[Webinar] Serving to Heal the Emotional Wounds of Veterans

0:01Alright. So today, we're here to learn about how you can serve to heal the emotional wounds of veterans. You yourself, you may be a veteran or you may know someone who has served. And, we're excited to have this webinar today as our very first military webinar, which which will try to address the the uncommon, and unfortunate circumstances of having mental illness, whether it be PTSD, facing trauma, or any other mental health condition. So we're excited to have you join us today. My name is Ebony Schamberger, and I'm the marketing and communications manager here at Divine Mercy University. And I'm happy to have Michele Drennen and Steve Showalter here on the line. They are here from our master's degree programs.

0:56And, just to give you a little bit of background about us, Michele Drennen is a product of a father who served proudly in the US Army Air Corp and the United States Air Force for thirty two years. She attended 13 different schools from the first grade to the eighth grade and professes to be a fine military brat. Her career spans many years of being in the world of college admissions for technical and nursing schools and now Divine Mercy University's master's in psychology degree. She has helped to guide many military men and women to new vocations after leaving the military or while still serving our country. Steve Scholes Walter is a part of a family history that has served in the military from the civil war through World War two and up to the present.

1:44After a twenty five year career leading marines during peaceful times and not so peaceful times, Steve joined the Department of Labor where he continued helping veterans and their families as they transition out of the military into the workforce. He has over ten years of experience in helping students determine their career goals and obtain their education. At Divine Mercy University, Steve is applying his knowledge and skills in student assessment and helping them through the admissions process. And my ties to the armed forces include various family members who have served, including my grandpa father's service in the Korean War and my father's service in Turkey for the NATO military command.

2:27As a marketing and communications manager here at DMU, I'm I'm excited to help serve the mental health needs of veterans and help end the stigma surrounding it. Alright. I'm gonna kick it over to Michelle. Well, I saw some names on the bottom on our chat, some folks that I've talked to before, and interestingly enough, another Michelle that I was on the chat line with right before the webinar started. We welcome each of you. My first slide gives you a perspective, about the history of Divine Mercy. It is a Catholic graduate school of psychology and counseling, and we're very unique because we're dedicated to the scientific study of psychology, but it has a Catholic Christian understanding of the person, marriage, and family, treating the whole person, if you will.

3:17We were founded in 1999, and at one time were was called, originally, the Institute for the Psychological Sciences or IPS. In 2014, we launched, our MS in psychology for which I'm the admissions counselor, focusing on educating working professionals. And in 2015, renamed ourselves to Divine Mercy University with the addition of the school of counseling. So that's how we became to be Divine Mercy University. It's very important, those of you who are looking at a master's degree, that you look at an accredited school of learning. We are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award both masters and doctorate degrees. Very much, places like Duke University also have Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

4:12So it's very important to look at a a master's program that would springboard you into a PHD or whatever you wanna do in the future. So that's an important aspect is going to an accredited college. We also, because we are located in the state of Virginia, have various state council of higher educations, and our program is aligned with premier in industry programmatic 2,000 and, 16 standards established by CACREP, and we are very close to that final approval. So as you can see, also the American Psychological Association and the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. The very first degree that I'm just gonna give you some cliff notes about is the master's in psychology for which I'm the admissions representative.

5:04That one is 100% online, internationally recognized, so I do deal with people from Zambia to California. It is composed of thirty six credit hours. It's a minimum 2.5 GPA to enter the program. It does not have a license, but as each of you look at your different pathways, some of you will not need that, and so lots of individuals who are sometimes in the military or in the, health care field or perhaps they are individuals that work in the churches, may not need that. So that just gives you a quick overview, and I'll hand it over to my colleague, Steve, to explain the masters in this ID. Oh, thank you, Michelle. And, you know, I did recognize a lot of names, on the chat session, so, some familiar friends and faces there.

5:55So thanks for joining us. The master's program in counseling is is a hybrid program in addition to our online learning. And the reason it's a hybrid is you will come to the university for three extended weekends during your program for training that can't be conducted over the Internet. And your licensing, which is kind of it prepares you for that. You know, licensing occurs at the state level in the state that you want to practice in. And if you are interested, it would take too much time now to get with those of you that are interested in your particular state, the licensing requirements. But please, at the end of this webinar, please reach out to me, and, I can talk to you about your state licensing requirements.

