Divine Mercy University (DMU) is a private

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

graduate university of psychology and counseling located in

Sterling, Virginia Sterling, Virginia, refers most specifically to a census-designated place (CDP) in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population of the CDP as of the 2010 United States Census was 27,822. The CDP boundaries are confined to a relatively s ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Mission

DMU seeks to further the science and professional practice of psychology and counseling, through the integration of Catholic-Christian

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

, and

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

. The need for mental health practitioners with a firm and comprehensive understanding of Catholic teaching, culture, and history inspired the establishment of this institution.

History

DMU traces its roots to the establishment of the

Institute for the Psychological Sciences The Institute for the Psychological Sciences (IPS) is a graduate school of psychology and an integral part of Divine Mercy University (DMU) in Sterling, Virginia. The institute was founded in 1999 with the mission of basing the scientific study ...

, which was founded in 1999 with the specific goal of training doctoral-level mental health professionals who were able to integrate various aspects of

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

with the scientific practice of psychology. With the foundation of DMU's School of Counseling in 2015, the Institute for the Psychological Sciences was restructured and included into DMU. With this change, DMU continued to pursue its mission at the doctoral level; however, it also expanded its mission to train master's level professionals in the mental health field. The university's main

campus A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a college campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls, student centers or dining halls, and park-like se ...

is located in

. Its close proximity to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

allows DMU to pursue its mission in a geographic area noted for its historical, cultural, and political significance. Students from many different states and countries have elected to pursue their degrees through DMU. , the university has trained students from over 30 states as well as from over 13 different countries. Over 160 students have graduated with advanced degrees from the programs offered by the school.

Academics

The university awards graduate degrees at both the masters and the doctoral level. Degree programs are offered through the university's two divisions: The School of Counseling and the

School of Counseling

The School of Counseling (SOC) offers an advanced degree (

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

) in

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Clinical mental health counseling is a healthcare profession addressing issues such as substance abuse, addiction, relational problems, stress management, as well as more serious conditions such as suicidal ideation and acute behavioral di ...

(CMHC), which can be obtained through the successful completion of DMU's on-line graduate program. The CMHC

curriculum In education, a curriculum (; : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view ...

is highly comparable to other professional

counseling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. This is a list of co ...

programs and it is aligned with the educational and training standards established by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Institute for the Psychological Sciences

The

offers a

Doctor of Psychology The Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D. or D.Psych.) is a professional doctoral degree intended to prepare graduates for careers that apply scientific knowledge of psychology and deliver empirically based service to individuals, groups and organization ...

(Psy.D.) degree, which focuses specifically on

clinical psychology Clinical psychology is an integration of social science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and persona ...

. A master's degree in psychology is also offered through the institute, and is especially designed to meet the needs of working professionals and community religious leaders.

Notable faculty and staff

* Joann V. Altiero, Ph.D. - President of the Maryland Psychological Association * William Nordling, Ph.D. - Former President of the Association for Play Therapy and the Association for Filial and Relationship Enhancement Methods. Author. * Harvey Payne, Psy.D. - Former Dean of the College of Counseling at

Columbia International University Columbia International University (CIU) is a private Christian university in Columbia, South Carolina. Divisions CIU has five colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Counseling, the College of Education, the College of Interc ...

Daniel N. Robinson Daniel Nicholas Robinson (March 9, 1937 – September 17, 2018) was an American psychologist who was a professor of psychology at Georgetown University and later in his life became a fellow of the faculty of philosophy at Oxford University. Ca ...

, Ph.D. - Philosopher. Distinguished

Professor Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

of Philosophy at

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the

Faculty of Philosophy A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In American usage such divisions are generally referred to as colleges ...

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. * Philip Scrofani, Ph.D., ABPP - Director of Psychology for the Commission on Mental Health Services in

* Sir

Roger Scruton Sir Roger Vernon Scruton (; 27 February 194412 January 2020) was an English philosopher and writer who specialised in aesthetics and political philosophy, particularly in the furtherance of traditionalist conservative views. Editor from 1982 t ...

, FBA,

FRSL The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is a learned society founded in 1820, by George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV, to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". A charity that represents the voice of literature in the UK, th ...

, Ph.D. - English Philosopher. Author. * Marc Sebrechts, Ph.D. - Department Chair,

Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Roman Catholic research university in Washington, D.C. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by U.S. ...

, Department of Psychology * Rev. Charles Sikorsky, L.C., J.D., J.C.L. - President, Divine Mercy University * Craig Steven Titus,

STD Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral sex ...

, Ph.D. - Theologian. Former Instructor at the

University of Fribourg The University of Fribourg (french: Université de Fribourg; german: Universität Freiburg) is a public university located in Fribourg, Switzerland. The roots of the university can be traced back to 1580, when the notable Jesuit Peter Canisius ...

, Switzerland. Author. *

Paul Vitz Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

, Ph.D. -

of Psychology at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

. Author.

Accreditation

DMU is

accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

(SACS). The school's

(Psy.D.) program in

is recognized by the Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) and designated by the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. DMU's

doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...

program is also

by the

American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States, with over 133,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It ha ...

(APA). Although the SOC's CMHC is designed with CACREP accreditation in mind, the program is not yet accredited by this body.

References

External links

*
The IPS Center
{{authority control Psychology organizations based in the United States Mental health organizations in Virginia Educational institutions established in 2015 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Catholic universities and colleges in Virginia 2015 establishments in Virginia