Archives: Graduate School

Following my freshman year on a Division I collegiate swim team, I decided to transfer to another institution. I transferred, not because I wasn’t swimming well, or because my degree program wasn’t offered, or because I wanted to be closer to home (I was already a short 2-hour drive away); but because, to my detriment, I did not feel like I fit in on the team I was competing for. More than that, I felt like my own personal vision and values didn’t align with the organization’s. In the words of an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist (IOP), how I experienced person-organization fit within the organization culture did not align with what I needed as an individual. In the field of IOP, the term person-organization fit is used to demonstrate a relationship or match between the employee (athlete) and an organization (collegiate athletics team). Specifically, research on person organization fit reveals that when there is a successful match or relationship, the employee is more likely to not only succeed at their job, but to also be retained by the organization (Schmitt et al., 2012). In my own experience, I was able to identify how a lack of alignment with the athletics team I was competing for led to an organization loss: the organization was unable to retain me as a Division I All-American Athlete (Rousseau, 1998).  

During my high school swimming career, I had emerged as the 4th highest ranked athlete in the country and was recruited by top Division I (DI) universities. However, what I discovered is, as a junior in high school, it is very difficult to make a decision that will impact the course of your entire life (shocking, I know, right?). Sometimes the most exciting school, as seen through the eyes of someone in high school, isn’t the best “fit” long-term. To give some perspective on the number of student-athletes struggling to find an organization where they “fit,” in 2020-2021, some 14,766 student-athletes at NCAA DI institutions decided to transfer. In other words, they were not retained and decided to leave their current athletic program. Out of those 14,766 only 1,303 (8%) matriculated (enrolled full-time) at another institution. Another 662 (5%) withdrew completely, and the remaining 12,801 (87%) are still looking for another institution to call home (NCAA, 2021). These 12,801 student-athletes resulted in an approximate $343,322,820 loss in tuition, total, because they couldn’t or didn’t find another institution at which to continue their athletic career. In other words, these student-athlete’s initial decision to transfer because of a mismatch with their organization has significant costs for the institution. While COVID-19 played a tremendous role in the number of student-athlete transfers during the 2021-2022 academic year, the percentage of student-athletes who are deciding to transfer continues to increase. Therefore, it is in the interest of the school to maximize their retention strategies to assist their student-athletes in finding person-organization fit. That is where the science of people at work has meaningful, evidence-based solutions to provide.  

From the perspective of an IO Practitioner, three specific strategies can be drawn from to increase person-organization fit and generate a higher level of retention for athletic organizations. These are: 

1. Employee (Athlete) Engagement. Employee Engagement is known to be increased by employees (athletes) having a positive outlook on the vision of the organization, feeling like they are learning on the job, and feeling like they are involved and belong at the organization (Desai, 2021). However, employee engagement tactics alone do not maintain retention; it must also be facilitated by effortful communication between the athletes and the leader (Ng. et al., 2006). This effort may take the form of conversations around effective communication with teammates or increased transparency during the recruitment/selection process. Success in this area is identified by individual or group flow for student-athletes, which is often indicative of engagement (Turaga, 2018). Flow state is defined as a mental state in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in what they are doing while experiencing intense feelings of involvement and enjoyment. Flow-state can be understood and measured through the student-athletes perception of time passed while performing a challenging task (Im & Varma, 2018). 

2. Mentorship. From a research standpoint, the value of mentorship, as seen by organizations, is undeniable. The presence or lack of mentorship predicts salary, job satisfaction, organization socialization, and retention (Alper, 2017). Not only that, but mentorship indicates a relationship with elite-level success for athletes of all sports (Hoffman et al., 2019). Mentorship not only predicts retention and success for athlete mentees, but it also demonstrates similar relationships for the mentors themselves (Hoffman, 2019). Some going even so far as to say that the mentor/mentee relationships helped them take their athletic careers to the next level (Hoffman et al., 2019). 

3. Gratitude. College students who make an effort to express gratitude throughout their academic careers demonstrate correlations with psychological well-being, decreased burnout, higher organization commitment, retention, and a more profound feeling of personal accomplishment (Mofidi et al., 2014). For athletes specifically, an increase in gratitude is correlated with higher sport satisfaction, lower burnout, and lower psychological stress. Further, gratitude is associated with a higher level of perceived social support as athletes became more receptive to resources offered to them (Gabana et al., 2019). This research implies resources increases organization commitment via athlete buy-in, increasing the number of student-athletes that the organization retains. 

With retention in mind, it is essential to discuss action steps to implement these three strategies in collegiate athletics environments within the United States. First, increasing employee (athlete) engagement can be as simplistic as providing specific, relevant, learning opportunities whether technical or psychologically related (Desai, 2021). Alternatively, collegiate athletics organizations can find employee (athlete) engagement in building necessary connections. Findings from the research predict that opportunities for athletes to connect outside of their sport is not only wanted but increasingly essential to facilitate belonging (Ng. et al., 2006). Second, collegiate athletics organizations can implement mentorship through the creation of a peer mentorship program. Specifically, mentees shouldn’t be partnered with mentors on their sports teams but instead connect with partners on another team. Boundaries like the above increase the amount of psychological safety the athlete can experience should they seek advice on a situation or conflict within their team (Hoffman, 2019). Finally, gratitude training and workshops are excellent ways to help the athlete see value in the organization and increase social connectedness. The provision of materials regarding support services and resources following the gratitude training/workshop increases the athlete’s chance to utilize them. In turn, this increases retention through organization buy-in (Gabana et al., 2019).  

By implementing these three strategies and subsequent action steps, athlete retention and perceived organization fit have the potential to experience a significant increase in collegiate athletics organizations. Utilizing these strategies, collegiate athletics organizations will have influence in lessening the inevitable impact of student-athlete turnover and the retention of elite athletes in all sports. The staggering number of transfers in 2020-2021 are representative of the lack of emphasis on person-organization fit in athletics organizations at a Division I level. Retention strategies discussed within this post are beneficial not only because they assist in the promotion of athlete success and well-being, but also because they also benefit the organization itself. Through the implementation of retention strategies, organizations can retain those student-athletes that otherwise might have transferred while reducing the number of tuition dollars lost every year. While this research has demonstrated potential to make an impact in athletics organizations, it also has potential to make an impact for organizations in a general sense. In other words, because retention of the individual is a valued part of a healthy organization culture, how will you encourage your organization to utilize these retention strategies to increase person-organization fit for their employees? 

References 

Alper, P. (2017). Corporate Mentorship Program. Leadership Excellence, 34(8), 52–54. 