6:58Our PsyD in clinical psychology does require one to be on campus for five years. It is nationally recognized, APO APA approved, about a 122 credit hours, and just like the, masters in counseling does require, a specific GPA, taking a GRE, and prepares for licensing. Okay. I'm just I'm just gonna give you a minute here to absorb some of these statistics. And as as you read down through them, we have classes that give you the knowledge to help heal those in need, you know, those those people that comprise those statistics. And, you know, a great thing about it, our core faculty are actual working clinicians that bring that current experience into the classroom. And because they bring that experience into the class room, they ensure that what you learn is directly related to what you'll use in the field.

8:09Alright. And just in case some folks are joining us, only via our phone lines, we did wanna just read off some of these statistics, that you may already know and you may not know. Some of those are fourteen percent of suicides, whereby US veterans in 2017, according to a national veteran suicide prevention annual report. There is a high rate of PTSD in active duty service members, and the rate of depression is five times higher in those active duty service members compared to civilians. And we also, brought up this statistic on sexual harassment, which may not be known, that fifty five percent of women and thirty eight percent of men will experience some sort of sexual harassment in the military, and that is according to the US Department of Veteran Affairs.

9:08And so we did wanna just put this up here. We don't want it to be frightening, but we do want to make sure that we are aware so that we can reduce that stigma that exists right now. So I think it's important, to ask yourself some very specific questions and say to yourself, so why do you think veterans don't always feel comfortable about seeking care? We know that sometimes it's personal embarrassment about service related mental disabilities. They went in to serve our country and came out with some of those, really difficult situations. Sometimes it's getting better, but there is a long wait time sometimes to receive mental health treatment in the VA, but I will say it's getting better. A specific, over needing to seek mental health treatment, shame, perhaps, fear of being seen as weak, a stigma that's associated with mental health issues, and perhaps a lack of understanding or a lack of awareness about mental health problems and treatment options because they are far improved and have been doing so for many years as we seek greater understanding of how to treat the whole person.

10:24There are also some demographic barriers and some false perceptions based on these demographics, such as age or gender. So I guess what we're saying is is don't forget to reach out to those that you know and let them know that there are many, many resources that are available. Yes. And, we're kinda curious, if everyone could put in the chat box. Are there other reasons that you've heard of, possibly that veterans aren't seeking care? We'd like to, see those so that we can all share that information and possibly read it off, once it comes through so that we can speak to that. We did get a question earlier, from a listener who was here today. And the question the statement is, the military is a subculture characterized in high expectations of strength and fitness, which can make it difficult for those struggling with mental illness to get the necessary help while serving.

11:24How can we cultivate a climate that removes the stigma of weakness surrounding mental health, especially for military members? Steve, do you I can yeah. I'll I'll go ahead and take that one. And really, if I understand the the question, it really is in two parts. So, really, in the military, we've been doing a much better job of educating our junior leaders and our senior staff and CEOs that, obviously, taking a look at the previous slide, the statistics there are kind of pushing this new education process within the military down to the lowest level. So the leadership needs to be educated on those aspects of, you know, it really isn't a sign of weakness if somebody comes forward for help. So that that's kinda within the military.

12:26And outside the military, it really is part of patience on the caregivers and those people that are around those in need that, you know, it really is an education process of the person themselves. As far as you're not looked down upon anymore if you do seek help out here as a transition service member or a veteran. So it's almost a deprogramming of the veteran them themselves that it it's okay out out here to ask for help, and there are many avenues out here to help you. So I hope that that answers, your questions. If not, just go ahead and and put it back up to clarify your question a little further. Steve, those are great answers, and I'm gonna say just one more addition. This is Michelle.

13:21I think that military recruiters are now doing a better job because one of the things that Steve and I and anybody involved in admissions at Divine Mercy do is to give students realistic expectations about the commitment, about what it's gonna take. And I do believe that there was a time, that that maybe that wasn't happening in the recruitment area in the military, But I think part of it is understanding this is what you're gonna face. This is what it's gonna be. It is not all glory and all beautiful. And I think that, that's an important aspect of giving realistic expectations. And I do believe, again, in the military that people who are in recruitment areas are doing a better job of that.

