成为变革的催化剂

For Lauren Wood ’18 MA-MFT, ’22 PhD-MFT, furthering her education is more than a pay increase. Wood uses Mount Mercy’s 婚姻与家庭治疗博士 program as an opportunity to grow as a learner and therapist.

MMU:你为什么想从事助人的职业? 你对婚姻和家庭治疗的热情是如何开始的?

LW: I was originally a school teacher and when we moved to Iowa for my spouse’s job, 我有机会尝试一种新的职业. Jobs that provide someone with purpose and meaning tend to reduce people from feeling burned out and undervalued. Being a therapist allows me to support people in creating hope as a catalyst for change, which might one day bring about a better future for that patient and hopefully a better world to live in.

MMU:你想为什么样的人群工作? 是什么吸引了你?

LW: 虽然我的学位让我能把所有年龄的人都当病人看, I specialize in working with patients who have been diagnosed with medical conditions. My largest patient population is working with those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or other general oncology diagnoses. 我也和患有慢性疼痛的病人一起工作, 阿尔茨海默病, 锅, 和埃勒斯-丹洛斯综合症. I have worked with cancer patients since 2005 in various forms and after having a cancer scare in 2016, 我知道这是一个服务不足的群体，现在仍然如此. I do not know of others working with this population in Cedar Rapids at this time.

MMU: What attracted you to Mount Mercy’s 婚姻与家庭治疗博士 program? 你攻读博士学位的动机是什么?

LW: This question lead to a recent phenomenological study done by my cohort, 目前正在出版的是哪一本. The answer is there is a small population that has a passion or a love of learning for continuing education. I loved my experience in the MFT master’s program and I knew I wanted to further myself as a clinician and potentially become professor. I was so thankful that Mount Mercy started their PhD program because I have three small children and Mount Mercy’s programs allow you to work, 抚养孩子, 进一步发展你的学术.

"I was so thankful that Mount Mercy started their PhD program because I have three small children and Mount Mercy’s programs allow you to work, 抚养孩子, 进一步发展你的学术."

最后, in the master’s program I discovered a love and desire to conduct research studies, 因为博士课程是如此的专业和支持, 它可以让你学习和专注于你感兴趣的领域. I am currently about to start my dissertation on breast cancer and already have two follow-up studies planned. 这项研究不仅影响了锡达拉皮兹地区的专业人士, but also hopefully others working with patients who have been diagnosed with a medical condition.

你是如何在课堂内外培养自己的技能的? 教师的经验和研究如何影响这个项目?

LW: 这个项目使我能够专注于一个特定的研究领域. 我选择了医学家庭疗法. Being specialized allows me to utilize medical family therapy services in the Cedar Rapids community, 哪些是服务不足的人群. I am constantly learning new research that I can apply in my practice and share with fellow therapists, 与我的初级保健医生分享, and share with the medical oncologists who collaborate with me on the patient’s care.

I have been very blessed with the faculty at Mount Mercy because they understand my goals, 允许我为自己和我的实践建立目标, 并努力支持我, 与其他不以学生为中心的大学系统相反. Each of the faculty members have been to a program designed not to be student centered and learned that they could do things differently and better, 我从他们的经历中获益良多.

MMU: How do you see yourself using the skills you’re building in the program? The program incorporates clinical hours—how has this impacted your experience?

LW: 有了技能, 新技术, 以及我从自己的经历中学到的研究, I have started two new groups designed to reduce chronic pain and support breast cancer patients. These groups are one-of-a-kind as they are based on the latest evidence-based research. The skills I learned in the PhD program have allowed me to clearly establish research designed to support this patient population further.

The clinical hours in the program are very different from the master’s program, as they are designed to further individual practice and mastery rather than learning 新技术. I have been able to take these new skills and utilize them in my practice, 哪些对我的职业发展有帮助.

MMU:到目前为止你面临的最大挑战是什么? 你是怎么克服的? 慈悲山在这次挑战中是如何支持你的?

LW: 我在博士项目中面临的最大挑战是我自己. People who are drawn to a PhD program are perfectionists and overachievers. 这些人天生焦虑，这会导致担心和压力. Learning that I am not in the program to be the best or to be perfect, 但作为供应商，变得更好和成长是一个改变游戏规则的过程. I have learned to better pace myself and to work smarter not harder to accomplish tasks. My leadership skills are growing tremendously at this time and learning to lead others has taught me to better support myself.

"My leadership skills are growing tremendously at this time and learning to lead others has taught me to better support myself."

MMU:哪一堂课让你印象深刻? 你认为它为什么会影响你? Is there a specific person or program that has made obtaining your degree easier?

LW: All of the classes have been beneficial, which speaks highly of the program. All of the professors have formed a supportive relationship with me that fosters and models a strengths-based approach, 这是一个巨大的支持. 我知道教授们和我一样希望我成功. They make themselves readily available for any questions 并努力支持我 in achieving my individual goals.

MMU: What’s one piece of advice you would give to future PhD students?

LW: The point of a PhD is to better oneself and specialize in an area of interest. If you are trying to achieve a PhD for any other reason you will not reach your full potential. 获得博士学位很难，但并不值得去努力? There is a reason that only one percent of the population have a PhD and it is worth being proud of yourself if you accomplish it.