Meet the Leaders

Marybeth

This is my first involvement with International learning. I am very excited and honored to be a part of this group! Not only will I be engaged with the students’ learning, but I will be gaining new information and learning that will assist in my Multicultural and Diversity in Counseling class.

I look forward to representing the University of Louisville. We have some amazing students going into the mental health field!

Meet the Students

Allie

While in Ireland, I am looking forward to learning more about the many aspects of counseling and mental health services as it pertains to the culture. I want to know more about the presence of art therapy within the culture, and how it varies from art therapy in the United States. I am also excited to be able to experience the many different aspects of Irish culture; through listening to guest speakers, going on group excursions to historical sites, enjoying the Irish food, and much, much more.

Almina

I hope to not only learn more about Irish culture and customs but to also learn about the mental health system in Ireland and what kinds of psychological services are available to the country's citizens.

Allie

I have wanted to visit Ireland for many reasons before I learned about the international studies opportunity last year. Part of my heritage originates from Ireland, my high school was started by the Sisters of Mercy, originally from Dublin, and the scenic beauty I have heard and seen about in Ireland has always intrigued me. Once I heard about what this opportunity allowed me to learn, I became even more interested in traveling there. I hope to gain a knowledge on how to treat those from a multicultural background while in the mental health setting. While I will not know how every culture treats mental health individually from this experience, I hope to get a better understanding on what it is like to be in a different culture where mental health is treated completely differently. I can then more fully empathize with those clients I treat in the future who are from multicultural backgrounds.

Amanda

I'm very excited to immerse myself into a new culture and experience it firsthand. It’s been a dream of mine to visit Ireland for a long time now and I'm very excited to see it finally come true.

Amber

I am really excited for this opportunity to study abroad in Ireland. I am very interested in learning their mental health history and exploring the cities of Dublin and Cork. 

Ashlee

I am so excited for the Ireland trip because I absolutely love to travel. To be able to go somewhere beautiful AND receive class credit is like killing two birds with one stone. I am interested to learn how mental health is dealt with in a different culture. Also, our cohort has gotten so close in this past year and I am very excited to experience this with some of them!

Clara

I am extremely excited for my upcoming trip to Ireland. The opportunity to learn and grow through experiencing other cultures and their therapeutic processes will be very beneficial for my future as an art therapist. I look forward to gaining new knowledge in order to better help my future clients.  

Emily

While in Ireland, I hope to learn more about the mental health system and various issues that they face within their communities. I also hope to gain valuable knowledge that will be useful in my future practice as a counselor. And, I think it goes without saying, I am excited to explore and sight-see the beautiful country of Ireland.

Janeeta

I have always wanted to do something different for myself, but never got the opportunity to do so. Through this program, I have the opportunity to see a new country and experience how the field of psychology and culture differs from ours. It will be a way for me to witness and appreciate a new way of life. I'm also looking forward to meeting some new wonderful people.

Emily

I am excited to explore another country, as I have never left the US. I am also very interested at the perceptions of mental illnesses in Ireland, and the stigmas associated with mental illness and how they might be different from our own.

Katie

International travel is an opportunity I just can't pass up once it has been presented.  Being given the chance to step into another part of this world and learning to see it with fresh eyes will be life-changing!  The things I can learn while traveling will make me a more well-rounded person, and as a result, a better art therapist. 

Kelcie

I am most excited about being able to see a new part of the world! I can’t wait to be able view the scenery and experience the culture of Ireland. Seeing the pace of life in another part of the world is always one of the most interesting parts of going somewhere new and I am intrigued to see how the Irish live life. I can’t wait to learn about how counseling is conducted in their culture and the ways that they respond to differently to common issues that everyone experiences.  I want to be able to brag in the future about how I’ve been to Ireland as well as Italy! I am super excited about this trip and think it will be the perfect beginning to this summer.

Katy

As an art therapist, it will be my job to expand the horizons of my clients through art and connection. I think Rick Steves said it best, ‘Travel is rich with learning opportunities, and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective.’ I am so excited for this opportunity!

Kylie

There is nothing greater than being able to mark something off your bucket list while also learning! The trip to Ireland allows me to do just that. I am beyond excited to see the country, and learn from their mental health professionals.

Lara

I am excited to be immersed in the culture of Ireland and have the opportunity to study abroad. I'm also eager to not only learn from the other students in other programs, but also to explore the similarities and differences of mental healthcare in the United States and Ireland.

Misti

This trip to Ireland will be my first experience in Europe. I am excited to get a taste of Ireland's traditions, food and culture. From this experience, I hope to gain insight about how other cultures view and treat mental health.

Natasha

I'm excited about the opportunity to see how issues of mental health are addressed in another country. I hope to learn about new frameworks and approaches for treating disorders. I also hope to get a better grasp on Irish culture, and how it factors into mental health.

Sara

With this trip I hope to gain insight into Ireland's world of art therapy. Art therapy is much more common in Ireland compared to the United States and it will be interesting to learn the community’s outlook on the effectiveness of art therapy. I am also excited to learn how art therapy is used with the different populations. 

Stephen

I am excited to learn about mental health practices at the international level! I look forward to gaining new insight into what counseling looks like in a different country.

Troy

I have always been a traveler and I strive to get as much out of as many different countries as I can in my life. I love to learn about different cultures first hand, and experience life in a different way, even for just a few days. Ireland has always been closer to the top of my to-go-list, so I am excited to get this opportunity to travel and learn through UofL.

The Program

While in Ireland, students will have an opportunity to discuss mental health issues with local University faculty and community mental health providers, the history of the mental health field in Ireland, and current issues that impact society at large as well as professionals in the field.  Students will also be visiting professional institutions in art therapy and counseling and local mental health treatment facilities.

The International Learning experience partners with several institutions in Cork, and Dublin to make this experience an enriching one for our students: The University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology, Crawford College of Art and Design and Trinity College in Dublin. Along with formal academic experiences, students will have the chance to visit some of the most beautiful places in Ireland—Cobh, Ring of Kerry, Blarney Castle, Cliffs of Moher, Newgrange, just to name a few!