Category Archives: jenn

Screen-to-Screen learning

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Being a Clinical Psychology student, there aren’t any psychology classes I can take online. There are, however, a plethora of online courses offered through the School of Theology and School of Intercultural Studies which fulfill requirements for my degree. I have taken a few non-face-to-face courses during my time at Fuller. The first was an IDL (Individualized Distance Learning) and the second was an Online class.

They were both valuable experiences, but I’ll focus on my online class, since it was more recent. Much to my surprise, I enjoyed the class. At first, I decided to take it because my schedule was really busy and I wanted the flexibility that is so nicely included with online coursework.

The class was a seminary core requirement called Church and Mission in Global Contexts, and it was taught by Dr. Ryan Bolger. The course focused on introducing us to various contributing groups to what Christianity is today (Orthodox, Catholic, Pentecostal, and then New Expressions of Church). Each of these “units” required us to attend a service of the particular movement, gather information about the movement, write a reflection, and interact with our group about our experience. We watched relevant clips of lectures, YouTube videos, and the like, and read books about each particular movement.

What I really appreciated about the class was the hands-on nature of the class. Despite being online, I interacted with my group every week, and really got a feel for what it was like to attend the various churches. Because I tend to be more of an observant (rather than participatory) class member, I am not typically in the thick of conversation and discussion in class. This is especially true in my Theology and Intercultural Studies classes. However, I was really able to engage in this class because I had the chance to formulate my thoughts and ideas and then type them to my group rather than raise my hand and speak in front of a large (and often intimidating) group of other students.

Although I’m not sure how many more online courses I will take during my time at Fuller, I have to say that my expectations were far exceeded by the caliber of this course. And any online course I take from here on definitely will have some pretty large shoes to fill.

If you have any questions about my experience, please feel free to send me an e-mail.

Five.

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Well, this week, I’m telling you about my top 5 things to do in the Southern California area. It’s so hard to choose! There are so many fun and exciting things to see and do and eat here. In no particular order (and with the caveat that this might change the second I discover something new):

1. The LA Arboretum – a great place to make yourself forget you’re in busy Southern California. There are peacocks galore, trees and plants from all over, great jogging trails, and sprawling grass. It makes for the best place to study or avoid studying. An annual pass is really cost effective, and gets you into a ton of other botanical gardens in the area.

2. The Hotel Cafe – an awesome music venue that gives you the chance to discover the next hot new artist. Let’s be honest – most of the best music comes from undiscovered artists. This is the place to get in touch with your inner musician.

3. TV Show recordings – I have had the chance to be in the audience of Conan, the Bachelorette, The Price is Right, and Whose Line is it Anyway (it’s coming back starting in July! get stoked). The opportunities for this sort of thing are really endless. It gives you such a different view of TV world, and makes you feel part of the experience. You can request tickets online, but be sure to show up much earlier than they suggest since there are lots of other people who are vying for your seat in the audience.

4. Food Trucks – so. much. fun. and so many options. Check out Roaming Hunger or a similar website to track the food trucks near you. My absolute favorite is The Grilled Cheese Truck. The first time I had it, I stood in line for an hour and a half just to order. And it was so worth it. They also have Food Truck festivals and events (like this Wheel Food Wednesday, at Jones Coffee Roasters that happen during the summer).

5. San Diego – although not in Los Angeles or Pasadena, San Diego is just a short 2-ish hour drive from Fuller. It’s a great place for a weekend getaway, and has so much to offer. Being at least partially biased (I went to college down there), I LOVE San Diego, and it’s just such a different culture than the LA vibe. Visit the world famous zoo, Balboa Park, awesome surfing and beaches, and the historic Gaslamp district. Make a point of visiting while you’re a student at Fuller.

Spring has sprung!

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Spring has sprung here at Fuller, so of course, we have started new classes. I just finished my first week in Psychology of Religion, which will be my last Integration elective class. I always enjoy the first day of a new class – I just love looking over the syllabus, calendar, due dates, etc. (I know that I’m a nerd…), and today was no different.

This week, as I sat in class, I realized that despite my commitment to Christianity and Psychology (and studying them at such an integrative institution), I haven’t ever taken a good, deep look at the psychology of religion before. Why do humans have religion? What makes us believe the things we believe? How has religion developed? Even though I’m not convinced all of these questions will be answered over the next 10 weeks, I’m excited to get the chance to ask and discuss them. I think it’s so awesome that I have the opportunity to look at topics like this while I simultaneously develop my clinical and research skills. I’ll let you know how the course turned out at the end!

