DMU 2026 Testimonial: Beatrice Barry

0:08Hi. My name is Beatrice Berry. I am graduating in a couple of days in the class of twenty twenty six from Divine Mercy University and receiving a degree in, clinical mental health counseling. This master's program is the second that I've, been in in Divine Mercy University, and the past several years being in this program have been truly transformative for myself and my children. I am a single parent and, being a single parent and a Catholic, can have its, both joys and sorrows, and this program has helped me heal a lot of wounds. Not only mine, but my children's. So I just wanna thank all of the professors for their kindness and generosity, their help, both in the class and outside of class.

1:06And, and I wanna thank my children for being patient and kind and loving, during this process. It's been several years. I was a very strong Catholic prior to this program, and the program has broken open a much deeper faith understanding, because of the personal applications that you have to give of yourself so that you are a better clinician at the end. You can help people in ways that secular programs don't prepare you for. This past year of being an intern has been a beautiful awakening for myself, professionally and personally. I work with low income children, who can only afford state given funds for mental health, and, they've endured a lot of trauma. And so all of the formation that I've received has, prepared me to help them, but also prepared me to, understand boundaries so that I don't carry it home with me, and I give them back to God every day.

2:26I say a rosary before work headed there asking God to give me the the grace and wisdom, understanding, and the words for them, and then I say a rosary on the way home from work to offer them back to him so that I'm not carrying them and and holding an inordinate attachment for them. For prospective students, I have only encountered really wonderful professional, professors here, but there is one professor in particular that has made this journey for me a really wonderful growing experience. I had her both in the masters of psychology as well as the masters of counseling program, and, doctor Emery has been, a wonderful mentor, guide, and now friend. She she has helped me grow in many ways, both in school and personally, and I just wanted to say thank you to her.

3:27As a single parent, I've had to work two jobs to go through school, and so I want to say a special thanks to all the donors for the scholarships that I have, received here. It's helped my family afford me to be able to go to this second career and, and do it without going into, great debt for my family. And I just appreciate that opportunity and want to say thank you and ask you to please continue, your support, because there are a lot of people like me who really need the help. So I'm excited because, the next journey for me after graduation is I'll be leaving for Honduras, for four months for a full Spanish immersion program, that will also allow me to use my counseling skills, in local communities in Honduras, both with hospice children in orphanages and running retreats, for teens and young adults, who are thinking about becoming mental health counselors in Honduras to help them, gain some just basic counseling skills, but also to, to bring the Catholic Christian mental model understanding and, to their to to how they practice their, faith inside of being a mental health counselor in Honduras moving forward.

4:53And then following that, I'll come back here and still work with the population that I'm working with now. So it's underserved children is mostly who I work with.