14:08Alright. And so I did wanna just read off a few of the comments that just came in. I have one comment saying, additional reasons may be that the team might perceive someone as weak and mistrust their ability to provide protection or the other person's back. Another comment that came in is poor health literacy can play a part in health inequalities. And, one other statement, that was just shared that is very unfortunate. It's kinda heartbreaking just to read it. It reads, a friend of mine has sought counseling treatment from the VA in the past and felt much more like a number. The counselor didn't even remember the veteran's name, and that really contributed to this alienation and mistrust of the counselor.

14:58I could certainly see why that would be the case. Sorry to hear that. Alright. And please feel free to continue putting those in the box, and we'll read them as we go along. Alright. So here is, just a moment for us to just, participate in a poll. Sometimes we may think we know the answers to things, but maybe we don't. Maybe you all have the answers. So let's see. The question is, of all of the returning veterans who actually need mental health care, what is the percentage of them that receive the mental health treatment that they need? So I'm gonna go ahead and launch the poll for everyone to participate, and this can serve as a learning moment. So please put in your guess, or if you know the exact answer, put that in there, and we'll let it run just for a few moments, and I'll continue to read a few more of the from the last slide.

16:02Other reasons why veterans may not be seeking the help that they should get is that the fear of losing security clearances. Oh, man. Wow. That's true. And, another comment is, sadly, in my interaction with veterans that have worked with the VA, those that don't feel like a number is the exception and not the rule. Wow. So oh, boy. So we all have come it kinda hits home for everyone. So we'll allow just a few more seconds to allow everyone to vote. Have about 66% of folks who have voted. If you don't want to, that's completely fine. Alright. So if you can't see on your screen right now, here's our results from the poll. And, actually, a majority of you, are almost almost right. So, actually, less than fifty percent of veterans who need mental health care will actually receive the mental health treatment.

17:22So it is a little more than we could have expected, but it's still not adequately 100. So we're working to get to that actual threshold. Before I start the top of this slide, this is Michelle again. I would like to compliment all of you all. It is so wonderful to have a webinar where there's such, a participation. And your insights and some of your questions are just fabulous, so thank you. So the big takeaway if an individual decides to enter a degree program is what is my return on investment? What am I gonna take away from this? What am I gonna be able to learn and share with those I serve? In the master's in psychology, you're going to have the opportunity, and, again, that's the one that's a 100% online, to recognize a mental health challenge in people and communities, learn proper resources to help crisis hotlines, books, government aid, know what questions to ask, and more importantly, what to do with the answers.

18:30I actually had a priest say that to me one time. And how to lead a team with a variety of human behaviors and needs. I think a lot of people don't understand that when you get into a role, whatever role that is, if you're a leader in the military, if you're a priest, if you're a person who's in health care, you need to understand people. And there are so many human behaviors and needs. And I think the way we teach, it becomes less about you and more about them. And even anybody who goes into a leadership degree like the master's in psychology is, you have to learn how to budget, negotiate, evaluate program effectiveness no matter what managerial or mid management level you're in. You know, I often hear from priests and people who are in the military deacon area.

19:19You know, I didn't realize that I was going to have to have the accountability of some business areas that I didn't know about. So that's just a quick overview on the masters in psychology. And as Steve said earlier, as you look through these things, if you wanna talk to either one of us or both of us, we're available, you know, to have either a Zoom interview or a PowerPoint interview to make sure that you can go through these and see, hey. That does fit me, or, no. It really doesn't. And, again, that's what's important to us is finding the right fit for any of our students that we talk to. And Steve will explain the masters in counseling for you. Alright. Kind of the endgame for the master's in counseling is, you know, you'll be able and be trained to help individuals and couples through family therapy.

20:06Much like the master's in psychology, you're gonna get eight week courses focused on particular topics to give you those tools in your toolbox to be able to assist and heal those people that are coming to you. You know, that second bullet point down there, trauma, addictions, crisis, marriage and family, child and adolescent, those are some of the classes that you will get trained in to have that depth and breadth of knowledge to help heal those individuals. And, ultimately, you know, the training in the masters in counseling is focused on becoming a licensed mental health counselor. And are there any, particular, maybe, jobs that would speak to, the post coursework? Or do you Yeah. I'll start that out in psychology.

