225 So I'm gonna take a look at the questions, see what we have here. 01:12:13.050 --> 01:12:13.290 Okay. 01:12:13.290 --> 01:12:16.090 So James Slaughter asked, what was that book again? 01:12:16.090 --> 01:12:16.330 Okay. 01:12:16.330 --> 01:12:27.945 So that is, a Catholic Christian meta model of the person integration with psychology and mental health practice by Titus Nordling and Bits. 01:12:29.225 --> 01:12:32.365 So a a Catholic Christian meta model person. 01:12:33.785 --> 01:12:40.045 It's sort of like you might say the a foundational text for, it it it comes up in many of our classes here. 01:12:40.410 --> 01:12:42.750 And so it's for that reason, it's extremely important. 01:12:42.890 --> 01:12:48.270 Would you would you have anything else to add to that, doctor Boyer, about the the meta model or the book in general? 01:12:48.970 --> 01:12:49.470 Yes. 01:12:49.850 --> 01:13:01.975 I will say that it's tremendous, and it really is kind of the bedrock upon which the whole approach to psychology and DMU is is built upon. 01:13:02.835 --> 01:13:16.760 So last weekend was the graduation celebration for this year's graduates from Divine Mercy University, And one of the authors of that book, doctor Paul Vitz, was actually the commencement speaker. 01:13:17.060 --> 01:13:21.000 So he's been practicing in the field of psychology for decades. 01:13:21.620 --> 01:13:39.315 And if you had the chance to hear his address, he gave what I thought was one of the most succinct and excellent summaries of psychology, especially in The United States, summarizing what has happened in the last hundred years. 01:13:40.490 --> 01:13:43.050 The graduation ceremony is on YouTube. 01:13:43.050 --> 01:13:54.535 If you type in Divine Mercy University graduation twenty twenty three, if you if you fast forward towards the end, you will be able to hear doctor Vitz's commencement address. 01:13:54.995 --> 01:14:21.930 And in that address, he relates it and ties it into how it is that at our school, Divine Mercy University, we have the the science of psychology has sort of culminated with this, approach, the Catholic Christian metabolic, and how we can use that now as a springboard to advance and continue to move forward with the discipline of psychology. 01:14:22.685 --> 01:14:23.185 Yeah. 01:14:23.485 --> 01:14:25.345 I I I couldn't agree more with that. 01:14:25.645 --> 01:14:35.505 I I think that that speech, is a very distinct summary of of of a lot of the thrust of of doctor Visser's work, life's work. 01:14:36.510 --> 01:14:48.165 You know, for so for those of you who, want to learn more about our school and really its its origin, its founding, I highly encourage you to, investigate the work of doctor Paul Bitz. 01:14:48.885 --> 01:15:03.385 Beginning with, his first sort of most seminal book, Psychology as a Religion, published in 1977, where he provides sort of, like, you might say, an overarching critique of humanistic psychology over the course of the twentieth century. 01:15:04.480 --> 01:15:15.060 And but but also, you know, if you if you follow his later work, you know, an article that he published back in, I think, 2005 in First Things, called Psychology and Recovery. 01:15:15.965 --> 01:15:28.545 And there, he sort of, expands on what he talks about in, this commencement address that doctor Boyer, referenced, namely that psychology as a science, he argues, has gotten a lot healthier. 01:15:29.570 --> 01:15:37.410 So as it's moved into the twenty first century, it's become, you know, a a lot more, a lot more, you might say, realistic and helpful. 01:15:37.410 --> 01:15:39.190 Do you think that's fair, doctor Boyer? 01:15:39.490 --> 01:15:39.650 No. 01:15:39.650 --> 01:15:39.890 No. 01:15:39.890 --> 01:15:40.850 That's right on. 01:15:40.850 --> 01:15:41.090 Yeah. 01:15:41.090 --> 01:15:51.395 And if you if you have the opportunity to listen to his commencement address, it will be time very, very well spent, especially if you're considering applying to DMU. 01:15:52.335 --> 01:16:03.490 That'll provide a very nice snapshot of the kind of environment that you'll be getting into and the kind of work that you'll be, beginning as a clinician. 