Volume 12

Spring 2017

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Newsletter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Chi Sigma Iota

Induction 2

GCA/CSI Update

Fatherhood 3

Alumni

Perspective 4

Dynamic Dying

New Leadership 5

Second Year

Superlatives 6

May 13: Graduation!

September 21-23: Catholic Psychothera-py Association National Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL

November 8-10: All Ohio Counselors Con-ference, Columbus, OH

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” - St. Teresa of Calcutta

On behalf of all of the counseling faculty, I wish first to congratulate each of the

2017 spring and summer graduates on completing the program! It has been a pleasure

watching each of you develop your professional skills over the past two years. We

hope you that you will use your education—grounded in a Catholic understanding of

the human person—to accompany others to find the courage to change, grow, and

embrace their full human potential through the counseling process.

I want to use this opportunity also to provide some brief updates about changes

that were implemented in the program this past year and that will be forthcoming in

the counseling department starting in the fall of 2017. The process of making

program changes often begins with you, our students. We are interested in knowing

what your experiences are in the program—in what is working and what needs to be

better addressed. Program faculty also consider your feedback in light of our

observations of student learning, CACREP standards, and input from employers, site

supervisors, and alumni. This past year we transitioned our Substance Abuse course

(soon to be retitled “Introduction to Addictions”) to a required rather than an elective

course. In an environment in which addictions counseling is in increasing demand, it

seems important that all students are informed about this clinical area.

Other changes to begin with the new class of students this fall will include the

addition of a counseling skills course in the first year of study and the transition of

the practicum from the spring of first year to the summer between years one and two.

We hope that this will offer students more of an opportunity to settle into the

coursework (and even into the local area for our out-of-towners!) before jumping into

practicum. Other considerations on the horizon include the addition of new elective

courses, such as a course in crisis counseling and possibly a course in counseling

children, both of which are areas of interest that have been noted by current students

and alumni. We will continue to keep you posted about changes, and we genuinely

value student feedback – it is what helps us better our program. My door is always

open – please let me know what you think! Finally, I have to add a plug for our

department Facebook page, especially for our soon-to-be alumni. We want to keep in

touch with you and it’s the best place to share information about job openings and

department happenings.

Check us out on: https://www.facebook.com/FUSCMHC/

CMHC Department Update! By: Dr. Christin Jungers

Page 2 CMHC Newsletter Spring 2017

Chi Sigma Iota ΧΣΙ Induction Ceremony

On April 6, 2017, our Department held its annual Induction Cer-

emony for the Psi Alpha Tau chapter of Chi Sigma Iota. Chi Sigma Iota

is the international honor society for the counseling profession. Its mis-

sion is to promote scholarship, professionalism, leadership and excel-

lence in counseling, and to recognize high attainment in the pursuit of

academic and clinical excellence in the counseling profession.

Fr. Nathan Malavolti, TOR opened the event with a prayer in

which he named each of the new inductees. Next, Dr. Milburn gave a

thoughtful keynote address on phenomenology and how it can relate to counseling. He em-

phasized how not one theory or technique will be effective for

everybody, but rather that the key to success is synthesizing dif-

ferent models and tailoring treatment to the client. All with his

classic sense of humor.

The students who were in-

ducted this year were first years

Chelsea Abrea, Antonia Busch,

Michelle Hunt, John King, Sophie

Lake, Patricia Ona, Kelsey Rick-

etson, and Evelyn Stumphauzer,

and second years Victoria Balcar, Joseph Cionni, and Alison

Wulf. After they received their pins and certificates, CSI

President Valerie Wark administered the membership oath taken by all new inductees. Fi-

nally, Dr. Jungers came up to honor Dr. Milburn for his 25 (and 1) years of dedication to

the department, followed by a social gathering for all in attendance.