21:09For instance, people that are in health care. And right now, god bless them, a little prayer for all those nurses and doctors that are on the front line. But with baby boomers coming at the population level that they do, people that are in hospitals often go to the route of saying being a discharge planner. You know, mom falls down. She can't ever go back to where she lives before or a veteran. That happens to them. How are we gonna find an appropriate living environments or helping them to get into a facility? So that one title is actually called a discharge planner. There are nurses and doctors in our program because they're dealing with situations that they haven't dealt with in some of their training.

21:51A lot of people love the cloth, whether they're a Baptist minister or priest, sometimes need more tools in that toolbox. They learned philosophy and theology, but maybe they didn't learn some of the things that they need to really be helpful to that person at the human level. I've got HR professionals, people who are in criminal justice or wanna go into criminal justice to help people that are maybe locked up in, say, families that have you know, their children are no longer around in the foster care program, people who open up nonprofits. It's a very heartfelt type of helper degree where people are are drawn by spiritual directors or not being happy with a current career to find opportunities.

22:34But let's face it. In all career fields, psychology is a very valuable entity. And so when Steve and I talk to you, we talk a little bit to each individual about what your goal and objectives is. What is your dream job? What do you wanna do next? So I don't wanna take up too much time about that, but you're absolutely right. There are many positions in the masters in psychology, and I'll let Steve explain some of the ones in master's in counseling. Sure. Much, thank you, Michelle. Much and much like master's in psychology, I mean, you could find yourself working in a school, working in a clinic, hospice, VA. I mean, there are a lot of I refer to as shingles that you could hang out above your professional door for people to come into.

23:20I mean, just a few. We see a lot of, individuals on the chat that said, you know, the VA is not treating our individuals and our veterans, with any type of speed or accuracy. And, you know, one of the shingles would be a veteran's rehabilitation counselor, trauma counselor, marriage counselor, vocational rehabilitation counselor. There is just a number of focuses that you could have in psychology or counseling that you could just about go anywhere and utilize these tools that we're gonna put in your toolbox. And you brought up an important one, Steve. I have a lot of teachers in the masters in psychology as well, because once again, they're dealing with things that they didn't have to deal with, like school shootings and parents who aren't really equipped to raise children.

24:15And so you bring up a good point about the teaching part. Alright. And as far as our doctor of psychology and clinical psychology, which is our five year on campus program, you would really learn how to treat and diagnose severe mental health challenges. So this could be anything from dealing with the loss of a loved one and maybe a fallen soldier, learning how to live with a physical disability, which I'm sure we're familiar with people undergoing, an, you know, so it's not a great thing to have, but as this soldier, here is pictured, you he may his life may change and have to be a little bit less mobile than before. And then there's a thing of survivor's guilt, wondering why you survived a certain, war mishap and, you know, your comrades did not.

25:22Again, this, you could also gain experience working for a VA medical center or a local hospital. And if you are really passionate about it, you would actually be able to help increase those, you know, the effectiveness of those VA hospitals and also reduce that number, you know, everyone being seen as a number. So, with your genuine compassion, that is something you would be able to do. There is also the aspect of presenting a dissertation and also a poster, which is something that our students do here. And an example of a title that a student just presented not too long ago was combat trauma and complex PTSD, a proposed treatment. So, you know, once you're able to understand the human behaviors and also, you know, as you all mentioned, understanding how to work with the actual veteran and the intricacies of their life, then you could be able to present a proposal that could be implemented at some point.

26:32And as a result, you would be able to, go into various jobs. A few of them, just to name them, is the a military psychologist, a dean or professor for a clinical psychology program, or even a counseling program, and, lastly, a director of an outpatient clinic. So, you'll be able to oversee certain, departments in that aspect. It's a good point, Ebony. And one thing Steve and I forgot to share is that we feel so importantly about the capstones that are written in both the masters in psychology and masters in counseling and PsyD is we actually print the titles of those in our graduation program. And such titles as how can you prevent burnout in a lifetime missionary, to how can I help children who have been raised in a traumatic and drug induced, you know, parental arena to prevent them from going into a life of crime and drugs?

27:31So very interesting that each of the programs, you write either a capstone or a dissertation. Alright. Some of the on on this side, some of the things that Michelle and I are constantly talking with people is, you know, do I have what it takes to taking this graduate level course? It's something we spend time and and just about every person we work with talking to them. And everyone's always concerned, rightfully so. You know? Can I take this graduate level course? You know? A lot of them think, I'm not prepared to take this program. But take a look at some of the present skills and characteristics that you have that have been honed by your previous career. And we've listed just a few of them here.

