On January 11, 2025, 天美视频 hosted its third annual community-wide Day of Scholarship on campus in Seattle during our Winter Residency, connecting community members to the wider disciplinary and interdisciplinary conversations across our institution. This year鈥檚 theme 鈥淓ngaging (An)other鈥� emphasized the work of Dr. Esther Meek and her contributions as our current Senior Scholar including the . This publication, Dr. Meek’s gift to 天美视频, served as an opportunity for faculty and staff to model and practice engaging in discourse with each other. Day of Scholarship 2025 featured a panel discussion highlighting the eight essays where faculty and staff responded to “.” Current students, alumni, staff, and faculty also presented research posters and facilitated breakout sessions, discussing aspects of their research, work, and publications, as noted in the tables below. During this third year of Day of Scholarship, participants once again had opportunities to explore key questions that 天美视频 community members are pursuing in their work and research in Seattle and across the country.

Day of Scholarship 2025 Poster Presentations

Day of Scholarship 2025 Breakout Session Presenters

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What brought you to 天美视频?

The short answer was it was a calling fulfilled. The long answer is very long and probably too long for this interview.听 My journey to 天美视频 was influenced by my own trauma work; my gifted and kind counselors (I did both individual and group therapy with alumni of 天美视频); the work of Dan Allender, particularly the Wounded Heart book/workbook; and an amazing preview weekend that left me feeling like I made sense and belonged somewhere for the first time in my life.听聽

When you came to 天美视频, why did you decide to go through your degree program?

I completed the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) in 2015. I chose this program because I dared to dream that I could be a counselor one day, despite my own woundings.听 I chose 天美视频 because I felt like it would grow my own capacity to sit with tension and to be kind to myself and others.听 I also strongly wanted to learn from Dr. Dan Allender.听 With that said, I was pleasantly surprised to be greatly influenced and shaped by other professors, including Dr. Roy Barsness, Dr. Stephanie Neill, Dr. Steve Call, Dr. O’Donnell Day, Dr. Dwight Friesen, and Laura Shirley.

What did you hope you would be able to do following graduation?

I hoped to work as a counselor and I jumped right in!听 It was anxiety-producing work at first.听 I often found myself wondering, “Can I really sit with someone else in their pain and woundings?”聽 But my time at the school prepared me and here I am, 10 years later, still doing the work.听聽

How has your work today been informed by your education at 天美视频?

I think my time at 天美视频 helped me ground my work in a belief system that still sustains me to this day.听 I believe people bear the image of God.听 I believe people’s behavior makes sense in the context of their particular woundings and hurt.听 I believe I can only take people as far as I have gone, meaning I am still in my own counseling.听 I believe I need to understand my own story so I know when it’s influencing my work with clients.听 I believe we need community to do this work well (…to know ourselves well, to heal, to grow…for oh so much) and 天美视频 has provided me with a supportive community to continue to grow.

What inspires you or gives you hope?

People.听 I know we are in a phase where people are more divisive than ever, but I truly am inspired by people. Being a counselor has privileged me to see some of the best of humanity.听 Yes, there is often so much shit and people regularly hurt each other, myself included, but deep inside there is goodness and love.听 I get to see that in beautiful and profound ways.听 I often feel like my clients offer me more than I offer them, and they don’t even know it!

What does flourishing and service to God and neighbor look like in your life?

Tough question.听 I’m in a tough season of life.听 It’s a season of transition and change.听 I think right now flourishing is staying true to my essential self and continuing to do my own healing work so that I can be fully present and engaged with others.

Who are the people who support your flourishing, and what practices do you engage that help you flourish?

I have really good people in my life: my husband, my children, my tribe of women (other local alumni with whom I gather), my friends. They help me be a better me.听 Practices that I engage in to flourish include my own counseling, pilates, gardening, reading, walking, and being part of a book club.听

What is one piece of wisdom or advice you would give to prospective students interested in pursuing the same degree program as you?

Find people who think differently than you and engage with them.听 Practice noticing what the differences do to you and how they impact your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.听 Also, find people you can be yourself with, with whom you can relax.听 Share yourself with your safe people, even the difficult stuff.听 Go to counseling and stay in counseling.听 There is always so much to learn and process.听聽

Learn more about our Master of Arts in Counseling Program: take the next step in your journey and !听

The post Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Nicole Hagerty MACP ’15 appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.

What brought you to 天美视频 and how did you choose your degree program?

Coming to 天美视频 is a fulfillment of many dreams鈥攕ome lifelong, some newer. Dreams that lay dormant in my soul awaiting the right timing to be planted and birthed. I still vividly recall the moment I was driving home to Boise from my grandmother’s funeral in Portland when I felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit to truly ask for this desire of my heart. To pray aloud my desire to go back to school at nearly 40, not just any school but The Seattle school, and finally pursue this deeply felt longing of my soul. If you told me 20 years ago that I would even be going back to school let alone to study counseling psychology, I would have laughed at the absurdity of it. And yet, it may be the first big thing I’ve done in my life that was just for me.

