Psy.D. Webinar June 10th

0:00Well, welcome everybody to the, SAIDI webinar. I'm Bradley Cypher. I am the admissions advisor for the doctoral program here at DeLand University University. And today, we're going over, the program, its most salient important elements. So the way this will work is I'm just going to talk about the program and its, all of its elements. And then if you have questions, go ahead and put them in the chat box, and I will attend the questions at the end of the session. We can have a little bit of exchange back and forth. Okay. So here it is, the overview of the PsyD program at Divine Mercy. This is an older photo of me. I'm I'm much older and less winsome than I once was. But, anyway, I wrote my, doctoral dissertation on addiction, in 2022 at Abu Maury University.

0:44So I'm very, interested in the interplay between theology and philosophy and, clinical psychology. So, my in my role now, I'm helping people like you getting into the profession of your dreams as a clinical psychologist. That's a little bit about me. I must say that we are also overall, we're one university, which is Divine Mercy. We have two schools within us. The school counseling, which is an online program. And then we have a doctoral program, which is a totally residential kinda thing here in Sterling, Virginia. And then we have another master's program still, which is in psychology, which is nonclinical and totally, sort of online, whereas the doctorate is in person. Now our mission is to heal and honor the totality of the human person, by integrating theological anthropology with modern psychological sciences and instead doing environmental professions professionals of the top caliber through a rigorous process of academic and clinical formation.

1:38So, hopefully, you will be able to join us, in that in that journey and that mission. We are located, outside of the nation's capital in Washington, DC. As you can see from the map, we're just right here. So we're about an hour or so from Downtown Washington. There's a lot to do. It's a wonderful vibrant location. Lots of interesting people, families, lots of young people. So, it's just a good place to be. There's also, the Appalachian Trail. So if you like the city, we have that, on our doorstep. And if you like the country, we have that too to the West. Now we have a whole series of institutional accreditations that speak to our commitment to the highest academic, standards, but preeminent, among them is the APA, the American Psychological Association.

2:29They will ultimately, grant you your license as a psychologist. So it's important to have a school, that has been accredited by the EPA. Otherwise, it's it's a little bit more dicey to get licensed without it. Now, there are so a common question that that people ask is, you know, what is the major difference between, getting a master's say in counseling and getting a doctorate in clinical psychology? Super common, question. While there are a number of of differences in terms of the discipline of psychology, clinical psychology versus counseling, I would like to distill these differences into three main things. The first is that there is a much stronger focus on psychological assessment at the doctoral level than there is at the master's level counseling.

3:17You might say this is the most salient and important, distinction between a psychologist and a counselor. Counselors just don't do that kind of assessment work, as much as psychologists do. The other major difference is that there's, you know, a big sort of shift in a total number of clinical hours you're gonna get the masters versus the doctor. And and then I'm drawing these numbers from our own program. In fact, thirty five hundred clinical hours to the doctorate and seven hundred to the masters. Right? So what does this mean for you? Well, it means that you're going to be a whole very, very well trained. You know? The the the doctoral level, I mean, that's five times the the amount of, preparation that you're going to get.

3:56And so, that that makes a difference because, I mean, the biggest, you might say difference in outcomes and healing has to do with the relationship that's forced between the client and the clinician. And so the better you are at forming that relationship, it stands to reason that the more it's more likely that your, your people are gonna heal. So that's that is not an, negligible thing. The final difference as maybe somewhat unsurprising is that that there's a doctoral dissertation required for a doctorate. Right? So, this these are full length dissertations, and they're really the the purpose, you might say, is to advance the scope of knowledge in the field. Right? So in the master's level, you're sort of getting the lay of the lands, but in the doctoral level, you're advancing the knowledge, right, in in your field.

4:45And that's exactly what you're going to be doing. You're going to be the expert. You're gonna be on the vanguard really of the research in your field as a doctor of psychology. Now, it is a five year program kind of taken together. You get a master's in passing, you know, on a route to the the terminal doctorate. And so, that's granted at the end of the second year and then the the side d at the end of the fifth. This is a nice kind of overview of the, you might say, that the curriculum here. So the first couple of years, the first two years are much more heavy on the coursework side of things. And then as you move through it, becomes more clinically focused. Right? So in years three, four, and five, your sort of your time is much more divided, especially in years, three and four.

5:34Your time is spent kind of between clients and courses. So it's it you know, by the time you get to the fifth year, it's an entirely act excuse me. It's entirely clinical affair. It's sort of like going through a medical school residency where you are, you know, seeing patients, seeing clients, and there's there's really no time spent in a in a classroom. And that's intentional. Right? Because in the fifth year, it's it's the idea is that you're, you know, after all this wonderful learning, you are finally seeing people, and you're healing. You know, you're using the knowledge that you've learned, and you're applauding it, to your patients, which is exciting. A couple of, you know, sort of overall broad discernment questions that may be on your mind.