01:16:04.990 --> 01:16:05.310 Yeah. 01:16:05.310 --> 01:16:05.630 Yeah. 01:16:05.630 --> 01:16:05.950 Good. 01:16:05.950 --> 01:16:06.190 Okay. 01:16:06.190 --> 01:16:08.030 So I want to attend to this question. 01:16:08.030 --> 01:16:12.395 So Jeff asked, what's the difference between a PhD and a PsyD? 01:16:12.695 --> 01:16:14.395 Doctor Borer, do you wanna take that one? 01:16:15.415 --> 01:16:15.915 Yeah. 01:16:15.975 --> 01:16:16.475 Sure. 01:16:16.535 --> 01:16:24.475 So as I mentioned earlier, there are ways that the field of, like, social work, for example, and psychology parallel. 01:16:24.940 --> 01:16:30.080 The same is true with these two kinds of degrees, the PsyD, the PhD. 01:16:31.100 --> 01:16:37.600 In a lot of ways, especially now, 2023, they look very similar. 01:16:37.980 --> 01:16:46.125 I think the what distinguishes the two is, a lot of the research portion. 01:16:46.125 --> 01:16:56.370 So as a PsyD, recipient, I still did a dissertation, and I still did a lot of research at Divine Mercy University, which I love. 01:16:56.370 --> 01:16:57.510 I thought that was great. 01:16:58.050 --> 01:17:07.425 But the the thrust of the program is to train as a clinician, and so we're practitioner scholars. 01:17:08.765 --> 01:17:10.225 Both of those are emphasized. 01:17:10.685 --> 01:17:25.820 If you're getting a PhD in psychology, in all actuality, the training, the process is going to look quite similar, but there'll be perhaps more of an emphasis on the research side. 01:17:26.360 --> 01:17:37.375 Certainly, if you're wanting to do a psychology degree with the idea of getting into academia, specifically, PhD may be a a good way to go. 01:17:37.375 --> 01:17:39.715 And not that you can't get into academia deciding. 01:17:39.775 --> 01:17:40.415 You can. 01:17:40.415 --> 01:17:42.515 Tons of my peers have done it. 01:17:43.295 --> 01:17:45.810 My spouse has done it. 01:17:46.830 --> 01:17:53.490 But that that PhD piece, there's a different way to emphasize the way they go about research. 01:17:54.510 --> 01:17:55.630 I hope that helps, sir. 01:17:55.630 --> 01:17:59.405 Is that kind of your interpretation or your understanding of it as well? 01:17:59.405 --> 01:17:59.725 Yeah. 01:17:59.725 --> 01:17:59.885 Yeah. 01:17:59.885 --> 01:18:02.305 That that that is that is fine as well. 01:18:03.165 --> 01:18:10.045 And I think like you like you like you said, getting the PsyD doesn't preclude you from having an academic career. 01:18:10.045 --> 01:18:16.450 In fact, a number of our own faculty have house IDs, you know, and they they carry out research. 01:18:17.710 --> 01:18:33.725 Though I would say, you know, for example, if you wanted let's say that you're a person that wanted divine mercy for its Catholic character and its the meta model and what have you, but you also were serious about research and you perhaps wanted to be a professor. 01:18:35.225 --> 01:18:40.585 The thing to do after the doctorate is probably do a postdoc, you know, in some area. 01:18:40.585 --> 01:18:47.140 Let's just say that, you know, doctor Boy had referenced, his experience in neuroscience, you know, with his with his externship. 01:18:48.480 --> 01:18:56.475 That might be that's a that's a particularly hot, you know, area of research in psychology that you would probably need to do a postdoc after after the PsyD. 01:18:57.095 --> 01:19:09.915 But that would you know, getting a PsyD certainly opens the door to academia even if it's even if research in the program itself doesn't have as much emphasis as as a PhD program. 01:19:12.020 --> 01:19:13.880 What does that sound fair, doctor Walz? 01:19:14.260 --> 01:19:20.680 And I I would say in the PsyD program at DMU, you are gonna be doing a lot of research. 01:19:20.820 --> 01:19:22.600 You are going to be writing a dissertation. 01:19:23.460 --> 01:19:24.200 It's excellent. 01:19:25.785 --> 01:19:32.765 Just the the way it's distinguished or the way it's approached may look a little bit different from a PhD program. 01:19:32.905 --> 01:19:42.430 But at the end of the day, a lot of professionals view the PhD in the PsyD generally as synonymous. 