Features

12/06/2018

DMU Ranked as Top Online Master’s in Psychology

Best College Reviews has named Divine Mercy University as a top 25 online master's in general psychology program for 2018. The master's in general psychology offers students advanced training in the core areas of psychology and the opportunity to develop and explore specialized areas of interest. These online programs provide students with a convenient way to earn the credentials they need while still holding down a full-time job or fulfilling other obligations. Many careers in psychology require a minimum of a master's degree, and online master's psychology programs are increasing in popularity as a way to meet this requirement. The programs featured in this ranking typically offer students ways to customize their education in terms of both content and course completion. This ranking was created using the National Center for Education Statistics' College Navigator database. The top 25 online master's in general psychology programs were ranked based on the following criteria: - Tuition - Customization Options - "Wow" Factor Best College Reviews is an authoritative, objective, and editorially independent online college review journal. The site is committed to providing students with the best, most trustworthy guidance for making what may be the biggest decision of their lives. Comprehensive resources include college rankings, information about online colleges, features, and a blog. Read the full article. Learn more about Divine Mercy University's Online Master's in Psychology degree.

12/06/2018

DMU Honored for Faith-Based Counseling

OnlineMasters.com has selected Divine Mercy University (DMU) as one of the Best Master's in Counseling Programs for 2019. On top of being ranked 13 out of 26 top-ranked programs in the United States, DMU earned the added distinction of Best For Faith-Based Counseling. This speaks to the amazing work that the program is doing and the quality education that it can help students with their career aspirations. OnlineMasters.com identified the top programs in the nation that are the best in the areas of curriculum quality, program flexibility, affordability, and graduate outcomes. Leveraging an exclusive data set comprised of interviews and surveys from current students and alumni in addition to insights gained from human resource professionals; every online degree program was analyzed with only the top 26 making it to the final 2019 list. The methodology incorporates the most recent data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and statistical data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Most importantly, only programs from accredited nonprofit institutions were eligible. “U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the career opportunities for education counselors will continue to grow at a rate of 13%, which is faster than average.” stated Barbara Montgomery, Program Recognition Manager. This is just one of the many reasons OnlineMasters.com researched, analyzed, and ranked the top Master's In Counseling Programs. View the complete list of rankings to see all universities.  Learn more about the Online Master's in Counseling program at Divine Mercy University.