6:17You know, do you wanna help people flourish? Are you interested in the science behind human behavior? Do you want the instrument of healing with the psychological sciences? Are you interested in performing psychological test assessments to diagnose and create a treatment plan? And are you looking to start a career as a licensed clinical health professional, but specifically as a clinical psychologist? And do you have the ability and desire to work with all types of clients for more acute care to more sort of challenging and long term diagnosis? Excuse me, clinical cases. So if you're hearing these questions, if they're resonating with you, this very well may be your calling. You know? It's it's not for everyone.

6:52I mean, it's it's it's not yeah. But if if it is your calling, it's a it's a marvelous and wonderful thing to be able to heal the souls of the people that are wounded. Okay. So another common question is, you know, well, you know, you guys say you're APA accredited. That's fantastic. But, you know, how do you compare to, you know, other APA schools? Right? There's lots of them. Of course. And I would start by saying that, you know, we are indeed similar to a lot of the APA, doctoral programs and that we abide by the major, sort of stipulations that the the APA, has, foundations in science and psychology, of course, the integrity of practice assessment. You know, we talked about the importance of assessment, anxiety, therapeutic intervention, and professional roles.

7:43We are distinct though, in one particular way, namely, we are Catholic. You know, we believe very much in what the church has taught about the human person, the nature of the human person, that we are a, a unity of body and soul, and that we we really sort of stand before any attempt to reduce the human person to less than that grander, right, that that are being made in in the divine image. And so we we bring these these wisdom traditions together, the wisdom of theology with the new insights of modern psychology. And so we have a maximum amount of insight into what people are and how, how to heal the human person. Now, there are a number of different places. I know she might find herself subsequent to graduation, and I've listed a few of them here.

8:35So being in a psychiatric hospital, military establishment, private practice, outpatient clinics, and so on. And where you end up very much depends on, you know, your interests, you know, what type of population you wanna serve. Excuse me. And just also your personality. I mean, some people love, you know, going to private practice, you know, being an entrepreneur, having their own business and so on. Other people would rather not. Right? They wanna be kind of in an institutional setting. They just wanted the clinical piece. And if that's you, it's totally fine. But I think that's part of the advantage of a a program like our end where you are not sort of prematurely hemmed in into one thing.

9:18I think the DMU is a wonderful kind of place for people that, may not be totally sure of, you know, where they wanna where they wanna go after, graduation, because the the latitude of the program is is is so broad that you have a lot of time to kind of figure out where you wanna go and where God is calling you to serve. So it's, for those reasons, this is, for for the certain for a certain type of students, I mean, very good. For others, I don't want to to to convey the the sense that, you know, we're sort of the perfect program, which we're not. Right? There's no there's no such thing. For for those that that I want to be much more specialized in, say, for, you know, like like neuropsych. Like, you just want you just want to do neuropsychology.

10:06There are probably better programs out there for you than than than than DMU because, you know, that's just not kind of, like, a super strong, focus. So, yeah, the for it's it's sort of you wanna think about the type of student that you are and what your goals are. But if you have this interest in in sort of a broad formation, and you're interested in a Catholic take in one person, right, let's say a sort of unique perspective that's, somewhat uncommon in the in modern academy amongst APA, accredited schools, then this could be, a a good fit for you. Okay. Now these are a few of our doctoral alumni that they're speaking to their experience. Yeah. James Volovich says in our clinical psych program, the training is focused on healing the whole person.

10:53Again, that's a big, you know, TME thing. We're very much a defender of the totality of the band. Kirsten Law Kirsten Law, I was drawn to the PsyD program as our to serve others in a more profound way than my previous positions offered. Timothy White, the school is not afraid to teach, but it means to be human at every level psychologically, philosophically, and ideologically. That's why I like it. Here's some Curtis. I'm so thankful for DMU. The faculty members are very supportive and receive lots of hands on and clinical experience. Okay. This is the story of William Johnson who is a, actually a recent graduate now. He just graduated just a couple weeks ago, and that was doctor William Johnson.

11:30Congrats to doctor Johnson. He actually has a lot of background doing military, sort of assessments. He he came from a military background, and so let's hear a bit about his story. Hi. 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. Military service runs in my family, and, and so both my grandparents served. My parents both served. This door, the PsyD program at Divine Mercy University opened the opportunity for me to continue to get back, to conduct research, and hopefully implement a more robust program to treat PTSD as it relates to combat veterans. DMU has certainly provided the integration that I saw in terms of my formation.