Desai, J. (2021). A study on learning organization with reference to employee engagement, retention and job satisfaction in industries [ProQuest Information & Learning]. In Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering (Vol. 82, Issue 5–B). 

Gabana, N. T., Steinfeldt, J., Wong, Y. J., Svetina, D., & Chung, Y. B. (2019). Attitude of Gratitude: Exploring the Implementation of a Gratitude Intervention with College Athletes. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 31(3), 273–284. 

Hoffmann, M. D. (2019). Considerations for facilitating the development of peer mentoring relationships between athletes. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 10(1), 59–72. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.1080/21520704.2018.1509164 

Hoffmann, M., Loughead, T., & Caron, J. (2019). Mentoring identity and the motivation to mentor: A case study of an exemplary peer athlete mentor. The Sport Psychologist, 33(1), 52–63. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.1123/tsp.2018-0020 

Im, S., & Varma, S. (2018). Distorted Time Perception during Flow as Revealed by an Attention-Demanding Cognitive Task. Creativity Research Journal, 30(3), 295–304. 

Mofidi, T., El-Alayli, A., & Brown, A. A. (2014). Trait Gratitude and Grateful Coping as They Relate to College Student Persistence, Success, and Integration in School. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 16(3), 325–349. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.2190/CS.16.3.b 

Ng, T. W., Butts, M. M., Vandenberg, R. J., Dejoy, D. M., & Wilson, M. G. (2006). Effects of management communication, opportunity for learning, and work schedule flexibility on organizational commitment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68(3), 474-489. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2005.10.004 

Rousseau, D. M. (1998). Why workers still identify with organizations. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 19(3), 217-233. 

Schmitt, N. W., Highhouse, S., Weiner, I. B., Klimoski, R. J., Weiner, I., Schmitt, N. W., & Highhouse, S. (2012). Handbook of psychology, industrial and organizational psychology: Industrial and organizational psychology. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com 

Turaga, R. (2018). Creating Optimal Experiences with “Flow.” IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 12(1), 38–45. 

Dr. Raquel Ellis

I have had some amazing mentors in my life. However, there are two that stand out as leaving an impressionable mark on my development as a researcher. The first was one of my MSW program instructors, Dr. Jean Granger. She was also the associate director of the MSW program at the time. I developed a good student-faculty relationship with her during my practice class, and she subsequently invited me to serve as her graduate assistant. I was hesitant to accept the offer because I was very intimidated by her. She held high expectations of her students and was a tough grader of assignments. Her story was also intimidating. She completed high school early and enrolled at Fisk University, a historically Black university, at the young age of 15. By the age of 19, she had completed her MSW degree. In hindsight, I am glad I accepted the position as I was able to learn so much from her while supporting administrative and research projects that she led.

Once I started to identify faculty members to serve on my MSW thesis committee, it was a natural fit for me to select Dr. Granger as my committee chair. I conducted an exploratory study on the help-seeking behaviors of African Americans who lost a parent during adolescence. Using a snowball sampling approach, I surveyed individuals who met my sampling criteria. Upon completion of my thesis, Dr. Granger encouraged me to write a journal article based on my study findings. I never imagined that I could publish in an academic journal. I did not think this was attainable as a graduate student and I was quite intimidated by the idea. However, my mentor assured me that it was and that she would guide me through the process. We worked in collaboration and co-authored an article that was ultimately published in the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. This published article, along with a strong letter of recommendation from Dr. Granger, facilitated my acceptance to several PhD programs.

The program that I ultimately decided to enroll in was the PhD in Social Work program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was here that I met another research mentor who made a big impression on me. He was a social work professor in my doctoral program, Dr. Jim Gleeson. I interviewed for a research assistant position with him just before starting my doctoral studies. He had a handful of research assistants supporting a large federal research grant that examined individual and social protective factors for children in informal kinship care. Nearly all of them were students of color, which made me feel at home and gave me a sense of belonging. Dr. Gleeson created a warm, family-oriented environment. I gain ample research training and experience under Dr. Gleeson’s supervision, which continued as he served as my dissertation committee chair. Dr. Gleeson encouraged me to publish my dissertation findings in a journal article and thanks to Dr. Granger, I felt much more equipped to independently draft a journal article. My efforts were successful as the article was ultimately published in the Journal on Public Child Welfare. These experiences prepared me well for securing employment at a research firm post-graduation.

When I think about the traits of both mentors, a few commonalities come to mind. They both took time to learn about me as a person, were very giving of their time to invest in my learning and professional development, and were always very encouraging in their interactions with me and other students they mentored. They were also passionate about using research to gain a greater understanding about issues that face vulnerable populations and using this information to improve lives.

Over the course of my career, I have striven to be like those who have mentored me. It is my hope that I can help all my students see the value of social science research and nurture those who desire to make research a part of their future careers.

By Dr. Raquel Ellis, MSW, PhD

I’ve always had a passion for helping those in need and as an MSW student, I enjoyed learning about the many career opportunities available for me to live out my passion. As I started to focus my area of interest to child welfare, I settled on a career as a social worker for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services(DCFS). I was blessed to be selected to participate in the California Social Work Education Center (CALSWEC) Title IV-Eprogram, which afforded me the opportunity to receive specialized training, complete an internship with DCFS, and receive a stipend to fund my education in exchange for a one-year commitment of employment at DCFS post-graduation. Since I planned to work for this organization anyways, I found this program to be a win-win.

In addition to my interest in child welfare, I gained a strong interest in research during my MSW program. This interest became stronger after engaging in a thesis project. I enjoyed the process of identifying a research topic and specific questions, developing a research plan to answer those questions, analyzing and summarizing the data collected, and reflecting on practice and policy implications of my research project.

Upon graduationin 2001, I followed my initial career plans by working for DCFS as a children’s social worker. It was definitely emotionally taxing work at times but also very rewarding. I cherished the experiences of walking alongside parents as they completed their case plan goals, being able to reunify children with their families, and engaging in permanency planning for children who were unable to return to their family of origin. However, in the midst of these experiences, I often reflected on the systemic challenges that made it more difficult for me to be effective and made it more difficult for families to achieve their case plan goals. Common questions that came to my mind were: Is there more that we could do to decrease the number of children who “age out”of the system without finding their forever home? How can we decrease the length of time that children spendin foster care? How can social workers be most effective in doing our job when our caseloads are excessive?

Eventually, I started to think back at my interest in research and it became clearer how I could merge my two interests to engage in work that sought to improve the system. So, after working for multiple years at DCFS, I eagerly applied to several PhD programs and ultimately decided to accept an offer to enroll in the PhD in Social Work program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Given that UIC was classified as an R1 university(meaning they are considered to have the “highest research activity”), I knew that it would be the best place for me to learn and gain substantive experience engaging in basic and applied research.