The Practicality of it all

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It shouldn’t be a surprise that I find my Clinical Psychology degree a fairly practical use of my time. Not only am I learning a lot about myself, but I’m also learning about the way in which people work, theories behind thought and action, and ways in which to help people who are struggling with a variety of mental health issues.

That being said, I am currently in the middle of my first external clinical placement (called practicum… how much more practical can you get? the root word is the same!), and it has been the most practical part of the program yet. My placement is at a rehabilitation hospital, where people come after they have had a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, etc. to do physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapies. As a practicum student, I work with patients who are experiencing problems with adjustment, depression, anxiety, and other issues related to their stay at our hospital.

My time here has been invaluable as I learn the way in which theory and practice come together. Not only am I able to utilize techniques and ideas learned in class, but I get to witness the ways in which these techniques may or may not work for a particular client. As humans, we are uniquely different from one another, and an intervention that may be very helpful for me may fall completely flat for you.

Although I’m only about half a year in to my first real practicum experience, I am confident that I have grown so much in my competency as a clinician. Of course I still have miles and miles to go, but I can see the small steps that I’m making toward the future life I will have as a clinical psychologist.

If you’re out there, and you’re considering higher-level education in Psychology, I highly recommend checking out our program. Not only does it provide a strong and foundational backbone of classes and theory, but it also incorporates extremely practical training throughout the whole program, which really allows you to see how the rubber hits the road. It’s an incredible journey, and I suggest you consider it.

Thanks to Fuller, I’m a Bookworm

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I was asked to write a post detailing the top 5 books my experience at Fuller has exposed me to. Many books entered the equation, but below is the list that made it out on top (in no particular order):

Free of Charge – Miroslav Volf

I read this book as part of my Christian Ethics class. It gave me a new perspective on forgiveness – something that I unknowingly needed a new perspective on, and made me contemplate my relationship with God in a different way. It stressed the importance of giving as well as forgiving which is something that really struck me. The class lecture and discussion augmented my understanding and interpretation of the book, and I no doubt will go back and read it again and have it impact me in a whole new way.

On Being a Therapist – Jeffrey A. Kottler

I read this book in my first quarter at Fuller. It was part of my Humanistic Psychotherapy class, and I was still very “green” as far as being a therapist goes. Reading this book forced me to wrestle with the reality of being a therapist, the ups and downs Continue reading →

Christmas in California

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Being in California for Christmas is not new for me. I have lived here my entire life, and have had fewer than a handful of white Christmases in my time. To me, sunny with a high of 75 is to be expected for mid-December. This does prove interesting, considering my intense love of Christmas carols.

Lines like “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”, “Jack Frost nipping at your nose”, and “walking in a winter wonderland” are confusing at best. Being here at Fuller, I have friends from all over the place Continue reading →

Thanks + giving

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I’ve heard such a push this year for a focus on thanks and giving, that I though it a decent idea to write about it.

I think the notion of separating thanks and giving from one another seems slightly odd. I don’t doubt that this campaign has helped some people realize that our American Thanksgiving is not just about giving thanks, but also about simply giving to others, whether it be a tangible gift, or one less tangible. But I also think that those two concepts are completely intertwined.

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The [almost] Halfway Point

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I am the type of person that likes to plan. I try to plan just about as much as possible in my life. No surprise, then, that I started thinking about my courses for next quarter before midterms hit. Now, you need to know something about me: when I was in my first year here, I wanted a way to accurately track my progress in the program. So I made a spread sheet on my computer with all of the courses I needed to take, and what quarter I should take them. It is one of my most prized possessions (mock me if you want…). I was reviewing my spreadsheet to figure out my courses for next quarter, and that’s when I realized that I’m almost halfway done with my time here at Fuller.

This. is. crazy. (cue Carly Rae Jepsen)

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Christian Ethics

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I just started a Christian Ethics course. This course, taught by this particular professor, has a very distinct reputation at Fuller. Nearly everyone I talk to who has taken it says the same thing: “It’s one of the best classes I’ve taken, but it’s also one of the most challenging.” Now don’t get me wrong, I believed what everyone said, but I didn’t realize the full extent of what “challenging” would come to mean for me. I am now starting to realize why people can’t elaborate more about the “challenging” nature of the course. It is so deeply personal and multi-faceted that it is hard to describe it with words beyond “challenging.”

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