12:30Both 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. 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. Okay. This is a story of a recently graduated society alumni. I would say that being a student at DY University or TMU is one of the best things that happens to me. I really appreciate a great support from faculty members and also classmates. I have gained a great deal of knowledge in all aspects of clinical practice, research, and also professional development.

13:36DMU not only provides students with strong academic skills, but also prepares them for a career in psychology. I personally benefit from mentorship with academic advisor and clinical supervisors. 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. Catholic principle, especially in hope, love, and faith, are very valuable and certainly helped me become a better clinician. Okay. I have one more of these here. This is, now doctor Isaiah Lamb. He, like, William just graduated a few weeks ago. And this is his story. You know, he was a Catholic seminarian for a while, and then he'd turned out of that.

14:30And now he's a psychologist. Doctor Isaiah Lamb. I'm originally from the the state of South Dakota, and so I grew up there most of my life, went to school at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, was I studied psychology there, but I kind of intended to go into the the medical field. And then after kind of in the midst of my undergraduate, I, discerned that I wanted to go to the seminary, the Catholic seminary, to study to be a priest. And so I had this love for psychology that was kind of there, I think, from an early age, just wanting to know how people function, why they do the things that they do. And then I found myself in seminary learning all these philosophical truths about humans.

15:24One of the first courses I took was, philosophy of the human person, learning person's body and soul, and that there's this profound dignity attached to to being human. Later discerned out of the seminary, returned to Nebraska to finish up my degree and, deciding at this point, well, I don't really want to go into, medicine, but I do, like, have this desire to care for people. And I also have learned, again, like this philosophy about humans and and their goodness. So I took a year off. I built pipe organs for a year. I always love telling people that. It's pretty unique job. It was fun. But ultimately, that led me, I decided to then do a year of service with the homeless in Denver with an organization called Christ in the City.

16:13And there, I like to say that all the things I had been learning about and dreaming about psychology, philosophy, it was this incarnational experience of encountering people on the street in this profound suffering, mental anguish, I mean, substance abuse, what have you, and just actually experiencing that firsthand made everything kind of click for me, like, okay, I have the ability to, affect change and bring hope to people in the worst moments of their life. And so for me at that point it was just very clear everything was starting to converge and I, felt more so that I wanted to pursue psychology and so DMU was kind of my first choice because everything that I had been learning about kind of just again converged here, right?

16:59The the psychology, the philosophy, the theology, and it just seemed like the perfect fit. So I applied and long story short I got in and in my second year now and it's been absolutely more than I could have hoped for. I've had so much knowledge shoved in my brain in the last year. I, like, don't even know how it's possible, but it's just been a beautiful and awesome journey. Okay. So I'm gonna say a quick word about our faculty. To the left here is doctor Pulicki. She's our dean, broadly specialist in assessment and therapy. In the middle is doctor Graves. I'm more of a specialist in child psychology. To the right, doctor Orianna, director of the clinic. These guys here at the bottom were among the founding faculty members dating back to the late nineties, early two thousands there.

17:53Scruffani in CBT and group therapy, Nordling in child. Actually, Duff Nordling is still with us. He's going strong. He's an expert in, child and play therapy and also in marriage and family therapy. Doctor Biss, my personal hero, is a expert in the integration between the theological anthropology on one hand and, clinical psychology on the other. So, I wanna say a quick word about the funding requisite for the program. So it's 1,070 per credit for a 150 credits. It's a $142.07 40 over five years. That does not include the indirect expenses regulated to housing, things like that. You may, of course, apply for a federal loan to the FAFSA form, and we also offer a number of work study, opportunities on campus.

18:40So, you know, do we have jobs in the admissions office and the business office? So that's certainly on offer for doctoral students. We also, have a whole host of scholarships, that you could apply for. The most prominent is the merit one, which is anywhere from 25 to to half off tuition, which is, you know, so that's that. Requirements for admission. Alright. So, the the major sort of prerequisites are a baccalaureate degree of any kind. I mean, it's helpful if you've studied psychology, but not absolutely required. I mean, we've had people come to us all over the academic spectrum from hard sciences and engineering and so on to the arts and humanities. So it's really, more important that, you know, you've you've done well in your studies, you know, at least a three o GPA.