The next few years as a doctoral student were super exciting for me as I completed coursework, and engaged in research as a graduate assistant and through the completion of a nearly 300-page dissertation. Yes, I actually enjoyed pulling this long document together. After graduation, I moved to the East Coast and I continued merging my interests by directing large applied research projects during my tenure at Child Trends and Westat. Each project focused on testing new and innovative interventions that sought to improve outcomes for children and families that come to the attention of the child welfare system. I was honored to contribute to the evidence-base about what works to achieve positive outcomes for this population.

In closing, I achieved what I sought out to do and to this day, I have been blessed to have the opportunity to continue to merge these two interests through various graduate and undergraduate courses that I teach and scholarly activities.

By Krystal Hays, PhD, MSW, LCSW

This is the second part of a Blog series on Dr. Hays’ journey into social work. Check out part one here: https://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/10/17/finding-my-way-home-a-journey-through-social-work-part-1/

“Can I really do this? Am I smart enough? Do I have what it takes? What if I fail?” These were all questions I asked myself as I started my first day as a PhD student in social work. I had dreamt of this day and made it through a difficult and competitive application process. However, now that the reality of becoming Dr. Hays began to settle in, so did the doubts. I was experiencing a fairly common phenomenon called imposter syndrome which is defined as feelings of inadequacy despite evidence of success (Clance & Imes, 1978). Research suggests that women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups often experience self-doubt and insecurity in the face of success and this was certainly the case for me (Joshi & Mangette, 2018). Although I do not believe I met the criteria for any clinical diagnosis, my feelings of insecurity certainly contributed to my trepidation about doctoral studies.

Nevertheless, I had to believe that God opened the door to doctoral studies for a reason. I needed to trust that I had the capacity to learn new skills, complete my classes, and write a dissertation. Philippians 4: 6-7 would become my guiding scripture which reads, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (NKJV). After all, doctoral studies was ultimately a means to an end. The end goal was to develop knowledge and interventions to address the excessive burden of mental illness experienced by African Americans. Also, I needed to find ways to bridge the gap between mental health professionals and the church. I had to keep clients like Ruth in mind; my 50-something year old female client with Major Depression who struggled to recover and reconcile her faith with her emotional turmoil. I was privileged to champion the cause for health for Ruth, and so many like her.

My PhD program was definitely challenging in more ways than one. However, I made valuable relationships with fellow students and faculty advisors who supported me. I had the opportunity to travel around the country sharing about my research and passion for advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Also, I was beginning to develop a love for teaching. Although the imposter syndrome crept in from time to time I was certainly more confident about ability to do the work God called me to do.

After five long years, lots of classes, more papers than I can count, and one new baby boy added to the family, I was finally set to defend my dissertation and graduate. Commencement was held on a pleasant and sunny Southern California day. My closest family members and friends were there to cheer me on as I was “hooded” on stage in front of thousands of onlookers. As my name was called and the tile of my dissertation was read something interesting happened. Several students graduating with their master’s degrees who were sitting in the crowd stood and cheered. It was as if somehow my receipt of a PhD was an inspiration for them and cause for celebration. This brief moment would stick with me as a reminder that every success I experience is a shared success and that I should always be mindful of my ability to influence and inspire those who come behind me.

Now, my journey through social work has led me to a career in higher education. As an Assistant Professor of Social Work I enjoy walking alongside the next generation of clinicians and community change agents as they begin their own journey through social work. Moreover, I am privileged to have the opportunity to serve as the Director of the Doctor of Social Work program that will receive its inaugural cohort of students in the fall. This is more than a dream come true for our University, our College, and myself. I am overjoyed thinking about the many students who will be able to access doctoral level education to take their careers to the next level. This is especially significant when you consider that only 4.5% of the total United States population has completed doctoral level education (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). Knowing firsthand the tremendous impact my doctoral program had on my career trajectory I look forward to helping others fulfill their dreams and lead change efforts in communities around the globe. My journey through social work is far from over, in fact, a new chapter may have just begun.

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What are your thoughts? Share below; we would love to hear from you!

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To learn more about the Doctor of Social Work program at CBU please visit www.calbaptist.edu/DSW

Clance, P. R. and Imes, S. A. (1978). ‘The impostor phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention’. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 15, 241–47.

Joshi, Aishwarya and Mangette, Haley (2018) “Unmasking of Impostor Syndrome,” Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education: Vol. 3 : Iss. 1 , Article 3.

U.S. Census Bureau (2018) Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey, 2000 and 2018

By Julie Goodman-Bowling, Ph.D

My Story:

Many years ago, when I was an undergraduate student at Biola University, my hallmates got together for an event. Little did I know that in that one evening, the trajectory of my life would be so dramatically determined. A group of about 20 college students, we sat around a table while drinking coffee and talked about disadvantaged, mistreated factory workers for a major apparel corporation. I was stunned by how much I did know about something so benign, so seemingly mundane as my daily wardrobe. Like many college students, for us, the call to “social justice” meant doing something significant for the good of the world, however small. Our contribution was writing letters to congressmen, letting them know that we were concerned about the conditions of garment factory workers both locally and overseas and urging them to enforce penalties and fines for a major corporation whose unlawful practices broke many labor codes and violated human rights. I suddenly cared about where my clothes, and many other of my things were mined, assembled, and imported from along with the people involved in every step of the process. Schooled in the ways of “culture” and various practices throughout the world, my perspective of global capitalism and its plethora of effects on the every-day lives of people around the world was dim; that night was when my interest in globalization, culture, capitalism and labor began. Anthropology is the study of humanity across time and culture and touches every part of the human experience – including how we get the stuff we need (and want) to how a broad global system of exchange has so drastically affected the everyday lives of real people “on the ground.”

Why Migration and Labor?