01:19:42.970 --> 01:19:43.370 Yeah. 01:19:43.370 --> 01:19:43.530 Yeah. 01:19:43.530 --> 01:19:44.010 I'd agree. 01:19:44.010 --> 01:19:45.710 They're they're they're virtually interchangeable. 01:19:46.090 --> 01:19:51.070 I mean, so I would say, you know, it's true that the the PsyD has a more recent vintage. 01:19:51.210 --> 01:19:55.485 It was it was created, you know, after the PhD has been around longer. 01:19:55.785 --> 01:20:01.645 But, you know, in today's day and age, they're they're, just each of them are just as good. 01:20:01.865 --> 01:20:02.365 Okay. 01:20:02.825 --> 01:20:04.585 Somebody has asked okay. 01:20:04.585 --> 01:20:08.720 So you mentioned five for the years for the program, including the masters. 01:20:08.780 --> 01:20:16.460 So if someone already has another degree, for example, as myself, I have a medical degree, how long, for just the study program? 01:20:16.460 --> 01:20:16.780 Okay. 01:20:16.780 --> 01:20:17.280 Good. 01:20:18.620 --> 01:20:19.840 Pretty common question. 01:20:20.380 --> 01:20:21.120 Good question. 01:20:22.735 --> 01:20:24.115 The the thing, though, is this. 01:20:24.735 --> 01:20:31.155 We would be able to transfer up to 18 credits of previous graduate work. 01:20:32.175 --> 01:20:45.500 So let's say if you have a master's in counseling, or even master's in psychology or things like this, or even if you have a a doctoral degree in a related field, we will be able to accept maximally 18 credits. 01:20:45.880 --> 01:20:46.380 Okay? 01:20:46.680 --> 01:20:58.425 So that is tantamount to about a semester and some change, roughly speaking, because, I mean, our semester credits range from 14 to 18 credits, so that's, like, on the on brand. 01:20:59.925 --> 01:21:03.750 So truth be told, that's not that much. 01:21:04.050 --> 01:21:04.550 Right? 01:21:04.610 --> 01:21:13.250 So if, you know, it's like some people will ask, you know, should I get a master's degree before I enter the society? 01:21:13.250 --> 01:21:14.230 It's like, no. 01:21:14.290 --> 01:21:17.055 Likely, you're going to be spending more time and money. 01:21:17.055 --> 01:21:41.370 But if you already have the degree, we would take that much and no more for the for the simple reason that, we do want to maintain sort of, like, the integrity of our own program and our own sort of character such that, you know, once you, leave our school, you will have been truly formed, by our own program and not and not that of another. 01:21:42.470 --> 01:21:44.490 So I hope that that answers your question. 01:21:46.775 --> 01:21:47.175 Okay. 01:21:47.175 --> 01:21:47.675 Good. 01:21:48.935 --> 01:21:51.915 With that, I will conclude. 01:21:52.215 --> 01:21:56.315 I'd like to thank doctor Garrett Boyer for, your time. 01:21:56.935 --> 01:22:05.410 It was I was I really enjoy our conversation, and I think that we, explored a lot of great territory that I think would be very helpful for a lot of our prospective students. 01:22:06.030 --> 01:22:06.270 Yeah. 01:22:06.270 --> 01:22:08.830 Thank you so much for having me today, sir. 01:22:08.830 --> 01:22:16.905 I really appreciate getting the opportunity to visit with you and to, share a little bit of my own story and my own journey in psychology. 01:22:17.445 --> 01:22:21.365 If you're considering applying, I'll just leave you with this. 01:22:21.365 --> 01:22:30.490 There's a widening gap, between the folks who need behavioral health services and those who are able to provide it. 01:22:32.570 --> 01:22:35.390 You are needed in our world today. 01:22:35.690 --> 01:22:53.985 If this is a step that you are considering, Tate, I highly encourage you to go down this road, explore it, be assured of my support, my prayers, and and my appreciation for your willingness to consider this route. 01:22:54.205 --> 01:22:59.800 And so we're gonna say goodbye here, but it's not like a goodbye goodbye. 01:22:59.800 --> 01:23:01.260 It's a we'll talk later. 01:23:01.720 --> 01:23:07.900 By all means, feel free to reach out to me if there's ever anything I can do to support you along your journey. 01:23:08.680 --> 01:23:09.180 Excellent. 01:23:09.240 --> 01:23:12.540 Thank you, doctor Boyer, and goodbye to you all, and God bless.