19:33If you have something somewhat less than a three o, let me know. I mean, if it was something like a two seven eight nine in that area, ask you know, send me an email, text me, call me. We can talk about it. It may it might not be a deal deal breaker just in because, I mean, sometimes people have crazy things happen when they're, you know, when they're they're young, they're undergraduate. So if that's you, just let me know, and and and we might be able to work something out. Now the next step, if this is making sense, is the application, this online thing. So the way this works, this is often misunderstood, so I wanna be clear. There's a number of components to the application. Right? So there's the online application, the the GRE, the recommendations, the essays, and so on.

20:24There's, like, there's, like, six different pieces. Before anything else can happen, before you sub before you start worrying about the essays and and and the GRE and all these kinds of things, the first thing you wanna do is submit the online application, and that can be found on our website if you go to divinemercy.edu. Now there's a big sort of button on the far right hand upper right hand side of the screen. It says apply, smash that, and it will unveil the different program applications. And you wanna find society and click that, and then the the application will unveil itself. Okay? So, in that online application, there's no essay requirement. It's it's just data entry, you know, where you live and where you went to school and all that good stuff.

21:09Now at the end of that application, it will ask you about about who might possibly recommend you to the signing program. And there you want to list three names of professors you've had or work supervisors that you've had that might possibly recommend you. Okay. Now when you submit this form with, you know, with these people's names in it, it does not contact them. Okay. So another common, question is, you know, these people do not get contacted. It's a completely preliminary, tentative, process at this point. So don't feel like you've committed them or yourself to anything at this at this time. It's just the first baby step. Right? Because it's it this is the first thing that before anything else happens, the online application has to come first.

21:58Okay? So if you have any questions, if that's unclear, again, let me know. Get in touch with me, and I will be happy to, explain it. Okay. Now, let's actually let's talk about the other components. Right? So I just mentioned the online form. Right? That's, like, part one. After that's in, then you can send in everything else. Okay? Essays, you know, there's a couple essays we ask you to do about why you wanna be a psychologist. Right? Your resume, send that in. The recommendations, you so after you've, you know, put in these people's information and be on the online form, you will then subsequently reach out to them and tell them what's going on and say, hey. I'm I'm applying for this doctoral program and so on.

22:47Okay? So that's how they know that. Otherwise, they'll have no idea. Transcripts. So get in touch with your undergraduate alma mater, graduate alma mater if you have a graduate degree, and have them send us those transcripts. Okay? Finally, the GRE is required. Okay? Now I do wanna say a quick word about this, because this is often a a cause of of misunderstanding. So the GRE is required, and it it ought to be taken seriously. The the admissions committee does look at these scores. Right? And, you know, they're they're looking for for some kind of, you know, academic abilities, and they and now at the same time, it's not the case. Like, this is, like, the most important thing. You know? And and, you know, if you don't have a certain score like, we don't have a a cutoff score.

23:39That's another common misunderstanding. There's no cutoff score. So we're not gonna throw out your application immediately if there's not a certain score. Okay? Now the caveat, though, is that if if, you know, if you're going for a merit scholarship, right, then that you already tends to matter more for that. K? So, you know, that's that's more considered if you're going for a merit scholarship. Right? The other the other case which can be very, consequential is that instance that I mentioned earlier where your GPA is kind of low. So if you have a GPA that's less than three o, if you have a strong GRE, what that signals to the admissions committee is that you have academic promise. It's just that, you know, you maybe things didn't go so well when you're an undergraduate.

24:27Right? And that happens. Right? So in that case, the GRE can be very helpful for you. Okay? So, like, again, if you have questions about the GRE, just let me know, and I'd be happy to chat with you about it. Okay. The last thing to say is the the interview. Okay. It it it once we have everything collected, like, once I've received all this stuff, then you can, come to campus to interview. They are on campus interviews, and the first one is November 7. Excuse me. We do have to have everything in before October 24. And, frankly, you know, given that this is a very popular interview, it's helpful to get it in well before that. I would suggest maybe late August, early September time frame would be more ideal.

25:17Anyway, making this deadline, you would get $3,000 off of your first year's tuition, which is kind of nice. Right? And and also getting into this interview, you'll be considered for a merit scholarship. Okay. So, I think that's it. I I it looks like we have one question. Sonya, do you accept transfer credits for applicants for PhD? The answer is yes, but this depends on the review of the d. So the way this will work is once you're admitted, you will submit your transcripts for review for the dean, and she'll kind of go through your, your, record and and see which of the courses would transfer and which would not. Right? And so that's dependent on the dean's review. Alright. Do we have any other questions?

26:07I I don't see any. Alright. Well, with that then, I I I'm gonna I'm going to conclude. I I appreciate everyone's time and attention, and thank you for joining me. If you do have any questions, get get in touch with me. You know, my my my email address or my phone is available on the website. So I look forward to hearing from all of you. Take care, and god bless.