My desire to pursue a Masters in Counseling Psychology (MACP) comes from having seen and experienced firsthand the (often unintentional) hurt that happens within the church when those without training in psychology attempt to counsel others. I chose 天美视频’s MACP program for its alignment with my own personal values of doing the work myself first before making any attempts at helping others to do the same and for its integration of theology and psychology without the spiritual bypassing that too many Christian institutions encourage. While I originally only planned to do the MACP program, over time and through the counsel of one of my professors, I have come to see that to not do the dual degree program would feel incomplete so I’m now pursuing both my MACP and my Masters in Theology and Culture (MATC) with a focus in ministry.听

What do you hope to do following graduation?

My desire is to work at the intersection of psychology and practical theology within the church as well as in private practice focusing on issues of betrayal, spiritual abuse, somatic healing, and neurodivergence.

What has been your favorite class or project so far?

My favorite project so far has been my Theological Anthropology, which focuses on answering the questions “What is human flourishing?” and “What is a human being fully alive?” The paper felt like a culmination not only of my first year of grad school but also of many years of personal growth and exploration. The invitation to put this ideas down on paper felt sacred. While I didn’t love needing to make my ideas fit into the academic boxes required of a grad school paper, I loved the opportunity to begin writing down what I hope will one day become a book.

Are you part of a student group or community at 天美视频?

I am a Student Leadership Fellow, member of Student Leadership, and part of the Access student group.

What is one insight, quote, topic, or question you find yourself drawn to at the moment?

As I’m in a season personally that I never envisioned myself being in, I find myself asking, “What does it look like to dream and hope amidst earth-shattering hurt and pain?” I’m finding the deeper I allow myself to grieve and lament the deeper I’m able to experience joy and delight.

What are you reading and/or listening to lately?

Outside of school, I’m currently reading Trauma and the Soul by Donald Kalsched.

What do you love to do outside of school?

My life outside of school is very full but my favorite thing by far is spending time reflecting, laughing, and loving my two teenage daughters.

What is your favorite place to visit when you need to replenish your body and soul?

The PNW! I grew up in Seattle and spent most of my adult life in Portland before moving to Boise a few years ago. I didn’t realize quite how much I missed the PNW until I came to Seattle for my first residency and felt at home in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time.

What inspires you or gives you hope right now?

My daughters.聽They are the crowning glory of my life and I couldn’t be more proud of the amazing young women they are.听

Learn more about our MACP and MATC programs!听

The post Student Spotlight: Q&A with Emme Wagner appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.

Watch the video above or read the transcript below:

Who Is Your Neighbor?

A few weeks ago, at 7:48 in the evening, I received a text that caught me off guard:
“Hi Derek, sorry to bother you, but I鈥檓 not feeling well. I鈥檓 sitting on your neighbor鈥檚 steps to the right. Would you walk me home?”

The message was from our neighbor Sadie, an older woman who lives just around the corner. Over time, we had become casually acquainted鈥� thanks to my wife, who walks her dog and visits with her regularly. Sadie lives alone and is battling cancer, and my wife has made it a point to be present for her in small but meaningful ways.

That evening, though, my wife was out of town鈥擨 had just dropped her off at the airport鈥攁nd I was expecting a quiet, uneventful night. Instead, I rushed outside to find our neighbor sitting on the steps in the dark, exhausted from her trip home from the hospital.

Sadie had just started a new treatment, and the effects were debilitating. Weak and nauseous, she鈥檇 made it only a block from the bus stop to our house before having to stop. I tried to help her to her feet, but she immediately doubled over, clutching the tree in front of my house, vomiting. Every few steps triggered another wave, and she needed to stop again and again to regain her strength.

At one point, I brought out a chair so she could sit on the sidewalk, but she insisted she needed to get home because her dog was waiting for her. I asked her repeatedly if I should call an ambulance for her but she said no. The short walk to her house鈥攗sually just a few minutes鈥攚as beginning to feel like a challenging journey.

As the situation unfolded, I became increasingly aware of the cars passing by. I couldn鈥檛 help but wonder what they thought of this odd scene: a Black man and an older white woman stumbling along the sidewalk. Truthfully, I felt uneasy.

As a Black man in a predominantly white neighborhood, this didn鈥檛 feel safe for me. I was raised to avoid situations like this鈥攐nes that could easily be misinterpreted. A part of me wanted to call an ambulance right then and step back, to let someone else take over. Another part of me felt frustrated鈥攔esentful, even鈥攖hat I was in this position.