11/27/2018

DMU Residency Converges on Sterling Campus

Although it won’t officially open until next fall, Divine Mercy University’s new campus-in-progress in Sterling, Virginia, served as the host facility for this fall’s residency for the Master’s in Counseling program. This was the first residency hosted at DMU’s future home just off of Old Ox Road. It was also the largest cohort that DMU has ever hosted, with 38 students from all over the United States converging on Northern Virginia. The residency went from October 10th-14th and, for many of the students, this was the first opportunity to meet their DMU instructors and each other in person. “I met my professors online before I met them in person,” said Dawn Costanzo, a counseling student from Front Royal, VA. “We had already established a relationship by interacting through Zoom sessions, emails, and assignment feedback. When I did meet them in person, I felt that I already knew them.” “It was reassuring to see peers classmates, cohorts there,” said Travis Speier of Nashville, TN.  “It was a pretty unique way to get to know everyone. I felt like I was on retreat with the atmosphere endowed, anointed, and in a sacred space.” For Anthony Coppage of Dothan, Alabama, meeting his classmates and professors in person was a refreshing and defining moment in his online education journey. "Flying out to D.C.," he said, "waking up each morning in a dorm setting, and riding on a bus with classmates to participate in the application of my online education in a very hands-on way was extremely welcomed. The physical presence of both my cohorts and professors cannot be understated.  We were able to share experiences and connections that would not have been possible through modern technology. I believe many life-long connections were forged during those wonderful four days." The residency component of selected courses is required of students in the Master’s of Counseling program, and takes place on three extended weekends (Wednesday-Sunday) within the duration of the program. While at the new campus, the students, faculty and attending support staff engaged in a number of group discussions presentations, including a panel discussion made up of faculty members discussing professional ethics and hot topics in the world of Catholic counseling, allowing the students to learn how to navigate between the roles of faith and counseling. "I think the best part of the residency was meeting the faculty," said Edith Ray of Louisiana. "I was encouraged by their example of love for us as students and I felt like they truly are committed to supporting me in my future graduate studies. In addition, I was inspired by their obvious love for their vocations to counseling and teaching as well as to their clients." [caption id="attachment_520" align="aligncenter" width="633"] In October, 38 students in DMU's Master's in Counseling program met in person for the first time. It was also the first time the residency was hosted at the university's new campus.[/caption]   On Friday and Saturday, the students divided into groups of three and jumped right into skills development workgroups. “I was shocked that we would actually be practicing clinical techniques so soon in program,” said Speier. “We were given scenarios to act out and basic techniques to practice on one another. I was shocked considering how soon we were, but it really was a good experience. During the workshops, each group was visited by faculty, who would sit in and observe as the students played out their scenes and offer feedback, pointers and identifying weak spots for improvement as the sessions progressed. “For me,” said Speier, “it was an experience that was not easy: the idea of being a counselor and wanting to talk to people, hear their story, what they are dealing with. The experience of being the one counseling--asking open ended questions, keep the client discussing, summarizing what was said, demonstrating cohesion--was personally the hardest role to play.” Despite the challenges, each student was able to take the skills and techniques they were learning in class and actually apply them in a counseling session setting, receiving positive feedback and critiques from the other students. “I found it difficult to think about open ended questions,” Speier said, “finding myself thinking about what my next question would be while the person was talking, struggle to stay present. That was tough. The role of the supervisor was about trying to hone in on objective manifestations seen, where bodily, emotional, verbally or even spiritual signs were noticed while other two are counseling each other. It was very interesting to see body language from that perspective.” "The workshops and especially the roleplay were my favorite aspects," said Coppage. "I was able to absorb a lot more in person from interactive discussions. Roleplaying was a personal and profound experience where I acquired a real taste of things to come. I could really sit down and understand my strengths and weaknesses as a future counselor." On Sunday, the final day of the residency, each student received a one-on-one evaluation from one of the many faculty members on site--highlighting strengths to continue developing and weaknesses to address--leaving the students with the confidence of knowing where they stand and what they need to improve on as they continue their journey.   “The residency provided an opportunity for us to practice these skills in-person, to receive feedback from our peer clients and from the professors,” said Costanzo. “I left the residency more comfortable in my role as a future counselor and more confident in my abilities to help others. I'm grateful that this opportunity to practice helping skills comes early in our sequence of classes; it was an opportunity to confirm my commitment to becoming a counselor.” "There is nothing like the personal and physical application of intellectual knowledge," said Coppage, "and my first residency experience is one that I will always truly cherish and remember throughout my career." For Speier, even with the packed schedule throughout the extended weekend, the information and pointers discussed during the residency’s workshops--honed in on by the faculty addressing the global need for good, well formed clinicians--left him with a stronger understanding of the gravity of the counseling profession. “With Dr. Keyes’ trauma program,” he said, “the stories and experiences they shared over the years, I became more and more aware how much of a vocation this is. It's not just about my desire; there is a good possibility that God has something to do with this. These are lives-- people's lives--we have a chance to engage in a very unique way and enter into a sacred space. That relationship is profound, with a feeling of awe and being in presence of something awesome. That feeling was nurtured throughout residency and grew.” Learn more about our M.S. in Counseling by visiting  https://divinemercy.edu/.