Page 3 Spring 2017 CMHC Newsletter

This semester was a busy one for the Graduate Counseling Association and Chi Sigma Iota! We kicked

off the semester with an interdepartmental faculty panel discussion at the end of February, of which our own

Drs. Workman, Kissinger, and Jungers took part, as did Dr. Boerio, one of the undergraduate psychology pro-

fessors and the Chair of the Psychology, Sociology, and Social Work Department. Both CMHC and under-

graduate students interested in pursuing work in one of these fields were in attendance. After spring break,

Dr. Michael Horne returned to talk with our students about what to do when the professional ACA Code of

Ethics does not line up with the morals of the Catholic Church. We also invited Dr. Anthony Isacco from

Chatham University to come and give a presentation on the positive role of fatherhood. In early April we held

our official CSI induction ceremony wherein we welcomed 11 new members and honored Dr. Milburn for all

of his years of dedication to the CMHC program, helping it to become what it is today. Finally, on April 25

we elected our new CSI officers for the coming year. The new GCA cabinet was selected the following day.

Check out page 5 of the newsletter to meet the CMHC leadership for the 2016-2017 academic year!

GCA/CSI Letter from the Presidents Tyler Kramer and Valerie Wark

Fostering the Future of Fatherhood by Antonia Busch

Dr. Anthony Isacco, Ph.D. paid his alma mater a

visit on March 30, 2017 to share his passion for his

research on the role of fatherhood. Dr. Isacco gradu-

ated from Franciscan University of Steubenville in

2002 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and

Philosophy. In 2004, he received his master’s in

Counseling Psychology from Boston College, and in

2009, completed his doctoral degree in Counseling

Psychology at Loyola University Chicago. Now the

father of four beautiful daughters, a professor, and

one of the co-directors of the Psychology of Gender

Research Team for Chatham University’s Graduate

Psychology Program, Dr. Isacco embodies much ex-

perience and wisdom on the subject of fatherhood.

In his research, Dr. Isacco has focused on the

question of the “essential father hypothesis.” As

American culture has begun over the last several dec-

ades to foster the belief that a father is not necessary

in the home, Dr. Isacco is finding the opposite to be

true. His research has found that positive father in-

volvement, which he defined as the father’s accessi-

bility, engagement, and responsibility in the home,

leads to positive child outcomes. While many fathers

desire to be present in their children’s lives, Dr. Isac-

co emphasized how it may be that many men have

not been given the tools they

need in order to care for their

families.

After highlighting socie-

ty’s failure to teach boys how

to become men, Dr. Isacco left

his audience with several prac-

tical suggestions to help men

learn how to be good fathers.

He emphasized that fathers

will seek help for their children

before themselves, and therefore encouraged offering

programs of a dual nature that might attract both fa-

thers and children. For example, he suggested that

workshops presented as “academic tutoring sessions”

could serve a dual purpose by assisting fathers with

communication skills while concurrently helping

children with their academics.

In sharing his passion and heart for fatherhood,

Dr. Isacco left his audience with a vision to build

communities for men to learn how to love their chil-

dren well. With his message that many men want to

be good fathers but lack the necessary tools, he in-

spired those present with a mission to learn how best

to help men be the fathers that they are called to be.

Dr. Isacco giving his presentation

Page 4 CMHC Newsletter

Client-centered therapy always

seemed easiest to me: all that uncon-

ditional positive regard… empathy…

openness… yeah… er, something like

that. I’m pretty sure we have talked

about openness at some point—must

have been the multicultural counsel-

ing class. Look, all I know is that the

idea of “Openness” has passed

through my mind quite frequently as a

post-graduate professional, and, for

your (hopeful) edification, here are a

few of my thoughts.

After graduating in August 2016,

I did not wait long to get started on

my job search. It may have had some-

thing to do with the “jobs are hard to

come by” mantra ingrained in me for as long as I can

remember. Although this certainly may be true for

some industries or some areas, I learned that for me

this simply was not accurate. Within a week I sched-

uled interviews with a half-dozen companies. My

suggestion: learn about the job market and, if your

circumstances allow, be open to taking some time to

yourself before the big kid job starts (sometimes, I

really wish I had).

Which reminds me, I work with kids. Not on pur-

pose, of course. When I accepted my job, the descrip-

tion read that I would work with individuals and fam-

ilies of all ages. While this is true, a strong 95% of

my clients are under age 18. I felt that I had no choice

but to open my mind to new challenges such as the

art of repackaging coping skills as the next biggest

game and navigating the dark world of child abuse.