But as the minutes stretched into an hour, one question kept repeating in my mind:
“Who is your neighbor?”

And the answer was here in front of me.
Sadie is my neighbor.

It is amazing how much care and love you can gain for someone when you enter into their pain and allow yourself to know their struggle.听

This whole experience with Sadie of getting her back settled in her home was three hours of what normally would have been less than a 5 minute walk, and it profoundly impacted me. I was being invited, in that moment with her, not just to be a neighbor but to become a neighbor.听

The Gospel of Luke tells the story of Jesus sharing the parable of the Good Samaritan. It begins with a lawyer asking Jesus a profound question: 鈥淲hat must I do to inherit eternal life?鈥�

Jesus, not fully trusting his sincerity, turns the question back on him: 鈥淲hat does the law say?鈥�

The lawyer answers confidently: 鈥淵ou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.鈥�

Jesus responds. 鈥淓xactly. Do that, and you鈥檒l live.鈥�

But the lawyer pressed further, asking a provocative follow-up: 鈥淎nd who is my neighbor?鈥�

When the lawyer asks, 鈥淲ho is my neighbor?鈥� he鈥檚 pressing Jesus to clarify something important: What are the limits of my moral and social obligations? In other words, he鈥檚 asking, Am I only responsible for people like me鈥攖hose within my group, my community, my comfort zone? Or, Does my responsibility extend beyond those boundaries to include people I鈥檇 rather avoid?

It鈥檚 a question that cuts to the heart of how we draw lines around who matters and who doesn鈥檛.听聽

Jesus answers the lawyer with a parable.

A Jewish man is traveling when he鈥檚 attacked by robbers. They leave him beaten and suffering on the side of the road. Two men鈥攁 priest and a Levite鈥攑ass by without helping him. Finally, a Samaritan comes along. He sees the man, has compassion, and cares for him.

This part of the story would have been shocking for Jesus鈥� audience. Jews and Samaritans had a long-standing feud, deeply rooted in political and religious tension. They didn鈥檛 just dislike each other; they were enemies.

When Jesus finishes the story, he asks the lawyer, 鈥淲hich of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked?鈥�

The lawyer answers, 鈥淭he one who showed him mercy.鈥�

And Jesus closes: 鈥淕o and do likewise.鈥�

These days I find myself asking the question: how do I love someone who doesn鈥檛 really care for me or even wants my destruction? What limits can I have to protect myself?

Jesus鈥� response doesn鈥檛 just redefine who is my neighbor鈥攈e redefines what it means to belong to one another. He shifts the conversation from determining the limits of my obligation to embodying the agency of love, one that acts in the world to dismantle barriers and insists that we all are interconnected.

This response, for me, is a hard saying: 鈥�go and do it.鈥� It鈥檚 not abstract. It鈥檚 not distancing. It鈥檚 not an idea. He鈥檚 saying do it.听

I have decided the only way to hold on to this is an embodied conviction that love is the decisive force that transforms the story of humanity鈥攆rom one of enslavement to one of redemption. This is a fierce loving, one that takes on fears with an unrelenting determination. A love that endures all, bears all, hopes all, and perseveres through the crushing weight of fear, self-loathing, and the fragmentation of shame. To hold an embodied conviction means this is not just mental assent, but something that shapes your choices, relationships, and presence. We must know this love ourselves to believe it is possible, that it has touched us in the midst of our fragmentation and shame鈥攖hat it can give us a future and a hope. Without this embodied experience it is hard to believe or trust.

That night with my neighbor Sadie, I realized being a neighbor isn鈥檛 always convenient. And in these times it asks us to face fears we鈥檇 rather avoid, to press through discomforts, and to step into situations that hold risk. At times, it will even ask us to love those who were formerly our enemies, because in becoming a real neighbor, one doesn鈥檛 turn away 鈥� it asks us to love ferocity.听

This fierce love brings us full circle to Jesus鈥檚 story of the Samaritan: to move toward our neighbor with compassion, even when it costs us, even when our fears threaten to hold us back. It is the love that sees the wounds of another and refuses to walk away, a love that understands our shared humanity and calls us to belong to one another. But it is more than just individual action鈥攊t is a communal response, a commitment to the restoration of all things. This love binds us together, heals what is fractured, and invites us into God鈥檚 grand story of redemption鈥攁 story where our neighbor or our enemy, their well-being is inseparable from our own, and where love transforms not just relationships, but our world itself. This is the love that restores, renews, and fiercely insists that we all belong. It is a love bigger than ourselves.听

This love reminds us that God鈥檚 work is always about restoration through the sacrificial love-work of Christ. It鈥檚 not just about being helpful in a singular moment; it鈥檚 about participating in something bigger鈥攖he healing of relationships, communities, and even creation itself.

So, I鈥檒l leave you with this question:
“Who is your neighbor?”