A lot has happened since then – personally, professionally, and globally. I went on to study factory workers in the Los Angeles Garment District as part of my master’s thesis at Cal State Fullerton. I interviewed several workers, primarily from Latin America who shared their stories with me. One woman’s plight remains embedded in my memory. Lourdes* fled from poverty in Honduras in hopes of earning money at a garment factory in Los Angeles at a place that she had learned would hire undocumented workers. She described how she left her husband and children, crossed into the United States, came to Los Angeles, and how quickly her life had changed since her journey began. Growing up in a traditional, Catholic, Honduran home, she valued chastity, family, and faith. Like many well-intentioned mothers** this woman sacrificed so much of her life in order to try to provide for her family. Along the way, she faced many challenges, and at one point, found herself cohabitating with a man for the sake of protection and to share the expenses of living in L.A. The relationship turned physical; she became pregnant. Now, she explained, she felt the many strains of being a cross-cultural, undocumented migrant worker without a lot of support in the United States. Her husband was devastated, and her children were afraid that their mother would forget about them and start a new life in America. Feeling stretched financially already, Lourdes now felt the pressures of providing her family at home and a new, emerging family on the way. She was overworked and aching from performing many repetitious movements as she assembled t-shirts day in and day out, making less than minimum wage (when she was forced to clock in for 8 hours but expected to work 10 to 12 hours each day), and faced difficult working conditions in the factory. For Lourdes, the hope of a better life at the pull of available wage labor, offered opportunity in some ways, but was not at all what she expected. Throughout my years of research, I learned that Lourdes’ story was all too common for many migrant workers, not only in the United States, but around the world.

Since completing my fieldwork in Los Angeles, I continued to study labor migration for my doctoral thesis, spending two years with migrant day laborers in Southern California at a local home improvement store. Through observation, participation, offering English lessons, and conducting interviews, I learned that the processes of migration, labor, culture, and capitalism are all interconnected through a vast web that we call “globalization” – that ever-nebulous interconnectedness that we see evidenced in the movement of labor, finance, disease, resources… among so many other moving parts! I have striven to centralize something that many often miss – the people who are most affected by these broad processes–the migrant workers, the transnational families, the underpaid mothers, fathers, and emerging adults–who are trying to eke out a living and are most affected by globalization, political policies in place to try to regulate global capitalism, and by the many cultural shifts they are challenged to navigate.

Why it Matters

Maybe you have never considered that the cost of producing a denim garment in Bangladesh costs about four times less than in the United States1 or that no more than $6 U.S. usually goes to the labor for a typical garment2. I usually tell my students to take a trip around the globe by opening their closets and investigating all of the tags. Chances are you will find underwear made in the Philippines or Israel, simple t-shirts made in Mexico and blouses from India, pants and socks from Bangladesh, Honduras, or Guatemala. Look a little further and you may be somewhat surprised to find much of your technology–like your cell phone–has taken a trip around the world! It may have gone from the Democratic Republic of Congo where the raw materials were initially mined, to Singapore where many component parts (such as memory chips) were manufactured, to Brazil, where it was assembled, boxed, and shipped eventually to the United States and finally, to your local retail outlet. At the end of the day, the core is cost-effectiveness and in a global capitalist economy, profit prevails over people.

And that is where I come in…or rather, my research interests. Lest I think you have perused this blog to learn more about globalization (a fascinating and important topic of inquiry to be sure!), perhaps you are more interested in applying what we are trained to do in the Behavioral Sciences–to address and find solutions to real social problems in the world. See, I understand we all need “stuff.” I’m not sure I need so much of it, but I am sure we all need, to some degree, “stuff” to survive and “stuff” that we like – which is often culturally determined. Be it clothing, furniture, décor, food, or technology–like our cell phones, computers, and televisions, our “stuff” comes from all over the world, usually because its costs much less to mine, manufacture, assemble, and ship from all over the globe. And, as I have learned from my own research and that of many seasoned scholars, the most effective cost reduction is the human resource – you got it – the worker. Labor is the best place for any company to cut costs which is why, in the grand supply chain of our “stuff,” it is usually the workers who suffer the most. But, this may be beginning to change…

Every year that I teach about this – and oh, there is much more as I’m sure you’ve realized already – my students inevitably ask, “But, Prof. G, how can it be any different? Is there a way to buy “stuff” without contributing to the ever-increasing, profit-driven, global capitalist system to which manufacturing, corporations and even public policies and laws are so deeply embedded? How can I buy anything that won’t hurt someone!?” In other words, where can you shop? If you don’t want to contribute to the bottom line being the bottom line…let me offer you a few suggestions.

The good news is that you are not alone! In fact, there is an emerging movement toward social equality to help ameliorate the many deleterious effects of the current market system. Consumers seem to desire better labor practices, fair wages, and fair-trade products. Local communities are getting involved by creating stronger relationships between producers and consumers of goods, increasing trade and exchange using social media, and requesting greater transparency from corporations about their economic practices. Though not everything you purchase is (currently) available through such conscientious consumption, I suggest that if you are convicted about where and how you choose to buy your products and the type of businesses you want to support, that you simply peruse these ideas–and then, send us some of your own! These are just a few my thoughts as a humble anthropology professor, student of migrant labor, and an increasingly conscientious consumer^[3]:

The artisan movement is quickly becoming a go-to for local consumers for goods such as clothing, accessories, and artwork. The value of local, indigenous representations of culture is priceless! One company, Noonday, is a recent find for me and offers artisan goods from around the globe! Their mission is to be a “socially responsible business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities for people across the globe,” through a network of nearly 4,500 artisans in fourteen counties! From necklaces to bracelets, earrings, and scarves, Noonday strives to support job opportunities, the empowerment of women, the livelihood of children, and values connections between producers and consumers. You can find them here: Noonday Collection.

Another great local outfit I recently discovered is a little shop off of Main Street in Seal Beach, California called Jennings and Allen. When I first walked in the shop I was amazed! I felt like I had walked into a museum with all of the material goods they had displayed – and every object had a story! The owners have traveled in search of goods, made by local community artisans and that support many important causes including women empowerment and rebuilding

communities that have fallen victim to famine, war, and many injustices. From Ugandan baskets, Haitian soapstone carvings, Ethiopian bracelets fashioned from refurbished PVC, Guatemalan hand-sewn purses to double-sided, hand-stitched saris-turned-scarves from India, each product tells a story. One of my favorites was the necklace made from repurposed bullet-shells from Ethiopia – a sign of hope and a future. The owners of this establishment know each of their producers and attest to having been to almost all of the places where their goods are made; they either know the artists themselves or have a solid relationship with established community organizations work with local artisans and resource the goods. Here is their website: Jennings and Allen.

Some companies with whom you are already familiar have a “fair trade line” which means you can still get the styles you like while remaining ethically sound! Now, this does not mean that the company is a fair trade company – so don’t be fooled! But it does mean that a company may be taking steps to move in that direction. And because so many companies have joined efforts, one brand may also be a branch of another – for example, J. Crew, Gap, and Old Navy are all connected “brands” so be sure to do some research to make sure the purchase you are making is supports ethical consumerism. This website Fair Trade Styles from Mainstream Companies offers information on many companies like this – but dig deep to get trustworthy facts!