28:21I'm sure we could start up the chat, once again by what your previous careers bring to the table, but I would be reticent if I didn't talk about the moms and the wives out there. I mean, I put you at the top of the list for having these skills that will make you sing a very successful student. My wife continually tells me that she has had the hardest job in my military career, raising our two our two boys and, well, actually, three boys taking care of me. So I'm I'm I'm sure you could list a a few more in there, but what Michelle and I do is just help you realize that you do have what it takes to make it through this program. It's such an important point because I've had a student say to me, Michelle, he goes, you need to tell your individuals who are coming into the program not to forget the wisdom that they bring.

29:22And we each share our wisdom. And even in a virtual world, since most of it is online, the exciting thing is you're learning from one another because you're digging down into very deep subjects each eight weeks. So not only do you learn from the instructor, but you also learn from the aspect of making sure that you can take the skills you already have and really dig down deep into being a great master's candidate. Alright. So we wanted to share just a few of our students who are actually service members themselves or were previously. Pictured here, we have Garrett, who is an officer candidate with the United States Army National Guard. He is a doctoral student in clinical psychology and interested in working as a military psychologist for the army upon completion of his program.

30:27So that's our five year doctoral program where he's actually gaining the the knowledge that is necessary. Our master's in counseling student, Kyle Wright, service as a naval aviator in air operations aboard the USS Dwight d Eisenhower. So he didn't provide us with his headshot, but you could just imagine seeing him right there, on the USS. Alright. And one other student well, actually, an alumna, that we have, from our master's in psychology program is Noelle, and she serves as the reserve response department head at Sector Hampton Roads in Portsmouth, Virginia. And her husband is an active duty coast guard, which she has a lot of traveling experience with him. And she is, enrolled in the program because she needed a fully online flexible degree that would allow her to move anywhere in The United States, and that is certainly, one bonus of our master's in psychology program.

31:34Ebony, I just saw the pop up that tells us how small the world is that, one of the people on the call actually knew Garrett Boyer. Oh, did you? Yeah. It was one where I believe he said he'd maybe play the piano. It is a small world, and I'm amazed yeah. The organ. Okay. So I'm amazed when I talk to people all over the world internationally how we find some common ground, and it it always amazes me, especially having been a a military brat, how small the world is. Oh, yeah. And then I even see a a comment coming through saying that there is a fear of losing VA benefits, by seeking care. You know, there's the idea that they may they might experience healing, but they're afraid to lose those benefits.

32:24So, that's that's always so very unfortunate. Alright. And we actually have a testimonial from one of our students who was planning on being here. But, you know, due to COVID nineteen, there have been so many different changes that our students are adjusting to, and we're actually helping accommodate their needs at their time at this time, actually. And she gave me a quote that I like to just read off. She's she said that I'm currently an human resources officer for the army reserve. I qualify for the patriot scholarship, which we'll talk about later, and I have also been able to apply for external scholarships through military friendly organizations. Some semesters have certainly been more challenging than others to balance, especially depending on the particular course load in addition to the different roles and responsibilities I've had on the reserve side.

33:26I think the military teaches and requires excellent time management and efficiency, so I've definitely learned to balance and prioritize where to spend my efforts and energy at each moment. The school has also been supportive when I needed to miss classes or other events for military training, so I've never felt like I couldn't manage or ask for help. From professors to department heads and staff members in the different student services, I know that they are willing to work with me if I could benefit from from flexibility to make all the requirements work. I would absolutely encourage prospective students because experiences in the military and school support each other. So I've seen how I'm growing as a student, clinician, soldier, and leader at the same time.

34:15I say not to be afraid to ask for support or help if there's a situation where your different responsibilities are conflicting. Finally, so many of the core values of the military align with the vision and mission of DMU, and I think prospective students coming from the military might find that DMU is easily integrated with their already evident dedication to service. And so I was actually surprised that she was able to take the time to, give such an elaborate testimonial via email given that our students study from actually are in classes from nine to one, and she was still able to give that to me. So I appreciate miss Kirsten Long for submitting that and want to make sure you could hear it yourselves.