And when you find your answer, step toward them with courage, compassion, and a love that refuses to give up. Because that鈥檚 how we participate in God鈥檚 story of healing and renewal.

So, as Jesus says, 鈥淕o and do likewise.鈥� Embrace the story that God intends.

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What brought you to 天美视频?

When I started researching grad schools, I got curious about my own journey in therapy. There were therapists that I did not connect well with, and others that I look back with a lot of gratitude for the work that we did. It felt clear to me that when I felt invited and accepted, as well as seen and deeply known, that the work in those relationships was powerful. I came to 天美视频 because I wanted to learn how to attune with, journey alongside, see the beauty in, and empower each person who comes to my office.听

When you came to 天美视频, why did you decide to go through your degree program?

I first thought about being a therapist in 2002. I was volunteering on a sexual assault hotline, and doing advocacy work. I look back at my journey and think about Jonah, except Jonah was only swallowed by a fish once, as far as we know. The invitation came back several times, and it wasn’t until 2012 that I felt the invitation and thought, I think becoming a therapist is my next season.听

What did you hope you would be able to do following graduation?

When I first came to 天美视频, I wanted to keep my expectations open. Except, I did think I in no way wanted to work with children. Which come to internship, there I was, working with children and adolescents. I had a desire to work with trauma, however I left it open to be revealed to me what that could look like.听

How has your work today been informed by your education at 天美视频?

My time at 天美视频 continues to inform my practice as I witness the beauty of humans coming alive, and increasing their understanding of the intersecting layers of who they are, and how they show up in the world.

What inspires you or gives you hope?

I’m in awe of my clients, and the work that they do. The small steps, and the big steps. In class I once heard Dan Allender say, “Love changes people always.” It gives me hope to see people bravely stepping into trauma work, and the impacts it has not only on their lives, but also the lives of the people around them.听

What does flourishing and service to God and neighbor look like in your life?

When I think about flourishing and service to God and neighbor, I think about how I am loving God, loving self, and loving neighbor. I often feel most connected to and in service to God in nature, and in community. I often think about how I am both stewarding the planet well, and relationships in community. When I think about loving myself, I think about the continued work I do on my own story, not only for my healing, but also for how I am engaging with and raising my children. Neighbor can not only be a community both small and wide, but also my clients. I am mindful of how I show up in community, and the impact that I have. I am also intentional about how I set up and run my practice, as well as how I sit with my clients.

Who are the people who support your flourishing, and what practices do you engage that help you flourish?

Friends, found family, and colleagues who come alongside me have been necessary. One practice I have learned is communicating my needs. I have found these relationships to be supportive not only when they check in with me because they care about me, but also when I communicate when I am struggling, and how I can be supported. Having a going to, and leaving work ritual has been supportive of my awareness of what I am carrying in my body and mind. Playing music and creating art is not only a practice I find helpful, but also connects me to community. Being in nature is another important practice. Whether that is going for a hike, sitting next to a creek, or walking a labyrinth, I find spending time in nature to be grounding and a place for processing and reflection.听

What is one piece of wisdom or advice you would give to prospective students interested in pursuing the same degree program as you?

Be open. You are about to learn a lot about not only therapy but also yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be mindful of what you say yes to, and what you say no to. Also, get support if you need it. I am grateful for the disability accommodations that helped me be successful in the program.

Learn more about our Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Cairn Yakey MACP ’16 appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.

Red Brick Building: The Liminal Space by Sunghee Kim

This fall, our second-floor gallery at 2501 Elliott Ave. features watercolors created by Sunghee Kim, a second-year student in the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program. Through the Artist Statement and interview below, she shares more about her experiences as a 天美视频 student and artist.

Prints of these paintings are available for purchase in the , with proceeds supporting the BIPOC student group. More information about an online auction for these nine original paintings will be available early in the new year.

Artist Statement:

In my first year at 天美视频, I often sat quietly in the Back Alley in the mornings, watching the blue sky, the water, the trains, and the cruise ships pass by through the window. During these moments, the Red Brick Building became a liminal space for me鈥攁 place where I lost track of time, reflected on my past, grounded myself in the present, and held hope for the future. To capture the emotions, joys, and struggles I experienced there, I began drawing and painting the Red Brick Building.听

Many thanks to my classmates and instructors who helped and encouraged me to discover my joy in painting. As we prepare to move to a new campus farther south of downtown Seattle, I hope these paintings will evoke memories of joy and gratitude, as well as the struggles and sorrows, for those who shared this space. I hope these paintings inspire people to embrace their own journeys, use their talents, and share their gifts with the world.

What drew you to 天美视频 and how did you choose your degree program?