Interestingly, as a result I have learned that I will take

a child’s honesty over an adult’s insight any day.

Along these same lines, as I am sure you have

been told, many recent graduates often find them-

selves in less-than-ideal jobs. For example, along the

way I have grown discouraged as I have learned that

children are often taught to see counseling as a pun-

ishment for poor behavior in school; living in a rural

area means the community often sees therapy as friv-

olous or fake; and, frankly, working with certain gov-

ernment agencies all too often

amounts to little more than a head-

ache. Although in my experience the

pros have outweighed the cons, others

might do well to muster up some good

old openness to a temporary stay. Af-

ter all, you do not have to stay there

forever!

Finally, as a new graduate, I

found myself thrust into a new way of

life that I had not previously experi-

enced. Suddenly, I was without my

usual comforts and safety nets: close

friends, intellectual challenges, al-

ready-prepared food…the list goes on.

In fact, if it were not for my fiancée, I

am sure I would have gone crazy. The

comfort and support she provides are irreplaceable,

but having graduated a year and a half before I did,

she reminded me of the importance of being open to

the changes that come with a new phase in life: new

routines, making new friends, new expenses, even

living in a whole new state. It is a work in progress to

be sure, but it is worth it.

So, dear CMHC students, with graduation quick-

ly approaching and new-ness surely right around the

corner for many if not most of you, my challenge is a

simple one: open your hearts and minds to wherever

the Lord might be calling you. And I do not mean to

casually and disinterestedly nudge your conscious-

ness towards openness out of some ego-driven sense

of duty; rather, open your mind and heart with con-

viction and intention. If not now, when? It does not

matter whether you have meticulously planned out

the next 5 years, 5 months, or if you do not even

know what the next 5 minutes will hold—you cannot

escape the new-ness. Nor should you want to. Argua-

bly the most consistent and clear message from God

found throughout the Bible is “be not afraid.” Open

your heart and rest assured that whatever may hap-

pen, you can be certain of the Father’s love for you.

Your fellow companion in this beautiful helping

profession,

Andrew

Openness: An Alumni Perspective by Andrew Koehler, LMHCA

Spring 2017

Andrew displaying his openness to new experiences outside the

counseling office

Page 5 CMHC Newsletter Spring 2017

Dying by Robert Kelty I want to share my experience submitting a proposal to present on a topic of interest to the Catholic

Psychotherapy Association’s conference this fall. For a few years now I have had an idea that just would not go

away about a theoretical hospice group that would work with the dying. Its purpose would be not only to assuage

the fear and grief associated with the dying process, but also to help bring meaning and purpose to what can seem

like senseless suffering. There are and have been other group therapy models for the dying examined in studies

that show its effectiveness in relieving depression and anxiety, and increasing spiritual well-being. The Model is

called Dynamic Dying and is a type of Logotherapy, and it is unique in that it taps into this mystical power that

manifests when all is stripped away and death is certain. This power can call upon the dying in this fellowship to

support and love each other as they embrace the dying process together. The focused prayer of a detached, dying

fellowship would be laser-like in effect and would not only provide an abundance of grace for our hurting world,

but provide meaning and purpose in this last stage of human experience as well.

The impetus for the model came from reading St. John Paul II’s Salvific Suffering last semester in Professor

Pawlak’s psychological and spiritual integration course, and I presented a brief version of Dynamic Dying to our

group therapy class too. My interest in hospice care began when my father died in my nuclear family’s home about

thirteen or fourteen years ago. It was an amazing experience to be with him each day as he progressed towards

death. It was intense at times, as feelings of anger and fear, as well as a growing acceptance took place. I was alone

with him a day or so before he died, and he was experiencing what I believe to be powerful spiritual experiences,

though others might call them delusions. Nevertheless, it was fascinating to be a part of this process as he moved

closer to death. Years later I volunteered at a hospice for a few months, and I have been with other family

members and acquaintances that were actively dying as well. After reading Salvific Suffering and considering our

group therapy assignment, the notion grew in my mind.