Similarly, Redemption Market, a mobile outfit based in Phoenix, Arizona, travels to local merchants and makeshift markets. They offer goods at their mobile “brick-and-mortar” but they also offer online purchasing and provide a list of fair-trade business at this website: Redemption Market https://redemptionmarket.com.

Finally, if you didn’t think that there were any faith-based organizations in on the fair-trade, ethical shopping action – think again! Jesus’ Economy is an organization whose goal is to offer fair trade goods in order to reduce poverty around the world by offering microbusiness opportunities but also, to fund church planting in poor communities. Their board members are from a variety of denominations and together have a vision to help reduce poverty by helping the poor to build business. You can peruse goods on their website and learn about how you can pray for the needs of the people with whom they minister around the world. Here is their website: Jesus’ Economy.

Okay – so there it is! This is not a comprehensive list – you can find more goods at local markets, including farmer’s markets, craft fairs, or a local bizarre. Even stores like Whole Foods offer aisle displays of a few fair trade goods and unique offerings from around the globe. In Southern California, these goods are getting easier to find – you just have to look in some unexpected places! As you prepare for the holidays hoping to find something special and unique, I hope you have a great time doing some conscientious shopping and making some discoveries of your own!

*Name changed for security purposes

**See the work of sociologist Rachel Parrenas (2005, 2014) and anthropologists Barbra Ehrenriech and Ernie Hoschild (2002)

^[1] N.d. CNN 2013 http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/02/world/asia/bangladesh-us-tshirt/index.html

^[2] Boncich and Appelbaum 2002 

^[3] Disclaimer: My discussion of globalization here is very brief; please realize that there are many reasons for the global economy being what it is today – this is by no means a comprehensive study on globalization, the global economy, or labor migration. There are many layers to these broader systems – all of which we address in anthropology! (Check out the CBU Course Catalogue – ANT 360 and ANT 410 specifically address these issues). The goal of this brief discussion is to introduce unfamiliar readers to my own journey, a background of how global production is embedded in a broader system of global economics, and to really drive home that what we buy can (and does) matter.

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A note from the CSHB: Here in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, we believe that we can be the difference one person at a time. As we enter a season full of holiday gift-giving, we would encourage you to think about how your purchases can be the difference for someone, even if you never see them directly. We are starting a list of some of your favorite people-conscious shopping outlets, including those listed by Dr. Goodman-Bowling above. Please feel free to add to that list HERE, and consider exploiting the power of your purchase for the benefit of people in your local and global community, people who beautifully bear the image of our good God.

Finally! After three long years of classes I was entering my senior year of college. I was excited to only have a few classes left to complete my degree in Psychology and Social Behavior. However, for some reason I couldn’t fully enjoy my new “senior” status. Suddenly I felt overwhelmed by the fact that I had no idea what I was going to do after I graduated. I had spent most of my life as a student so I always knew what to expect. Finish one grade…move on to the next. Graduate from high school…go on to college. For the first time I was faced with making a major life decision and I wasn’t sure what to do.  

I started to look for various jobs online. I just couldn’t imagine going to work day after day just to get a paycheck. I had to do something that felt meaningful…that made a difference in someone’s life. I began to reflect on what I liked to do and what I felt passionate about. I thought, “I guess I like kids. Maybe I should do something with kids”. If I was really honest with myself though, I cared about children’s wellbeing but I didn’t really like working with them. I was at a loss.  

It just happened that I had the opportunity to enroll in a Social Work class the next semester. I looked over the course description and it seemed like an easy “A” so I signed up. Each week in that course something started to click. The more I learned about what social work was and what social workers did I started thinking “this sounds like me”. The values and ethics felt like my own. The focus on fighting for the underdog was refreshing and the explicit mention of topics like discrimination, oppression, and marginalization spoke to my heart.  

Sometime around the middle of the semester two recruiters from Masters Social Work programs came to pitch their programs to the class. “A Master’s degree?” I thought. I’d never considered going to graduate school. No one in my family had ever gone and I wasn’t quite sure I could be the first. Was I smart enough? Could I afford it? What would my friends and family think? After all only 9.5% of Americans pursue graduate degrees, and even fewer African Americans (less than 7%). Yet, I felt like God was speaking to me through this Social Work class but I couldn’t be sure. I prayed and asked God to make it clear if social work was what He wanted me to do. I picked a couple of graduate programs, put my applications together, and left it in His hands. I prayed “Lord, let your will be done” and trusted that if He wanted me to go, He’d get me in, and help me get through it.  

My answer came around March. I was in! I would be pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work. I was excited, anxious, and terrified all at once. It would be the most challenging (and expensive) thing I’d ever done. I was confident that this is what God was calling me to do.  

My entry into the field of social work was unlike anything I could have imagined. I found myself taking classes about substance abuse, mental illness, and racism. I was absorbing the values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, human relationships, integrity, and competence. I loved it!  

After about a month of interning I felt like I was home. A sense of gratitude overwhelmed me. I would have never guessed that I would be a social worker in a mental health setting. But by God’s sovereign grace and omniscience He led me right where He needed me to be…and it felt good. Over the course of the two year MSW program I would continue to be challenged and develop the necessary skills and insight to function as a professional social worker. What I didn’t know was that my journey home was just beginning. 

I was assigned to an internship in an adult mental health clinic. This was definitely not my choice since I had serious fears and biases of those classified as mentally ill. In fact, most Americans believe that people with mental illnesses are dangerous although data suggests otherwise. Nevertheless, I was sure the Field Instructor must have made a mistake because I was supposed to help kids. I decided to trust the process and go where I was sent. At the clinic I learned from a great supervisor and awesome staff who helped to transform people’s lives every day. I met with clients who were a lot like me. They were average folks who had suffered a bad experience, trauma, or were just feeling depressed. I became more aware of the stigma I held about this population. I was especially touched by my African American clients who reminded me so much of my cousins, aunt, mother, and father and I wanted so badly to see them made whole. 

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Stay tuned for Part II….and in the meantime, leave a comment below letting us know if any of this resonated with you today! All CBU student comments are eligible for a raffle giveaway within one week of posting!

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Stuart, H. (2003). Violence and mental illness: an overview. World Psychiatry, 2(2), 121. 

Educational Attainment in the United States: 2018. February 2019. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2018/demo/education-attainment/cps-detailed-tables.html 

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A football player getting tackled to the ground by an opponent. A hockey player being bashed into the boards. A soccer player heading the ball into the goal. All of these scenarios could possibly lead to the athlete sustaining a concussion. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by rapid acceleration or deceleration that causes the brain to rock against the inner walls of the skull. Concussions can happen to anyone however they are most prominent in the athlete population. Symptoms of a concussion can have effects on the physical and psychological states of an athlete which in turn can affect different portions of their life.