11/12/2018

Only Half of Veterans with PTSD Are Treated

Some football programs at both collegiate and high school levels have a tradition: at the end of the national anthem, when the home team scores or wins the game, a small cannon is fired at a safe distance behind one of the end zones in celebration. One evening, a young man was catching up with old colleagues and mentors during a match between his alma mater and a local rival. This young veteran had just returned from a tour in Iraq. He stood at attention and saluted the flag as the national anthem played over the speakers. The anthem ended, the cannon was fired, the players took their positions on the field and the crowd took their seats on the bleachers. But the young man remained standing, hands at his sides, frozen still, his skin pale as the echo of the cannon reverberated throughout his body, causing him to relive memories and moments from which he just returned. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop after experiencing shocking, scary, or dangerous events. U.S. veterans and active duty service members make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the nation, with absolutely no guarantee that they’ll return alive or unscathed. They leave their families and friends, miss the weddings of their siblings or the births of their own children in order to step up and stand against the forces that wish to do them and our way of life harm. But, in doing so, they put themselves at risk of developing this disorder. As we honor our veterans for their sacrifice and bravery, we may forget that -- even though they survived the trenches, jungles or deserts -- not everyone returns home whole. The reality is that, despite returning to civilian life, the trauma they witnessed is never far from their minds, making their transition a greater challenge and even putting their physical and mental health in greater jeopardy.   According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, up to 20 percent of veterans who saw combat in Iraq and Afghanistan develop PTSD or major depression in a given year, as well as experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Additionally, 12 percent of men and women who fought in the Gulf War have developed PTSD, and an estimated 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime. Among the number of veterans who return from war with mental health issues and PTSD, only about 50 percent will actually receive the mental health treatment they need. Both active duty service members and veterans face great barriers to mental health treatment issues that make them hesitant to pursue treatment, including wait times, demographics and logistics regarding traveling distances, age and gender. “[My therapist] kinda encouraged me to get enrolled in the VA, which I had not done for five years after retiring from the military,” said Christopher Provost of Colorado while speaking with StoryCorps. “I didn’t realize how angry I was when I got out of the military. That was a big thing... in dealing with the post-traumatic stress." Provost joined the National Guard to ski and compete in biathlons -- a sport that combines cross-country skiing and target shooting. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, but he didn’t consider enrolling for VA benefits until about five years after retiring from the military. “I was hearing about the shortage and the backlog,” he said, “and, you know, all the amputees that weren’t getting their appointments, and, you know, people killing themselves in VA parking lots because they couldn’t get their therapy appointments. And I’m like, I’m fine. I’ve got a job, I’ve got a house over my head, I’ve got a car. I’m doing fine. They need help before me. And so I was kinda putting...I guess it was a displacement.”   According to Benjamin Keyes, Ph.D., Ed.D., Director for Center for Trauma and Resiliency Studies at Divine Mercy University, there are five symptoms of PTSD. Unstable moods and reacting to certain triggers are the most easily recognizable. “I had a friend in college,” he said, “who had just gotten back from Vietnam. Whenever we heard a helicopter approach or fly over, he would hide under a desk or do whatever he could to take cover." Other symptoms include self-isolation, hyper arousal and intrusion of consciousness, in which they are stuck on a thought or memory from the battlefields that they can’t shake or push from their minds.   “Though some cases are similar in symptom and description, all cases are different for each individual,” Devon Alonge, a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts student at George Mason University. Devon served as an armourer specialist for the U.S. Army, and deployed to Iraq in 2011. “For myself,” Alonge continued, “having been in a combat zone for six months, I deal with some issues regarding anxiety and, in some cases, claustrophobia.”   