I thought I knew why I came here, but now that feels like a question for me too, as I keep finding new answers along the way. I’ve always been interested in understanding the human mind, and I also wanted to understand why I was struggling so much to adjust to life here in America, even when I was surrounded by kind people. I’ve seen many of my friends, especially international students and immigrants, struggling in similar ways, but it’s difficult to find someone who is truly willing to listen to our voices. I thought I needed to be the first to listen to my own story, so I could develop my capacity to listen deeply to others. This is one of the many reasons鈥攕ome still not fully clear to me鈥攚hy I began studying Counseling Psychology at 天美视频.

What has been a favorite class at 天美视频?

So far, I鈥檓 both enjoying and challenged by all of my classes. Each one offers so much to learn and work through. Instead of naming a favorite, I鈥檇 like to share how certain classes have inspired me to draw and paint.

In the winter term of 2024, I took a course on Narrative, Identity, and Asian American Experiences with Dr. Jermaine Ma. She encouraged us to express our emotions using just three colors with colored pencils or any other art supplies we had. At first, I picked random colors, started coloring, and then gripped the pencil in a sort of rebellious way. I drew lines and circles without any form or order. It felt like something was cracking open inside me, like I was opening a box I didn鈥檛 know I had. From that moment on, I kept art supplies close by on my desk, but did not begin drawing or painting. Suddenly, I remembered how much I had enjoyed drawing and painting when I was a kid.听

In the same term, I was taking the Critical Learning Lab with Dr. Dwight Friesen, where I frequently heard the term “unlearning.” It prompted me to reflect on how I could become more flexible in letting go of what I was used to doing and believing. So, I decided to approach everything differently, what I called the 鈥渟tupid way.鈥� I dedicated the most time to the assignment with the least weight on the grade. For the final presentation of my “My Landmark” project, which I had already earned enough points to pass, I spent hours and hours working on it. Instead of using PowerPoint, I hand-drew all the slides for my presentation. After giving the presentation with my own paintings in this class, I got enough courage to paint as a way of expressing my Korean immigrant identity for the final assignment for Narrative, Identity, and Asian American Experiences class. Those paintings were later displayed at the Underrepresented Students鈥� Voices Gallery throughout spring term and summer at the school.听

In the spring term of 2024, I took an elective class called The Artist鈥檚 Way with Dr. Pat Loughery. Throughout the course, students were asked to create any kind of creative works, and I decided to try urban sketching, something I had never done before. Then, I ended up painting the 天美视频. Some of the paintings currently displayed at the gallery are pieces I created during this class.

What draws you to watercolor painting?

I do love various, different types of art mediums, but when it comes to watercolor, I particularly love its picky and sensitive personality. Watercolor painting requires a lot of patience. It never allows me to take a shortcut. It is also not forgiving. Once I make a mistake, there鈥檚 no going back. So, I have to slow down and learn to accept my mistakes as part of the 鈥淎rt.鈥澛�

Another thing I really love about watercolor is its transparency. Sometimes the color on the paper is really bold and vivid, and other times, it鈥檚 almost invisible. What I appreciate is that, no matter how strong or faint the color is, it never fully takes over the paper. If you let it cover the whole surface, it loses that delicate, shimmering beauty that makes watercolor so unique. I enjoy this challenging, sometimes even painful, process of creating a watercolor painting.

How did your classmates and instructors encourage you to find joy in painting?

What I really appreciate most is their presence. Instead of offering comments or advice, they were just there with me, spending time and sharing curiosity about my stories. That alone made me feel heard and seen. Once my story was heard by them, I became more curious about what I wanted to express. Their curiosity about me helped spark my own curiosity in various areas. This year, painting became one of the mediums through which I expressed myself.听

At this point in time, what would you like to explore after graduating from 天美视频?

Well, like many students, after graduating, I want to complete the required clinical hours and pass the licensure exam as soon as possible, and eventually secure a stable position as a counselor. But these are just factual steps. At this moment, my main focus is to explore my own picture of the world and to cultivate a deeper curiosity within myself. By doing this, I hope to develop my capacity to see and listen to others鈥� pictures of the world and their voices more fully. Ideally, I would love to work with people of color, international students, immigrants, and refugees. If I could serve as a blank canvas on which they feel free and safe to express themselves, I couldn鈥檛 be happier. The journey I鈥檓 on now feels like it鈥檚 strengthening me to become like watercolor paper鈥攁ble to hold water and pigments without warping.

What鈥檚 your hope for these Red Brick Building paintings and reproductions?

Initially, I started painting the school building to capture moments of both joy and struggle that I experienced here. To finish just one painting, I鈥檇 spend hours looking at the same spot鈥攐r a photo of it鈥攐ver and over. Through that process, I noticed something special happening: an ordinary place would transform into something extraordinary, from a simple object into a meaningful and spiritual subject. I hope my paintings can remind others of their own moments at the school, prompting them to pause, reflect on their memories, and perhaps even experience a transformation of their own.