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Diagnosis of a concussion is typically based on the nature of the incident and the presence of specific symptoms. This injury is unlike the typical physical and visual injury some athletes incur and it is invisible to the naked eye. With rapid acceleration or deceleration that causes the brain to hit the inner walls of the skull, there is potential for tearing of blood vessels, bruising or swelling of the brain. These injuries to the brain create a multitude of symptoms for an athlete. Typical signs and symptoms of a concussion are headache, temporary loss of consciousness, confusion, amnesia surrounding the incident in which the concussion was sustained, dizziness, vomiting, fatigue, delayed response to questions, slurred speech, amongst many other signs and symptoms as well.

When recovering from a concussion, athletes are only cleared for return to learn and return to play when their symptoms have completely subsided. If an athlete returns to learn or play before there is a chance for the individual to suffer from Second Impact Syndrome (SIS) if a second concussion is sustained before the first concussion is healed. SIS can diffuse the cerebral swelling within the brain, brain herniation, or even death can occur. Even if an athlete heals completely from the first concussion, it makes them more susceptible to incur more concussions later on in their athletic career.

With the risk of being more susceptible to sustaining multiple concussions throughout the rest of their athletic career, athletes run the risk of having long-term, lifelong symptoms. One major long-term, even fatal, danger of multiple concussions is an athlete developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a neurodegenerative disease that is caused by an individual accumulating numerous head injuries. The only way to diagnose an athlete with CTE though is post-mortem. However, from cases such as Mike Webster or Junior Seau, two famous NFL stars who passed away due to CTE, it gives an idea of what the symptomology may look like. Typically, an athlete with CTE may express feelings of depression, paranoia, agitation, impaired judgement, aggressive behavior and even suicidal behavior as well, as these two athletes did. These symptoms, connected with the symptoms of your basic concussion, also lead into the psychological emotional aspect of these head injuries, how an athlete feels and what experiences they have through recovering from the injury.

A concussion being an “invisible injury” means that just by looking at an athlete you would not know anything is wrong with them. It takes some digging to figure out if an athlete has received a concussion, but once it has been determined they are taken out from all activities. As an athlete, these individuals thrive off of comradery and teamwork. Having a concussion prevents them from practicing, playing, and engaging with their team, the sources of comradery and teamwork they thrive off of. Their teammates or coaches may not understand what they are going through and experiencing during this process either since the injury is not visible like a broken arm. This can create feelings of isolation which can lead to feelings of depression if the recovery process takes longer than average. Concussions also create cognitive impairments, such as memory, slowing of the cognitive processes, or concentration difficulties. These symptoms may create feelings of frustration or anger within an athlete because they may not be remembering little things such as a passing pattern or when an assignment is due.

There has been little research on the experiences of athletes during their recovery from a concussion. It is pivotal that more is done in order to better understand the effects of concussions on an athlete and the emotional aspects of recovery as well. Luckily, CBU’s Sport, Performance, and Exercise Psychology (SPEP) lab is currently working on adding to the research. In researching the experiences of NCAA athletes with one or multiple concussions, the research team hopes to provide the public a better understanding of the experiences of these elite athletes and how their concussion(s) affected their athletic career, academics, personal relationships, and quality of life.

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Have you ever experienced the effects of a concussion or do you know someone who has? Let us know what that was like–or let us know what you found interesting above–in the comments below. All CBU student comments are eligible for a raffle giveaway within one week of posting!

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I often share this anecdote with individuals who are applying for the Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology (MSCP) program at California Baptist University (CBU):  I was completing my master’s degree in marriage and family therapy (MFT) and working in a campus-based, community mental

health clinic. I had a gentleman who presented with depressive symptoms and expressed interest in receiving psychotherapy. While most traditional psychotherapeutic approaches would focus onproviding treatment to the husband individually, the clinic I worked in encouraged including spouses and/or family members in the treatment process. The assumption was that these additional individuals could be a key resource in the psychotherapy process, and this could help lead to better therapeutic outcomes for all of those involved. The gentleman was invited to bring his wife in for the intake process, and after observing their interactions together, the decision was made that the best way to treat the husband’s depressive symptoms was to also include his wife in the treatment process. This research-based, systemic approach to mental health is a unique and powerful component of the MFT training, degree, and licensure (Gerhart, 2013).

This story illustrates one of the unique aspects of MFT and provides a useful frame for responding to the question, “What exactly is marriage and family therapy?” When people hear the term MFT, it is generally assumed that MFTs only provide therapy to couples and families. While MFTs are uniquely trained and qualified for providing couple and family services, what really sets MFTs apart is the emphasis on looking at psychopathology and mental distress from a relational frame. Clients, whether they might be an individual, a couple, or a family, are considered in the context of their significant relationships, broader social networks, cultural backgrounds, and related influences. This contextual framework encourages MFTs to not only take into consideration these varying influences, but to also incorporate this perspective in to a treatment approach that addresses these influences.

The field of MFT has a long and distinguished history in the state of California. The first MFT license was offered in California, and, currently, there are more MFTs in California than in any other state. MFTs are also well represented by various professional organizations in California, and the MFT license has a broad scope of practice in the state. In addition, all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, support and regulate the practice of MFT. Finally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates demand for MFTs will increase by 23% between 2016 and 2026.

MFTs are employed in a variety of settings, including in private practice, community mental health clinics, schools, medical centers, substance abuse treatment facilities, and correctional facilities. Furthermore, the federal government has designated MFT as a core mental health profession, along with psychiatry, psychology, social work, and psychiatric nursing.

The MSCP program at CBU has been approved by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) as meeting the degree, curriculum, and experience requirements for MFT licensure in California. CBU’s MSCP program offers a unique delivery format with classes meeting in the evenings (Monday through Thursday, with some Saturday classes), and students can choose to complete the degree in two, three, or four years. In addition, all MSCP courses integrate clinical theories with a faith emphasis, and faculty teach from a biblically-rooted perspective.

Core faculty in the MSCP program have practiced an average of 23 years, so students can have confidence that they are learning from established professionals with a wealth of clinical experience. Finally, students in the MSCP program have the option of completing the Professional Clinical Counselor concentration, which gives those students the opportunity to pursue the Professional Clinical Counselor license in California, in addition to MFT licensure.

On a more personal level, I find the practice of MFT to be one of the most meaningful and satisfying aspects of my professional service. I am continuously humbled by the amazing, hard work invested by the clients that I work with, the resiliency that they demonstrate, and God’s grace in allowing me to be a part of their journeys. If you are looking to make a difference in the lives of others while pursuing an in-demand career path that will continuously challenge you, I highly recommend you consider the MFT-field and CBU’s MSCP program!