35:02Great. Well, the next couple of slides are gonna talk a little bit about affordability. We do have some folks online today that are gonna be eligible for some special scholarships, but if you're not, the joy of Divine Mercy University being a nonprofit entity is to make sure that we can do everything within our power to help it be affordable for people who maybe have wanted to go through a master's program, but just didn't find that it was possible. So we are VA approved. That's the first thing to put at the top of the list. And even though once you finished a bachelor's and you're no longer eligible for grants, there are specific loans and opportunities, through master's loans. Unfortunately, there are not as many employers that have tuition reimbursement, but VA funding does have GI bills, VA loans, yellow ribbon, of which we handle students all the time.

35:58And and just like Chris Kristen said on her testimonial, I'm always reminding women and men that places like the Rotary, individual men's and women's clubs, all the time are looking to support individuals, and those scholarships often go unused. If you're Catholic, sometimes Catholic charities or Knights of Columbus are wanting to award scholarships, and sometimes parishes have specific agreements. So I guess as my old granny used to say, you know, where there is a will, there's a way. But with Divine Mercy University, if you're not even eligible for some of the military opportunities, we have our own two scholarships that we can offer each academic year if an individual is willing to write essays for those scholarships.

36:49We do know that I'll tell you about the next steps on specifics on scholarships as well. So we recently signed an agreement with we I don't like, what I call abbreviations, but it is the archdiocese for the military services. But many times, based on what your role is, deacons, different individuals that are in the military, anywhere from 25 to 50% off the tuition, and that only applies to the master's degrees, not to the PsyD or doctorate awards. We also have for our own scholarships, a Patriot scholarship, which is 10% off tuition on all degrees. And then as I said before, there are other scholarships that you can write, individual, essays for. And I'll give you a for instance. On the Patriot scholarship, you just simply have to be an individual who, are eligible veterans, spouse dependents, active duty military reservists, retired military.

38:00You do have to meet the GPO for the program. And then on the archdiocese, to break that down, if you're a full time employee of the archdiocese for military service and or a member of their immediate family, children or spouse, you can get as much as 30. And we do award our our former chaplains or chaplains or deacons, in the military with the archdiocese with a half off the tuition because they are dealing with some very difficult situations. And then 25% for active duty personnel and their families that are in good standing with the archdiocese for the military services. And I can't help but repeat over and over and over, whether you're part of these organizations or not, we have international scholarships.

38:46I noticed there was a gentleman on here from Zambia, which can give you a very nice monetary. I think Steve counted there's between eleven and thirteen different scholarships that you can choose from to write your essays and determine if you do, in fact, are eligible for those. So that kinda gives you an individual once we talk to people individually, we break down what their, opportunities would be with various kinds of scholarships. So I hope that helps in the understanding a little bit. Alright. And I'm actually really excited to have, someone joining us here from the archdiocese for the military services. Mark, who is on the line now, and he said he is very excited about sharing this collaboration.

39:31We're, we're equally excited. So thank you for joining us today for today's webinar, and we look forward to continuing our work with you, Mark. Thank you. Alright. Just just four simple questions. You know, is this path right for you? And I I feel if you answer yes to just one of these, you know, this career path may be right for you. You know? You owe it to yourself to contact Michelle or myself to learn more about how this master's in psychology or master's in counseling program fits in to answering your yeses to those four things. And I'd I'd just kinda like to leave leave you with a a quote that I have here in my office, and it says, the most human thing a person can do is put their needs, wants, and ego second to the needs of the community they will heal.

40:42And, you know, you now have an opportunity to become that professional to help heal hundreds, if not thousands, of the individuals during your professional career, and that's what really gets Michelle and I energized and goosebumped all over our arms when we know obviously, we both get excited for helping you reach a career goal, but we're constantly thinking about you helping the hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals heal and go to a better place. Great point, Steve. And, you know, again, we're all about fit. We have a standard thing that we say. If it's right for you, we're gonna guide you through the process and have the comfort levels there from admissions to orientation and starting class.

41:38And if it's not right, you know, we shake hands with you and we part as friends, but we encourage all of you, if it's on the tip of your iceberg, to look at an opportunity that we'd love to have a conversation with you. And and Michelle and I will be available immediately afterwards. Ebony is going to put up our contact information. And, please, if we're talking to somebody, just leave us a voice mail or, just contact us via these, our individual email addresses. Alright. So, if you're able to see the screen right now and can jot down the contact information, Michelle with our masters in psychology, for those of you who are listening, her email address is m drennen, mdrennen,@divinemercy.edu.