We often pass through doors, walk up and down staircases, or look through windows without paying them much attention. But when these ordinary objects are captured on paper, they stop being mere backgrounds and become the main subjects. I hope鈥攁nd this is a hope I carry for life鈥攖hat people who have been marginalized can receive this same level of warm attention, both in quality and quantity, so that their often invisible identities become visible and their unheard voices are truly heard, just as the doors and staircases became focal points in my paintings. This is why I want to donate all profits from selling my artwork to support BIPOC student groups.

Find the Red Brick Building: The Liminal Space prints at 天美视频 .

Learn more about our Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology.

The post Red Brick Building: The Liminal Space by Sunghee Kim appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.

Dr. Misty Anne Winzenried, Dean of the Graduate School, explains the importance and impact of this new program: 鈥淭his Certificate will provide participants a rich and robust year of thinking about how we read scripture, how we interpret scripture, and how we engage our world and communities. Our teachers are also practitioners, and they are committed to providing deeply contextual understandings of the Bible and its relevance in today’s society.鈥�

Examining the literary forms, themes, and history of the Bible alongside social justice perspectives, students will discover and apply insights to their lives, ministry, and vocation. With the School鈥檚 signature emphasis on the integration of theology and psychology, learners in the Certificate in Scripture & Society program will strengthen their listening skills and develop a therapeutic presence to foster change in society. With plans for additional certificates in the future, 天美视频 is excited to create this opportunity for students who may not be seeking a full master鈥檚 degree to develop and expand appreciation and application for the relevance of the Bible while learning skills and understandings to empower transformation and service in today鈥檚 world.

Applications are open and seats are limited. The early bird application deadline is November 1, 2024 and applications close on December 1, 2024. For more information on our programs, please contact 天美视频 Admissions at admissions@theseattleschool.edu.

The post 天美视频 Announces New Certificate in Scripture & Society appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.

Bio: Dr. Barton is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Washington. She received her BA in Psychology from Concordia University-Portland, her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Graduate School of Psychology at Fuller Seminary, and MA in Theology from Fuller Seminary. Dr. Barton has also pursued additional training in Contemporary Analytic Psychology and Neo-Jungian Studies through Pacifica Graduate Institute.

While she has worked in a variety of mental health settings, engaging emerging adults in meaningful therapy and investing in the development, training, and mentoring of the next generation of deeply human and present clinicians have been her passions. Before joining the faculty of 天美视频 in 2024, Dr. Barton served in university counseling centers for 20+ years. She has taught undergraduate courses in psychology and world religions, directed the training program for master’s and doctoral level counseling students at Pacific Lutheran University Counseling Services, and served as the director of the Counseling Center at PLU.

Dr. Barton grew up in rural Washington State with a diverse denominational background and an appreciation for the joys, challenges, and opportunities for navigating the 鈥漣n-between鈥� spaces of identities, stories, and communities of belonging. In both her ongoing therapeutic practice and in walking alongside healers in training, Dr. Barton is interested in building capacity to be deeply present to self, other, and world; integrating head and heart knowledge in an embodied way; and facilitating enhanced agency and ownership of one鈥檚 own voice.

Beyond work, Dr. Barton believes in the importance of being engaged in community, family life, and connection with the natural world. She teaches courses in her faith community, serves on local neighborhood coalitions that support youth thriving, participates in her church worship band, enjoys board games and meaningful (and ridiculous or fun) conversations with her partner and three children, and can regularly be found basking in God鈥檚 creation on local hikes or in National Parks.

What are you currently reading?

I tend to read multiple things at once to satisfy my many interests.听 Right now, in addition to a lot of policy/procedures and textbooks for 天美视频, I am:

• 聽Reading Steve Inskeep鈥檚 聽Differ We Must:聽 How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America (2023) and reflecting on the deep need in our present reality to engage across and through difference.听
• Continuing to explore my interest in Jungian psychology and its applications by reading聽 Joan Chdorow鈥檚 1997 edited collection of writings by Jung: Jung on Active Imagination and the classic聽 Romancing the Shadow: A Guide to Soul Work for a Vital, Authentic Life (Zweig & Wolf, 1999)
• Following up on a recommendation from a spiritual director friend with whom I have shared conversation about the importance of (re)building meaningful connections amongst those in our church communities by reading聽 The Friendship of Women: The Hidden Tradition of the Bible (Chittister, 2006)
• Scratching my historical fiction itch with PNW writer, Kristen Loesch鈥檚 The Last Russian Doll (2024) and Adam Ehrlich Sachs genre-bending, mind-tickling Gretel and the Great War (2024)

What have you been listening to lately?