When we received the email inviting submissions for the CPA conference, I consulted Dr. Jungers, who

encouraged me to submit. Only after I hit the send button did I think to look and see who presented last year, and it

included major league Catholic thinkers. I felt presumptuous and embarrassed for a few minutes, but then realized

that the model has merit and I believe it is implementable and necessary, so the feeling passed quickly. I also

submitted and presented the idea at the Franciscan GRACE Conference this April to a few judges. I argue that this

is the most important thing to consider when thinking about a submission: the quality of the idea. We are taught

that humility is the foundation for all good work and causes. It follows then that it is the content of the proposal,

rather than the presenter, that is important. What I have learned from these experiences is that if you have an idea

or cause that you believe in, forge ahead and leave the voices of doubt and fear behind.

Welcome New Leadership!

Chi Sigma Iota:

President:

Antonia Busch

Vice President:

Kelsey Ricketson

Secretary

Sophie Lake

Treasurer:

Evelyn Stumphauzer

Graduate Counseling

Association:

President:

Sophie Lake

Cabinet:

Chelsea Abrea

John King

Karina Resendiz

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Newsletter

Spring 2017

Volume 12, Issue 2

Ph: 740-284-7220 Fax: 740-284-7036

Newsletter Editor:

Valerie Wark

Student Loan Forgiveness The National Health Service Corps (NHSC)

offers a student loan forgiveness program.

Licensed mental/behavioral health clinicians can

get up to $50,000 to repay their health profession

student loans in exchange for a two-year

commitment to work at an approved NHSC site in a

high-need, underserved area (some in Ohio). The

payment is free from Federal income tax and is made at the beginning of

service so you can more quickly pay down your loans. Approved sites are

located across the U.S., in both urban and rural areas.

For more info visit: nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/

Congratulations 2017 Graduates!

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Department is proud to graduate 16 talented men and women

from our program this year. As a fun send-off, students have nominated one another for superlative awards.

Born to do this- Always was supposed to be a

counselor:

VALERIE WARK

Funny Bone- Most sarcastic/likely to make

people laugh:

BRADLEY BARKER

Success Story- Most likely to make more

money as a counselor than is thought

to be humanly possible:

TYLER KRAMER

Straight Shooter - This person always tells it

like he sees it:

STEPHEN TUTTLE

The Best Kept Secret- This person stands out,

but does not receive the recognition that is

deserved:

ALICIA SUMMERS

Mother Teresa- Most willing to take on

the hard cases: SR. KATHERINE CALDWELL

Devil May Care- Laid back person who always

goes with the flow:

CALEB KNORR

Casual Monday- The person who

is all about comfort:

VICTORIA BALCAR

Dr. Phil-Most likely to get famous someday

from the trade (books, TV show):

ROBBIE GRIFFIN

The Enigma- Most likely to have been faking

their identity this entire time:

LORENZO RESENDEZ

Mary Poppins- Always prepared for any

classroom temperature:

ESTHER ROMAN

Self-Care Queen- Best work/life balance:

ANDREA STANISLAWSKI

Most Authentic- This person is not afraid to be

herself:

ROSE MILETIC

Nose to the Grindstone- This person has

actually done all the assigned reading for class:

JESSICA MORRISON

The Crossover- Most likely to combine

counseling with another line of work:

LAUREN NOCE

Biggest Caffeine Addict- Most likely to show

up to class with a cup of coffee in hand:

MARIE LESKAUSKAS

The Oscars- Best Actor in a role play:

TYLER KRAMER

The Oscars- Best Actress in a role play:

VALERIE WARK

Best Bromance– We are still not sure which

one is which even after two years:

BRAD AND ROBBIE

The next Dr. Jungers (Kind, Brilliant,

Fashionable, Leader):

JESSICA MORRISON

The next Dr. Milburn (Laid back, Storyteller,

Thought stopper, Professory):

BRADLEY BARKER

The next Dr. Kissinger (Concise, Great laugh,

Always takes the hard cases):

STEPHEN TUTTLE

The next Dr. Workman (Perceptive, Knows his

stuff, Not afraid to speak his mind):

TYLER KRAMER

The next Prof. Pawlak (Passionate, Generous,

Genuine love/concern for all people):

ANDREA STANISLAWSKI

The next Prof. Sass (Knows something about

everything, Just gets people):

LORENZO RESENDEZ