Student Profile

Past experiences in mental health field and/or meditation: I decided to apply to this program on my first retreat, a three-week vipassana course in Thailand.

How was your experience of Maitri retreats? So far, I have done the first-year retreat. I actually found the retreat to be much easier than I expected. Of course, a ton of personal stuff comes up, especially involving relationships, but the structure of the retreat was much more relaxed than Vipassana.

What do you wish you had known about Naropa and MACP dept. before arriving here? I never doubted my decision to come to Naropa. Boulder is another story. Be prepared for life in a strange bubble of a town.

What is challenging about going to Naropa and the MACP dept? You really have to bring all of yourself to this work, this program of study. I think you could stay removed from the personal, experiential aspect of healing relationship in other programs, but here, you learn to relate to yourself and others. As hard as it is at times.

What is rewarding about going to Naropa and the MACP dept? Like I said, you get to bring all of yourself. Your whole experience, in my opinion, has room here. It’s a very human environment. I have learned a ton in little over a year. I can’t imagine trying to become a therapist without this kind of training.

What have you learned about yourself by going to Naropa and the MACP dept? I’ve learned so much! A lot of what I’ve learned concerns my neurotic aspects I don’t wish to share (ha ha); but also I’ve learned about my empathy, my sanity, my ability to be of help.

Complete this sentence: Contemplative psychotherapy is . . . a sane way to approach the healing relationship.

Life at Naropa and the MACP dept is… a challenge, a lot of the time. We all run into our projections, because of the community aspect – but this is great. Overall I have found a ton of support. For Naropa in general, it’s a fascinating look at what contemplative education is. And there is a lot of beautiful people walking around.

Do you feel that you are being well prepared to work in a clinical setting? I think I’m being well prepared to “be-with” clients. I question my knowledge on the DSM and certain clinical language – but I think the internship will really help with that.

How did you find Naropa? A friend in Flagstaff told me I would like it…she was right!