The sounds of birds, water, and the wind in the trees; music by Chopin while working or reading; a variety of lectures from The Great Courses (from literature to history, philosophy, etc – these lectures and Apocalyptica are what I listen to while working out), Lectio 365; the beauty and wildness of a square foot-challenged house of 6 people who all play instruments (yes, there鈥檚 a drum set in my 鈥渉ome office鈥�) and are practicing dance, cheer, signing etc., throughout the day.听聽

What did you enjoy this summer?聽

聽This past summer I enjoyed hiking in the mountains and drinking in the beauty of North Cascades National Park; having moments of awe and wonder both on family camping trips and in my annual solo retreat; and accompanying my children as they entered into adventures that allowed them new 鈥渁has鈥� – seeing the world with new eyes,聽 deepening their curiosity, and posing challenging questions.听聽

What research or questions do you find yourself drawn to at the moment?聽

In the past year, I presented at a panel conversation on loneliness.听 I am captured by the questions of what it is we mean when we talk about an 鈥渆pidemic of loneliness鈥� and what it is in our culture, environments, and ways of living with one another that is giving rise to alienation from ourselves and each other. What is it that we as psychologists, and those who reflect from theological and spiritual perspectives,聽 have to offer in this regard?聽

If you could have dinner with any person, dead or alive, who would they be?

Just one? I鈥檇 like to cheat on this one. I鈥檇 love to grab some Thai food (mangoes and sticky rice compulsory), sit down around a table with Victor Frankl, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Carl Jung, and Steven Hayes, and see where the conversation goes.听

If you weren’t in your current profession, you’d be….?

I鈥檝e had the fantasy of opening a bookstore, cafe, third-space of community that hosts opportunities for folks to engage in conversation with one another about topics that we seem to have a hard time entering into with one another right now. Seems challenging鈥� meaningful鈥xciting鈥�. like I would need to learn some entrepreneurial skills.听

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Dr. Gadson is a licensed professional counselor, consulting therapist, educator, and podcast host. She received her B.S. in Business Management from The University of Alabama, her M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Troy State University, her M.S. in Spirituality and Counseling from Richmont Graduate University, and her Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Amridge University. Dr. Gadson hosts the podcast, 鈥淎nd The Church Said,鈥� that discusses church and culture from a Christian counseling perspective, focusing on mental and emotional health and the church. She provides counseling and consulting services through her practice, FourCee Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC., concerning issues such as grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, marriage and family care, relationship challenges, questions of faith, and spiritual abuse. Her areas of professional and ministerial interest include premarital and pre-engagement education/counseling, individual development, effects of trauma on development, family-of-origin influences, relationships, marriage and family therapy and education, the intersection of theology and psychology, and the Church and mental health ministry.

Dr. Gadson served on the staff of a church for 16 years as the clinical mental health counselor. She also has served as an expert contributor to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs for a video-based training series for chaplain services, and as a consulting therapist for several churches and organizations. She has taught several courses in psychology, counseling, leadership development, legal and ethical professional development in marriage and family therapy, systematic evaluation and case management, and human development. Presentations at professional conferences include the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, and the American Association of Christian Counselors. Passionate about individual development and relationship education, considering these as means of discipleship, she believes the cornerstone for a healthy society is the love for one鈥檚 self and others fueled by a love of God.

Her latest book, , co-authored with Clarence Shuler, was released in 2022.

Dr. Gadson is married and has two daughters. Her hobbies include Alabama football, writing spoken word pieces, reading, listening to great music, exercising, journaling, photography, scrapbooking, gardening, and hanging out with her family and friends. She loves long walks, preferably on the beach, sunsets and sunrises, and time outside enjoying nature.

What are you currently reading?

I鈥檝e been reading Edwin Friedman鈥檚 work. I started reading him when I was in grad school, and I鈥檝e picked up a lot more of his books lately. I鈥檝e also been reading about leadership, Latasha Morrison鈥檚 Be the Bridge also Christina Edmondson鈥檚 Faithful Antiracism.

What have you been listening to lately?

I listen to a lot of different podcasts. My favorite happens to be good friends who have their own podcast: Truth鈥檚 Table. And also The Best of You with Alison Cook. I have moved away from listening to music and mostly listen to podcasts now.

What research do you find yourself drawn to at the moment?

I continue to study and research the intersection of faith and mental health, trying to help churches. I鈥檝e been able to consult with churches over time when they鈥檙e trying to consider implementing counseling ministries or even just how to make their environment more emotionally and mentally healthy. What can they implement? What sermons should they be preaching? Where should they be sensitive? So I do a lot of reading, researching, and writing between faith and mental health.