Shame is an incredibly critical factor in treating veteran PTSD. Some may feel embarrassed over their service-related mental disabilities, whereas others experience shame over needing to seek mental health treatment and are afraid of being seen as weak, or that they should still be fighting with their comrades-in-arms, but have gone home instead. When the shame is not addressed, it leaves our veterans in danger of falling into alcoholism and substance abuse, and even lead them to commit suicide. According to a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, veterans with PTSD have higher rates in suicide and suicidal behavior. Approximately 20 veterans commit suicide every day. “When soldiers return home from war, there is a sense of relief,” said Dr. Keyes, “But then they feel a sense of guilt about being home while others are still in the fields fighting. As they adjust to civilian life, they’ll feel that they should still be fighting in the war with the people they left behind.”   Dr. Norman Hooten has experienced this first hand. A full-time health care provider who helps veterans fight substance addiction, non-cancer related chronic pain and PTSD, Hooten served for over 20 years in the U.S. Army and special forces before retiring as Master Sgt. Norman “Hoot” Hooten, and fought in the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, which was later chronicled in the book and film, Black Hawk Down (Sgt. Hooten was played by actor Eric Bana in the film).   He experienced losing someone struggling with a mental health disorder when a platoon sergeant he knew early in his career committed suicide after struggling with PTSD and substance abuse. “In the military, we never want to lose people, but it becomes understandable when we lose people on the battlefield," Hooten said to the Military Times. "A generation of veterans have survived the horrors of war to come home and commit suicide. I do not want to accept this. I want to do everything I can to make a dent in this problem. Even if this is about saving one person.” It’s highly important -- and the very least we can do -- for us to ensure that necessary mental health treatments, both clinical and spiritual, are available to our vets and service members when they return home, and that starts with the relationships they build both in service and in life. Research has shown that kindling and rekindling relationships are critical to promoting change in those who are suffering and need help. These are the first stepping stones toward building hope -- especially amongst veterans who served together -- and are the first line of defense in identifying the signs of mental illness or PTSD. “Sometimes we get too comfortable not communicating with one another for a year or more because we tend to always think we are all close and fine," said Dr./Sgt. Hooten. "But that one phone call every now and then, or that meet-up for a fishing trip might make the difference in saving a life.” Divine Mercy University’s co-director for the Online Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Dr. John West, has had the privilege of working with many veterans and soldiers returning from war who had survived traumatic events in battle, including one man whose vehicle was blown up during a firefight, breaking his back. “When I first started seeing him,” he explained, “he was completely hunched over, walking with a cane. His back was broken. His life was broken. He was just filled with despair and hopelessness.” At one of their sessions, the man brought a baseball because he loved baseball so much, and asked Dr. West to hold onto it for him. From then on, during each session of working through the trauma and adjustments, Dr. West handed him that baseball as a source of comfort while they spoke. After a few months, he began to heal, both physically and emotionally. “His whole life started to be reconstructed,” Dr. West said. “By the time we were finished -- when he had been able to move past the trauma, adjust to this new phase of his life and regain his dignity -- he was ready to move on. As he was walking out the door after our last session, he had that baseball in his hand. But he stopped at the door, looked back and tossed it to me saying ‘someone else needs this more than I do now.’”   Divine Mercy University is one of the nation’s leading graduate institutes that trains students in addressing and treating PTSD and other trauma-related disorders, with the specific mission to help patients flourish. “You can recover,” said Dr. Keyes. “Our students are trained to think about how people can flourish in their lives, and how they can help our veterans deal with emotions they suppressed while in combat zones. Having that as an overlay is a quality difference in treating PTSD.” Learn more about what you can do to help those around you suffering from PTSD or other trauma. (The Effects of Trauma)