If you would like to learn more about the practice of MFT, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) has this useful overview video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31EgvvbXS6M

References

Gehart, D. (2013). Mastering competencies in family therapy: A practical approach to theory and clinical case documentation. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

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Jay Burke, PsyD, LMFT

Program Director, Counseling Psychology

California Baptist University

Check out the other posts in the series here:

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/02/25/introducing-the-graduate-school-blog-series-a-story/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/03/04/practice-compassion-in-california-baptist-universitys-cbu-doctor-of-psychology-psyd-in-clinical-psychology-program-training-21st-century-good-samaritans-to-respond-to/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/03/11/ms-sport-and-performance-psychology-program-at-cbu/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/04/01/forensic-psychology/

The baseball player trying to calm down before the big game, the military cadet steadying her breathing before pulling the trigger, the endurance athlete creating a goal plan to prepare for his next race, and the singer trying to pump herself up to deliver a dramatic performance.  Sport and performance psychology consultants work with people in these kinds of situations.  To put it succinctly, sport and performance psychology is the study of performance through the lens of psychology.  Much like forensic psychology, it is an area of psychology that focuses on a specific type of population, just instead of criminals the focus is on performers.  Applied sport and performance psychology uses research-based techniques to improve mental skills in order to improve performance, such as arousal control, goal setting, and adjusting to sport after injury.  Trained sport and performance psychology consultants find themselves working for organizations such as police academies, surgical institutes, college athletic teams, and pro-sports teams.

The MS Sport and Performance Psychology program at CBU was launched fall, 2018.  It a 12-month

program that integrates courses in psychology and kinesiology and requires 400 hours of internship under the supervision of practicing sport and performance consultants.  This internship allows for hands-on mentorship, as CBU students—aspiring sport and performance psychology consultants—work with CBU athletes and performers, the Riverside Unified School District, Riverside Police Department Explorers, and Riverside Fire Department, to name a few. Students begin with observation, and then begin leading their own workshops and consultations.  Both the academic and internship requirements were designed to directly map onto the certification requirements for the Applied Association of Sport and Performance Psychology (AASP); upon completion of the program, students can qualify to take their certification exam for official certification as a mental performance coach (CMPC-AASP).   CBU is only one of two masters programs in the US that does this currently, and the ONLY program worldwide that has been preapproved through AASP.

Our program already has a lot of ‘firsts’.  We are the first SPP program in the AACC, the first Christian SPP program that leads to certification as a mental performance consultant through AASP (CMPC-AASP), AND we are at Division I university!  Pretty impressive.  Being Division I is a huge boon for us as it means our students get to work with Division I college athletes and our athletes get free SPP consultation services.

The MS Sport and Performance Psychology program at CBU also puts emphasis on giving back to the community.  Our students are part of a pilot Peer-to-Peer program, going into local Riverside High Schools to partner with high school students and counselors to support bullying prevention efforts with an emphasis on building confidence and cohesion in and between the students.  This initiative is part of a collaboration with the Riverside Medical Clinic Anti-bullying Institute.  A second initiative is in the works as we partner with the Casablanca Home of Neighborly Service to create an afterschool program for the kids in the neighborhood who may lack resources.  Additional love is being spread to our CBU community as well.  The MS SPP program oversees the new Sport Injury Clinic and Employee Wellness Program and participates in all of the mental-health related events.

While an applied program, the MS SPP program offers opportunity for valuable research experience as well.  Students can join in the Sport, Performance, and Exercise Psychology (SPEP) lab to be a part of ongoing research projects with the ultimate goal of dissemination by presenting at local and national conferences and publishing in scientific journals.  Current projects focus on exercise-induced flow, CTE, and program evaluation.

As the director, I am proud of this program and even more proud of the students that are in it!  We have a unique opportunity to spread God’s word and love to a population that often gets missed, that of athletes and performers.  If you are interested in learning more about our program, feel free to contact me.

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Kristin Mauldin, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Director, Sport and Performance Psychology.  She loves studying concepts in cognitive neuroscience and sport and performance psychology and working with students.  When not working, she loves running and spending time with her 3 amazing kids!

Check out the other posts in the series here:

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/02/25/introducing-the-graduate-school-blog-series-a-story/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/03/04/practice-compassion-in-california-baptist-universitys-cbu-doctor-of-psychology-psyd-in-clinical-psychology-program-training-21st-century-good-samaritans-to-respond-to/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/03/25/what-is-marriage-and-family-therapy/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/04/01/forensic-psychology/

Practice Compassion: Answering the Call

On a Thursday afternoon, Dr. Anderson gets the call. A missionary is returning home after a six-month stay in Nigeria. Experiencing symptoms of low mood and a loss of interest in her work, the missionary has been overwhelmed with excessive guilt about whether or not she is “worthy” to share God’s message of hope and reconciliation to a lost generation. After briefly discussing these recurrent symptoms by phone, Dr. Anderson invites the missionary for an intake session at her newly-formed mental health clinic, which specializes in treating church employees struggling with mental health issues. Over the next few months, Dr. Anderson walks alongside the depressed missionary, blending psychological science with the Christian faith in order to help her find meaning and purpose again in her calling to respond to the needs of non-Christians. As a graduate of California Baptist University’s (CBU) doctoral program in clinical psychology, Dr. Anderson was trained in both faith integration and Christian psychology, learning how to combine a Christian worldview with psychological theory so as to serve suffering individuals in Western society. In fact, her dissertation focused on the relationship between depression and rumination and worry among Christian missionaries, which she eventually published in an academic journal. Because of her advanced training at the doctoral level, Dr. Anderson was able to pursue licensure in the state of California as a clinical psychologist, opening a community mental health clinic to respond to the needs of hurting workers within the Body of Christ. In that she was “academically prepared,” “globally minded,” “biblically rooted,” and “equipped to serve,”[1] Dr. Anderson responded to the call, moving towards suffering with compassion and commitment, reminiscent of the “Good Samaritan” in the gospel of Luke.[2]

Practice Compassion: Doctoral Training in Clinical Psychology

As the above example reveals, Dr. Anderson was prepared to respond to the needs of a suffering world, drawing from her training in a clinical psychology doctoral program in the process. But what, exactly, does a clinical psychologist do on a daily basis? According to the Society of Clinical Psychology, the American Psychological Association’s (APA) division for clinical psychologists,

The field of Clinical Psychology involves research, teaching and services relevant to the applications of principles, methods, and procedures for understanding, predicting, and alleviating intellectual, emotional, biological, psychological, social and behavioral maladjustment, disability and discomfort, applied to a wide range of client populations. In theory, training, and practice, Clinical Psychology strives to recognize the importance of diversity and strives to understand the roles of gender, culture, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of diversity.[3]

In other words, clinical psychologists work in a variety of contexts, offering direct services to consumers of mental health services (e.g., psychotherapy, psychological assessment), teaching in a plethora of settings (e.g., higher education), and conducting research (e.g., investigating new treatment approaches for depression and anxiety), to name just a few professional activities. When working in such settings, the aim is to employ psychological principles to respond to the mental health needs of the people being served, taking clinical judgment (e.g., experience) and context (e.g., culture, family-of-origin) into consideration. As you can tell from this definition, clinical psychologists have the opportunity to use their advanced training in a variety of ways, which is extremely important in the rapidly changing world of integrated healthcare.

