Student Portal Faculty Portal Library Student Events Online Courses Continuing Ed

Monthly archive: January 2016

Seven Richmont Faculty Chosen to Present at CAPS National Conference

ATLANTA, GA AND CHATTANOOGA, TN – JANUARY 2016 – Seven core faculty members from Richmont Graduate University have been selected to present at the national conference of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS). Proposals are chosen via blind review of several readers. Out of the thousands of submissions from scholars across the world undergoing scrutiny from multiple leaders in the field, seven Richmont proposals received acceptance letters.

“Richmont is excited to pursue its goal of being a contributor to new knowledge in Christian counseling, not just a distributor of knowledge. To that end, we are blessed to have seven of our core faculty presenting at the premier Christian counseling and psychology conference in the world. This shows that the research being done here is having a national and international impact,” says Dr. Timothy Sisemore, Director of Research at Richmont.

The national conference will be held March 10-12 at the Hilton Pasadena Hotel in Pasadena, California. Several hundred attendees will experience workshops, trainings, and presentations within the framework of the 2016 theme: “Connect: The Healing Power of Relationship.” Sessions by Richmont faculty include Facing Death: Faith, Coping, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, by Dr. Timothy Sisemore; Commercially Sexually Exploited Children: Critical Levels of Community Intervention and Treatment, by Dr. Sonja Sutherland and Dr. Lorrie Slater; Encouraging Self-Care in Counselor Training: Advancing Healthy Practices of Student Interns, by Dr. Jama White, Dr. Mary Plisco, and Dr. Amanda Blackburn; Sexual Trauma Therapy and Sex Therapy: Complement or Conundrum?, by Dr. Vanessa Snyder and Dr. Debra Taylor; and Facing the Ethical Challenges of Being a Person of Faith in the Mental Health Professions: A Roundtable, featuring Dr. Timothy Sisemore and three colleagues.

President Bob Rodgers says, “We are thrilled for the work of our faculty members to receive recognition at this prestigious conference. Scholarship at Richmont is an aspect of stewardship; we use the intellectual capabilities the Lord has given us to discover how better to serve those in need and then share what we learn with others in our field.”

The mission of CAPS is to further psychological research in a Christian lens, always keeping the focus on those who are served and how to best reach them with the hope and love of Christ. CAPS members include a wide spectrum of professionals, including psychologists, counselor educators, psychiatrists, physicians, marriage and family therapists, social workers, counselors, researchers, pastors, chaplains, theologians, and students in related fields. The ideas shared at the national conference often become catalysts for new projects, thus creating an ever-increasing reach for Christians in the helping professions.

For a full schedule of events at the CAPS conference, visit CAPS.net.

Richmont One Step Closer to CACREP Accreditation

ATLANTA, GA AND CHATTANOOGA, TN – JANUARY 2016 – Richmont Graduate University received word from the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) that a site visit will occur in the next 12-15 weeks. This is the final linchpin before a decision can be made regarding CACREP accreditation of Richmont’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

President Bob Rodgers says, “This is wonderful news for our university, and we are excited to continue God’s work in new ways as a result of this opportunity. I am so grateful for everyone that has played a part in this process. We look forward to hosting the CACREP team very soon.”

CACREP accredits universities based on the rigor of their standards, the quality of their content, and their balanced approach to counselor education. Counselors in training who graduate from CACREP-accredited programs routinely experience higher first-time pass rates on the National Counselor Exam (NCE), better brand recognition of their degree, and a streamlined process toward licensure in the field. By choosing a CACREP-accredited graduate program, students are certain they will receive high quality, well regarded content to prepare them for their new career in mental health work.

Dr. Stephen Bradshaw, Dean of the Schools of Counseling and Psychology, said in an announcement to Richmont students, “We anticipate the many ways in which this will strengthen Richmont’s reputation and better serve our students.”

CACREP accreditation is currently being sought for Richmont’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling; however, the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy will undergo a similar process in the near future with the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).

Richmont Honors Human Trafficking Awareness Month

ATLANTA, GA AND CHATTANOOGA, TN – JANUARY 2016 – Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta, Georgia, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, is honoring Human Trafficking Awareness Month with a host of activities to draw attention to this important matter. Events include film screenings, panel discussions, chapel services, trainings, and lectures, all focused to raise awareness of the prevalence of sex trafficking and possibilities for the public to get involved.

Dr. Vanessa Snyder, Dean of Clinical Affairs, psychologist, and clinical expert in the field of human trafficking, explains, “Sex trafficking survivors need holistic help, not just clothes and money. We are a university that is committed to bringing healing to this demographic.”

The month-long focus begins on January 8 for the Unite – Wear White event at the Double Tree Hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Richmont and Second Life Chattanooga are teaming up to bring this event to the public free of charge to raise awareness of the prevalence of sex trafficking in Tennessee and ways to get involved in the community.

Another highlight from the month’s activities is a screening of the film Nefarious, Merchant of Souls on January 18 on both campuses. In Atlanta, this will be followed by a candlelight prayer vigil in the Richmont Chapel. (A full calendar of events follows this article.)

President Bob Rodgers states, “Human life is precious, and at Richmont we take seriously the evils that threaten it. We consider it an honor to spend this month educating the public and rallying support for the eradication of sex trafficking.”

All events on both campuses will be open to the public. We encourage all to attend and learn more about this critical issue. To learn more about Richmont’s Human Trafficking Awareness Month events, please contact Dr. Eniabitobi Kuyinu (ekuyinu@richmont.edu).

Schedule of Events

Friday, January 8: Unite – Wear White
Double Tree Hotel in downtown Chattanooga, 9:45 a.m.
Richmont is co-sponsoring this community event to raise awareness of Human Trafficking. Don’t forget to wear white!

Tuesday, January 12: Human Trafficking Awareness Month Informational Session
Richmont Graduate University, Chattanooga campus, 12:00 p.m.
Come learn about ways to get involved in the Chattanooga community to combat sex trafficking.

Monday, January 18: Film Screening
Richmont Graduate University, Atlanta campus, 5:00 p.m.
Richmont Graduate University, Chattanooga campus, 6:00 p.m.
Following the Atlanta screening of Nefarious, Merchant of Souls, a candlelight prayer vigil will be held in Linder Chapel at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 19: Jerry Redman, Founder of Second Life Chattanooga
Richmont Graduate University, Chattanooga campus, 12:00 p.m.
Jerry Redman is the CEO of Second Life Chattanooga. He serves as Co-Chair of the Greater Chattanooga Coalition Against Human Trafficking Executive Committee.

Tuesday, January 19: Community Lecture
Richmont Graduate University, Atlanta campus, 12:00 p.m.
The lecture is entitled, “Secondary Prevention and the Fight Against Modern Day Slavery.”

Wednesday, January 20: Tracy Busse, LPC, ACS
Richmont Graduate University, Atlanta campus, 12:00 p.m.
Tracy Busse, former Clinical Director of Wellspring Living, will give a lecture entitled, “Best Practices in Working with Survivors of Sex Trafficking.”

Thursday, January 21: Film Screening
Richmont Graduate University, Atlanta campus, 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The film Fields of Mudan will be shown in Linder Chapel.

Friday, January 22: Training for Helpers
Richmont Graduate University, Atlanta campus, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
The Child Advocacy Center will provide a training entitled, “Stewards of Children: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention.” There is a $15 fee for the handbook and training.

Tuesday, January 26: Chapel Service
Richmont Graduate University, Chattanooga campus, 12:00 p.m.
A prayer service will be held in the Richmont Chapel in honor of human trafficking survivors and helpers in the community.