11/05/2018

Healing Sexual Trauma is Possible

The difficult reality of sexual abuse and its traumatic consequences recently returned to the front of public awareness. It’s at times like these that education regarding the impact of sexual abuse can be the difference in the beginning of the path toward healing. It's important to remember that talking about sexual abuse is difficult. Human sexuality is a great gift, giving us the capacity -- because we have bodies -- to experience the world, express ourselves and eventually, our love, through which we become a gift to others. A violation of human sexuality can have a huge impact on the psyche and relationships to others, the world and most importantly one’s sense of self. When something so innate, existential and sacred to the person has been violated, confusion, self-blame and withdrawal are often the result. It can be daunting enough to share with someone about private matters and much more so when it comes to sexuality. When asked which age group suffers most from sexual abuse, Benjamin Keyes, Ph.D., Ed.D., the Director of the Center for Trauma and Resiliency Studies at Divine Mercy University (DMU), said “the highest percentage of sexual abuse happens in early childhood and is most often perpetrated by someone that the child knows, such as a parent, step-parent, relative or neighbor.” This is common knowledge among mental health professionals, who understand that abuse in the early years can result in serious psychological disruptions, including personality changes, behavioral problems and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. Such betrayal by a trusted adult can also, in some cases, manifest as dissociation -- a sort of “trip wire” in the human brain -- where one's sense of connection with the event or self becomes separated from reality. Consequences for adult victims can be just as strong. Hypervigilance, a continual and sometimes subconscious monitoring of one's surroundings to try and ensure personal safety, is very common, as are symptoms of anxiety, depression, relational difficulties and PTSD. While people of more vulnerable demographics are at a higher risk of suffering such an assault, sexual abuse has shown that it doesn't discriminate, being seen in all demographics. “It's smattering across all ages and all socioeconomic groups, all situations, professionals, non-professionals, but it’s unfortunately an epidemic all over the world,” said Dr. Keyes. Faced with facts like these, it may seem that something as pervasive and delicate as sexual abuse is impossible to counteract. Thankfully, that isn't the reality. Since the late 1980’s, the field of psychology has made incredible advances in understanding trauma, PTSD and the phenomenon of dissociation. Various therapeutic interventions exist to help restore the sense of integrity and safety that is damaged by sexual abuse. Greater skill and understanding have helped talk therapy guide someone through the healing process. Interventions such as Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), biofeedback and emotion regulation skills have developed to assist one to heal the traumatic memories and learn coping skills to navigate daily functioning. There is hope. There is a way to heal and restore dignity and peace after the experience of sexual abuse. The recovery process often requires significant work and time.    “It usually takes a fairly long time, unless we get them as children,” said Dr. Keyes. “If we get them as children actually, the healing process usually takes on average 9 months to a year and half ... if they are adults, it ranges anywhere from 2-10 years, on average.” The other important factor to keep in mind is that, while healing needs to happen primarily through therapy with a qualified professional, those who love and support victims of abuse are not helpless in the process. There are steps you can take to help, to prevent and even intervene when necessary. One easy action is to know who in your area is qualified to help those have suffered sexual abuse or know where to find them. The American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association have referral links on their websites to find a professional in your area, and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation has a very good search tool listing counselors that are members of their society worldwide. Informing yourself of the local resources available can be a good way to connect to local organizations, such as Catholic Charities, who can assist with referrals and recommendations. It is very important to know when and to whom to refer someone so those that are suffering can receive the help needed as soon as possible. You can also request that a professional come and educate your local community, whether that be your church, school or organization, about how to identify potential problems and what to do with them. Divine Mercy University hosts training and educational workshops offered by the Center for Trauma and Resiliency Studies (CTRS). These workshops are open to the public either onsite at DMU’s campus or online via video conferencing. The next workshop offered by the CTRS is a two-day training applying the HEART Model to sexual trauma and human trafficking. (The HEART Model is Healing Emotional/Affective Responses to Trauma.) While this workshop alone does not qualify anyone to directly treat those suffering sexual trauma, it can be a beneficial training for teachers, police officers, firefighters, nurses, laity, child workers, youth workers.  But with all these different ways of how we look at, understand, address and treat sexual trauma, there is one main thing that Dr. Keyes wished all people could understand. “Regardless of the level of hurt and the level of dysfunction, the level of trauma,” he said, “ you can get well and you can heal. That's true for people that are fragmented in their psyche such as Dissociative Identity Disorder clients. It’s true for PTSD clients, true for all of us, that healing is possible; healing is possible. And if you are a clinician or minister or whatever, remember that one person can make a huge difference. It may be in your town or in your practice, but, the ripple effect of one person getting well is huge. It goes out to children and family members and friends and other situations. We all have a huge responsibility to be effective with those that we work with.” As a university committed to the study of psychology and the whole understanding  of the person, all degree programs at Divine Mercy University are imbued with the idea that humans are a gift, designed not only to live well, but to flourish. DMU seeks to educate  its students to see the human person in all dimensions of life  - the spiritual, psychological, emotional and biological -- in order to treat people on all levels and guide them to personal flourishing and fulfillment. If you would like to take the steps to guide others in their healing process, please go to our website and look into our M.S. in Counseling and Psychology programs.
About DMU
Divine Mercy University (DMU) is a Catholic graduate university of psychology and counseling programs. It was founded in 1999 as the Institute for the Psychological Sciences. The university offers a Master of Science (M.S.) in Psychology, Master of Science (M.S.) in Counseling, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology, and Certificate Programs.