The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Supports Second-Career Students Mental Health Professionals Enter Wide-Open Career Market
Los Angles
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November 17, 2022 11:00 AM Pacific Standard Time
After a dozen years working in the wine industry, millennial Joy Makin is shifting her career focus to counseling individuals who are often forgotten by society. As a doctoral candidate in forensic psychology at the Los Angeles campus of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, she says her goal is to help formerly incarcerated men and women get back on track with their lives.
“I was tired of feeling like I was just making more profit for some corporation when I was working for wineries,” she said. “It’s important to me to be able to make a difference and I am hoping I will be able to do that as a forensic psychologist.”
A native of a small farming town in California’s Central Valley, Makin said she had a front-row seat to the effects of alcohol and drug addiction. “I want to help people find ways to cope without harming themselves or others,” she said. “We all mess up and deserve a second chance in life.”
Makin is just one example of The Chicago School’s second-career students who are poised to become the next generation of psychotherapists, counselors and psychologists with real world experience. She and her fellow graduates will enter a wide-open job market where the need is growing while many mental health professionals are reaching retirement age.
A recent Chicago School graduate, Dr. Charles Robinson, was a classroom teacher for years in Illinois urban schools where he saw how his students struggled with mental health challenges. “I felt I could help to address core issues such as anxiety, depression and stress, which adversely affect learning,” he said. “I chose The Chicago School, and earned a doctorate in school psychology so I could more effectively support students in my community.”
Another graduate, Dr. Bethany Patterson, had to juggle family, work and school, while seeking a doctoral degree at The Chicago School’s Washington D.C. campus. A military spouse and mother of three, she graduated last month and is already employed as clinical director at Helianthus Positive Behavior Supports, a provider of counseling services to children and families in Virginia and North Carolina.
“I needed a school that was supportive and respectful of the military lifestyle because I had unique needs,” she said. “I found a place where the learning environment is optimized by active learners with diverse cultures,” she said. “Today I embody The Chicago School’s values of innovation, service, and community by creating a space for military spouses to encourage each other and further their education.”
About The Chicago School of Professional Psychology:
Integrating theory with hands-on experience, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology provides education rooted in a commitment to innovation, service, and community for thousands of diverse students across the United States and globally. Founded in 1979, the nonprofit, regionally accredited university now features campuses in iconic locations across the country (Chicago, Southern California, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Dallas) and online. To spark positive change in the world where it matters most, The Chicago School has continued to expand its educational offerings beyond the field of psychology to offer more than 30 degrees and certificates in the professional fields of health services, education, counseling, business, and more. Through its engaged professional model of education, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and an extensive network of domestic and international professional partnerships, The Chicago School’s students receive real-world training opportunities that reflect their future careers. The Chicago School is proud to be a part of TCS Education System, a nonprofit, integrated system of colleges and universities that works collaboratively to advance student success and community impact. To learn more, visit www.thechicagoschool.edu.
Contact Details
Vivien Hao
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