42:35And you can also, text to call her at (859) 414-5999. And as far as Steve's information for the master's in counseling, you can contact him at sshowalter@divinemercy.edu, and his phone number is (571) 290-7580. And just to, give everyone a special offer for taking time out of your day, you may be quarantined. You may be stuck in the house with your children or your spouse or still trying to multitask and work on your actual work or even, your your other work if you have any projects that are currently going on, you are qualified for an application fee waiver for all three of our programs, which is $55 value value until April 6. So that's, not next Monday, but the Monday following. So, please do submit your application.

43:45If you have questions about how to do that, please reach out to us. Feel free to research our website to learn more about our programs. And, we just wanna give a few moments to allow you to ask any last moment questions. So, we'll stick around just for a few moments now. If you have any comments, questions, concerns, please put those in the chat box, and we'll spend about five minutes answering those. And Steve and I often will reach out because we'd love to have feedback on how you felt about our webinar. We are constantly trying to improve the way that we deliver webinars. We've made them a little shorter, a little more factual, and we always appreciate from our potential students, you know, what worked, what could we have done better.

44:34And by listening, I think we have incredible improvements in a lot of our webinars and such wonderful participation on this one. So thank you. Did we have any questions on the chat, Ebony, that we didn't, answer? Alright. I'm looking through, and, no questions. Thank you. Bye. Thank you for joining us today. I do see, a question that came through about the, trying to decipher between the two master's degree program. So, if we can reach out to you after this call, hopefully, we have your your phone number in the system or your email. So, we will make sure that we reach out to you to give you that answer directly just because it's different for each individual person. And it is not uncommon that Steve and I will both present an, information session to people if they're really on the cusp, and they're not really sure which one is gonna suit their long term, goals, ambitions, needs to help.

45:50We have no problem in doing that. We're very collegiate in our approach to working with students. And, again, we're all about fit. That's very important for people to be happy in their life work. Alrighty. And then I see a question about our PsyD program. If I'm if I live out of state, which would be, outside the state of Virginia, what are suggestions? So the main suggestion for that would be to, plan how you can move to Virginia. It may be a loaded answer, but, you would have to study here on campus. Unfortunately, there's no opportunity to do that online, just because of how, and extensive the the training is. So, we have some students who have moved their whole families here. Some students have moved themselves and learned how to live in community.

46:53So those are ways, we could talk to you about, housing options and also, the financial aid package that could help you do that. So, I'll be sure to have our PsyD counselor follow-up with you about information as far as that goes. It's definitely an important question. And thank you for all the thank yous we're getting. No problem. Thank you, guys. And I see, we'll just answer one more question. Can you talk about DMU's motto, and how it it relates to the university's mission? So as far as fetus faith, ratio reason, and action, acto, so the faith is the integration of our Catholic Christian, understanding of the human person in all of our courses. That's for all of our programs. Our faculty have worked extensively to make sure that, there's a a faith driven understanding, in addition to the reason, which is the scientific approach and understanding of psychology and human behavior.

48:16So that that is those two. And the action is actually, getting on the ground to help people and serve, the world and your local community community. So, that is, that is actually a part of our logo, and that is what it stands for. I'm sure it could get more detailed than that, but that's just an easy way you can actually understand it, and you can feel free to look at our website to learn a little bit more as well. That was a great question. I've never gotten that before. And our educators are very committed to the mission. They are very, very, invested in the individual success of each of our graduates. Having been in the admissions field pretty much all of my life, the one thing that I know is that a well educated student is really our product, and you go out there and you represent yourself and us and the world by being, you know, in a helper type environment.

49:15And, we we just can't go over more and more how many people say, okay. Wow. I started learning something I could use in my personal life, my professional life, and my community each of those eight weeks. Thank you all for your great questions. Yeah. Alright. Well, we won't hold you all too much longer. We thank you for your time. If you do have questions, again, please feel free to email us, call us, and we would be happy to answer it, as soon as possible. Have a blessed day, and try not to, get bogged down by life itself. Remember that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. So you all have a blessed day, and we hope that we can have you all join us later in in helping you transition your career path.

50:06Stay safe, and keep your hands washed. God bless you all. Alright. Bye bye.