Graduate school was one of the most pivotal decisions in my life. When I was a teenager I had a miraculous encounter with the Holy Spirit that left me with an unquenchable desire to love on the most broken people of the world. Throughout my years of ministry I have had a variety of opportunities to work with individuals in very unique ways, but none of the programs and few of the relationships I developed had the impact that I craved. I realized that I wasn’t equipped to tackle the most challenging obstacles people face: healing from histories of brokenness. With that, I believed God was calling me to hone my skills in understanding developmental processes, effects of trauma, and how to best recover from them. I had always been skeptical of the science of psychology and wanted a perspective that was filtered through the lens of Scripture. After many months of prayer I was sure that God was calling me to pursue my education through Richmont; little did I know just how well He would prepare me! After being exposed to the world of mental health services I quickly became aware of the quality of education Richmont provides, and how comparable programs left graduates lacking many of the necessary tools to effectively meet clients’ needs. I couldn’t imagine trying to help UN war refugees work through the horrific tragedies they’ve endured without the caliber of knowledge and depth of experience God blessed me with through my time at Richmont.
Nick Hersey, LAPC
Clinician