Like Dr. Anderson, you may feel a calling to help people in need within one of the many healthcare professions in the 21^st century. Therefore, choosing the right profession may be an important next step as you decide which path to take. But why, precisely, should you consider becoming a clinical psychologist, as opposed to many of the other noble healthcare professions? Stated differently, what is in store for you, career-wise, if you obtain a doctorate in clinical psychology? First, obtaining advanced clinical training at the doctoral level can help you develop the requisite skillset to competently, effectively, and ethically meet the psychological needs of a suffering world. Second, doctoral training in clinical psychology prepares you to attain psychology licensure in the state of California, which means you have the flexibility to pursue a wide variety of career endeavors. Third, a doctorate in clinical psychology can prepare you to lead an organization or develop innovative ways to respond to a suffering world, possibly carving out a new path that has yet to be traveled upon. Fourth, by balancing the practice and science of clinical psychology, you will be able to apply sound principles and methods, caring for a suffering world with a commitment to offer services that actually work. Ultimately, completing a doctorate in clinical psychology equips you to respond to a suffering world with compassion, reminiscent of the story of the “Good Samaritan” in Luke’s gospel.[4]

Practice Compassion: California Baptist University’s (CBU) Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clincial Psychology Program

As the next step, assuming you have decided to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and psychology license in the state of California, why might you apply to California Baptist University’s (CBU) Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology Program? First, in the CBU PsyD Program, we are committed to helping you develop into a competent and effective clinical psychologist, offering mentoring experiences to walk with you on this important journey. To be sure, our faculty are dedicated to staying current with the clinical psychology literature, contributing in innovative ways with original research, intervention programs, and so forth. Second, we believe strongly in individual and cultural diversity, which means we have regular conversations—both formally and informally—in a variety of contexts on the intersection between diversity and clinical practice to help you sensitively respond to the unique cultural needs of the people you will be serving. Third, we are firmly committed to helping you understand, draw from, and contribute to the peer-reviewed psychology literature, meaning you will be learning to interact with original sources to apply this understanding to the populations you serve. Fourth, as a Baptist institution, we want to train you to work effectively with Christian clients, helping you develop the ability to understand a Christian worldview so as to meet the unique needs of suffering Christians.

From the first day of class, to walking across the stage at graduation, to celebrating licensure, we are dedicated to helping you to grow into the identity of a clinical psychologist. Therefore, the CBU PsyD Program offers a clinical training sequence so you can develop into a practitioner, along with a research and dissertation sequence so you can better understand what it takes to develop into a scholar. In fact, CBU PsyD core faculty are currently working on a variety of projects within the Center for the Study of Human Behavior. Combined with other training opportunities, the five-year CBU PsyD Program will work to equip you with the competencies necessary to build a career in a variety of contexts and settings, (a) providing intervention and assessment services in non-profit, government, church, medical, private practice, forensic, military, or other settings, (b) working in higher education as a professor, (c) offering consultation services to organizations, or (d) conducting research to contribute to the peer-reviewed psychology literature in an original way.

Practice Compassion: Psychology Licensure

To conclude, why might you choose to pursue a psychology license, rather than a master’s-level license (e.g., marriage and family therapist [MFT], licensed professional clinical counselor [LPCC], licensed clinical social worker [LCSW]), in the state of California? In other words, why devote the additional time, energy, and finances? Certainly, the above master’s-level licenses each offer unique career paths, providing the opportunity to contribute to the mental health field in important ways with dedication and purpose. However, a few key features differentiate a doctoral-level licensed clinical psychologist. First, a licensed psychologist is trained to put an emphasis on the science of clinical psychology (e.g., evidence-based practice), working with a wide spectrum of populations and disorders. Second, a licensed psychologist is prepared to wear a variety of “hats,” such as “practitioner,” “researcher,” “educator,” “trainer,” “consultant,” and “writer.” Third, a licensed psychologist can offer both intervention and assessment services when responding to a suffering world and striving to meet the needs of consumers of mental health services. Fourth, a licensed psychologist, drawing from his or her doctoral education in clinical psychology, is prepared to contribute to the psychology literature in an original manner in the form of publishing textbooks, workbooks, or other important resources. Finally, building on his or her doctoral degree, a licensed psychologist is prepared to pursue a tenure-track position in higher education, training the next generation of students in a university or college setting.

Practice Compassion: Next Steps

Above all else, in the CBU PsyD Program, we want to train you to practice with compassion, responding to a suffering world with a servant’s heart in order to truly become a 21^st century “Good Samaritan.” Like Dr. Anderson, we want you to be able to confidently respond to the call—where will you be in five or ten years when the telephone rings? Will you have the advanced training necessary to ethically, competently, and effectively meet the needs of the person on the other end of the line? Consider joining us in our commitment to respond to a suffering world with compassion, drawing from the science and practice of clinical psychology. Please visit our webpage and submit your application now: www.calbaptist.edu/psyd. We have a short introduction video to tell you more about the program and are still accepting applications for a fall 2019 start date. I look forward to speaking with you further about our commitment to training you as a clinical psychologist.

Notes

[1] https://calbaptist.edu/about/mission

[2] Luke 10:25-37.

[3] http://www.div12.org/

[4] Luke 10:25-37.

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Joshua Knabb, PsyD, ABPP

Director, PsyD Program

Associate Professor of Psychology

California Baptist University

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

8432 Magnolia Avenue

Riverside, CA 92504

(951) 343-4405 (phone)/(951) 343-4569 (fax)/jknabb@calbaptist.edu

Check out the other posts in the series here:

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/02/25/introducing-the-graduate-school-blog-series-a-story/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/03/11/ms-sport-and-performance-psychology-program-at-cbu/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/03/25/what-is-marriage-and-family-therapy/

http://blogs.calbaptist.edu/cshb/2019/04/01/forensic-psychology/