Celebrating the First Graduate of the Doctorate in Counseling Psychology Program at Felician University

Felician University, well known for its excellence in Nursing and Teacher Education Programs now adds a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology Program to what it offers students.

Chelsea Torres is the first student to successfully defend her dissertation in the Psy.D. Program. Always interested in the intersection of mental and physical health, Ms. Torres’ dissertation was on how probiotics (essentially good bacteria) can enhance mental health. Torres did a critical analysis of the existing literature in the field, then developed an argument for their effectiveness. “Probiotics can help with gut health,” explains Torres, “but nobody really thought of their effect on some of the anxiety and depression related to gut related illnesses.’’

Dr.Daniel Mahoney, Professor of Psychology and Director of Graduate Counseling Psychology says he is proud of Torres and what she has accomplished with her paper calling it, “a significant contribution in terms of both the physical health, but also the mental health field,” adding “she should be applauded for an excellent effort in that regard.”

Ms. Torres earned her MA at Felician and does not think she would be on the way to receiving her doctorate were it not for the support of the Felician faculty, especially Dr.Mahoney. “Felician professors”she says, “definitely make everything feel very much like a family, like a home, and they support you every step of the way.”

That support is mutual, but Dr.Mahoney says Ms. Torres’s stellar work is not just good for her and her personal record of accomplishment but also for Felician University saying, “I think it epitomizes our dedication and training of our psychology students, and it really is a benchmark for how we try to incorporate the most recent developments in the field into the training of our students.”

“Training”Dr. Mahoney says“is more important than ever, especially in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic which is putting unique stresses on frontline and healthcare workers, as well as families and teachers. Our program in psychology is very consistent with the mission of Felician which is to help underserved,we are committed tothe notion of social justice and working with diverse populations and people.”

As for her own future Ms. Torres sees herself working with patients in an outpatient setting administering psychological evaluations, whether cognitive or neuro-psychological, and maybe even working in an academic environment. Wherever the path may lead her she is grateful for Felician’s Franciscan Values which she says are, “very important for anyone studying psychology. I think faculty are drawn to them and teach with those values in mind, and that is why Felician was a perfect fit for me.”

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About Felician University

Felician University engages over 2,300 undergraduate, graduate, and adult students through programs in Arts & Sciences, Business, Nursing, and Education. Universal Franciscan values of social justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity serve as an inclusive foundation for transforming the lives of tomorrow’s leaders. Felician University’s education is ranked 3rd best return on investment for private colleges in New Jersey 2018 by the PayScale.com College ROI Report and is ranked #1 safest college campus in the state by niche.com in 2018.