And also I study societal emotional process, the emotional processes that are happening out in society. When we recognize what is happening鈥搒uch as polarization, cancel culture鈥揳ll these things we have going on, we study that through the lens of societal and emotional processes first and foremost. According to the research on regression, when people group around the least mature leader, that鈥檚 a sign that you鈥檙e in a state of regression because people are drawn to quick-fix solutions as opposed to long-term sustainability. I think of societal emotional process through a systemic lens, and my reading and research are around systemic issues and thinking systemically as well as generationally. In my research and writing, I take that lens and apply it to institutions, for example, thinking about what was going on with this institution before we were here, and what processes, emotional processes, have been passed down, either knowingly or unknowingly. And what is passed through families, how those systems are built, how do they develop, what is transmitted from generation to generation, and how that contributes to society.

What is something you are looking forward to?

I鈥檓 looking forward to finishing some writing. I鈥檝e been encouraged to write a couple of chapters for a book proposal, so I鈥檓 in the middle of those. I鈥檓 really looking forward to tying those up and seeing what will unfold with that project.

At 天美视频, I鈥檓 looking forward to teaching students this term. Teaching grad school has been really fun because people are doing what they want to do. In undergrad they may be there because they have to take the class and just want to move on to the next thing. With the students here at 天美视频, I just love the opportunity to teach people who know what they want to do. And since I鈥檝e done it for so many years, it鈥檚 really fun to pour that wisdom, that experience, that knowledge back to the students.

If you could have dinner with any person, dead or alive, who would they be?

Michelle Obama seems so down to earth and I can imagine she has so much wisdom for how she’s had to navigate being First Lady of the United States as a Black woman.听

If you weren鈥檛 in your current profession, you鈥檇 be鈥�?

I would be a sports psychologist working with college football teams. I would love to be able to observe how the team behaving like a “family” could potentially have adverse effects on the overall team productivity.听

Who is your literary or living hero?

I鈥檓 grateful to have had the opportunity to be with Mrs. Autherine Lucy Foster. She was the first Black student who attempted to enroll at the University of Alabama. The future Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, became one of her lawyers who fought for her to be fully admitted. However, although she was granted admittance, she faced extreme persecution and as the result of mob riots, she was forced to leave the University. I knew her personally before her death. She, my father, and her husband were really good friends, and one of her daughters and I were one year apart in school. And we鈥檙e still really good friends to this day. Our daughters roomed in college, so it was a generational thing. Our families have just known each other for years. You knew her to be a historical figure, but you really didn鈥檛. It was during those times when she would be honored and especially on her death, you remembered how huge her life really was. So I was grateful for the opportunities that I had to be with her, sit with her, listen to her, and for her guidance and direction. I look at her as a hero, and as a matter of fact, at her memorial service, hearing her voice, I think in part, paved the way for me to be here.

The post Faculty Friday: Dr. Monique Gadson appeared first on 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology.

When did you graduate?聽

I graduated in 2016 from the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) program.听

Where are you now?聽

After almost 5 years in Nashville, I recently moved about an hour away to Clarksville, Tennessee to live with my now wife and stepdaughter. Moving, getting married, and becoming a parent has been a huge transition, but I love my new life!听

What shape has your vocation taken?聽

At some point during my internship at Recovery Cafe, I realized that being a therapist wasn鈥檛 the direction I wanted to go. I don鈥檛 function well when I have to sit still for long periods of time, so after graduation I found myself looking for ways to best use my passion for storytelling.听

This has taken me in a number of different directions. I鈥檓 a photographer (mostly 35mm film these days) and love taking photos of people. I鈥檓 working with students as a tutor and often find myself mentoring as much as teaching, as many of my kids have ADHD and need extra support.听

I鈥檓 also a small business consultant () working with therapists (some from 天美视频), small businesses, non-profits, and other sole practitioners on their business and marketing strategies. I build websites, create digital content, provide operational support, and set up SEO and social media profiles.听

How has your vocation been shaped by your time at 天美视频?

What I鈥檓 passionate about is the messaging side of my business. This is where my time at 天美视频 and my ability to listen to others and help them express their story has really impacted my professional life. Helping all types of small businesses, but especially therapists and other sole practitioners, understand their passion, narrow their focus, and use their stories to engage potential clients brings me great joy.听

What new focuses/interests did you develop and pursue after graduation?

I鈥檝e found myself drawn in a number of directions since graduation. Shooting film photography and playing pickleball are a couple of new interests. What has surprised me most since school is probably the way my creativity has come alive. My wife is a YouTube content creator and we work together in different ways, including photography.听

Do you have any updates you’d like to share with your alumni family?

I recently got married and have a 9-year-old stepdaughter!听

Any favorite memories from 天美视频 you’d like to share?聽

As I thought about this question, I kept coming back to the amazing trips and adventures school allowed me to experience. The location of the school and the available breaks allowed so much time for friends and me to see some of the most beautiful sights I鈥檝e ever experienced. The school鈥檚 location in the PNW was such a blessing!

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