Skip to main content
UC Berkeley Extension

Voices Blog

  • Educator Insights
  • Student Stories
  • Professional Pathways
  • Industry Trends

Search form

External Menu

  • Berkeley Extension

Behavioral Health Sciences

 

She Understood the Assignment

Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Ryan Razon
 

The Road to Becoming a School Psychologist

Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Karishma Bajaj outside in front of red flower
 

Discovering a Psychology Passion Is a Profession

She Understood the Assignment

Carolynne Mims - April 25, 2022

Admit it: When you read the title of this blog, you begin to bop your head and sway your shoulders as if you’re listening to the chorus of your favorite dance song.

The same goes for

postbaccalaureate Counseling health certificate graduate Psychology Behavioral Health Sciences
Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Ryan Razon

The Road to Becoming a School Psychologist

Lori Gray - February 10, 2022

The switch from attending a private elementary school in L.A. to a public high school had deep reverberations for Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Ryan

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences school counseling behavior intervention graduate school pyschology
Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Karishma Bajaj outside in front of red flower

Discovering a Psychology Passion Is a Profession

Lori Gray - October 19, 2021

Having always been a keen observer and a sensitive and empathetic person, Karishma Bajaj’s career path to psychology is not surprising. Her mom had been a licensed professional counselor (LPC)

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology program graduate graduate school
Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Pyschology Professions graduate Megan Ro outside in front of trees

How Life Experiences Can Shape a Career Shift

Lori Gray - September 24, 2021

For many, just the thought of changing their career path can be both scary—no matter which stage in their career they might be.

“Even though I was relatively early in my career, the thought

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology graduate school
Black and white photo of instructor Rhodri Scantlebury sitting on a stool

Empathy is Key to Understanding Mental Health

Dr. Rhodri Scantlebury - September 22, 2021

Our field is ever-changing. As we gain new insights, the study and practice of abnormal psychology remains mysterious, dynamic and complex, reluctantly disclosing its secrets.

mental health Educator Insights Instructor Profiles abnormal psychology Psychology
hands raised from people of all backgrounds and skin colors

August 12 Online Event: Corporate Engagement

Sarah Benzuly - July 16, 2021

Corporate social responsibility has become a major buzzword in today's business sector, seen as a key to a positive public image and the ability to attract and keep quality employees. This trend

events online events nonprofit
Photo of Gabi Galvin, Behavioral Health Sciences Community Impact Scholarship winner

Focus on the Positive

Lori Gray - November 13, 2020

Gabi Galvin’s career push came from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She was working for Twentyeight Health, “a mission-driven womxn’s health organization with the goal of increasing

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology mental health scholarship winner
Trauma-Informed Interventions program graduate Amy Paulson smiling, not looking at camera. Photo.

The Ripple Effect of Healing Through Resilience

Lori Gray - August 20, 2020

From day one, Amy Paulson has experienced trauma. Abandoned shortly after being born in Seoul, South Korea, Amy was then adopted by a family in America months later.

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences trauma-informed interventions graduate CEU workshop
Professional Program in Child and Adolescent Treatment graduate Erin Richerson standing outside her home in California

Listening to the Future

Lori Gray - March 16, 2020

Erin Richerson may have started her career as a teacher, but it was during a life-changing experience abroad that she began to rethink her initial plan.

An educational mission trip to Kenya

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling child and adolescent treatment mental health
Photo of Post-Bacc Counseling and Psychology program graduate Lisell Perez-Rogers standing on an oceanfront with sunset and rocks in background

To Make a Positive Impact in Mental Health

Lori Gray - December 18, 2019

When she finally decided to pursue graduate school for psychology, Lisell Perez-Rogers turned to UC Berkeley Extension's Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions for

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology graduate school
Headshot of Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Sam Kushner sitting in front of a window

In Pursuit of Higher Education

Lori Gray - July 23, 2019

“I have always felt drawn to helping people,” says Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Sam Kushner. Helping people—in the form of providing exceptional

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology graduate school social work
Michael Sanchez standing in a valley next to a winding stream in the Quiraing at the Isle of Skye, Scotland

The Course of a Counseling Career

Lori Gray - April 26, 2019

Do you visualize your own career opportunities as a beautiful landscape, complete with green meadows and valleys, winding streams and roads? A new adventure around every bend? Mountains in the

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology graduate school
Chest-view stock photo of a male medical professional working on a laptop with medical records overlayed on shot

‘Digital Defynd’ Ranks Our Online Health Informatics Program #4 for 2019

Lori Gray - February 15, 2019

With a projected job-growth rate of 13 percent through 2026, it is no wonder that Medical Records and Health Information Technicians are experiencing a boom in educational offerings and

Industry Trends Behavioral Health Sciences Health Informatics Online Courses
Photograph of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Studies graduate Therese Becker holding her grandson at his baptism

Treating Those Affected by Substance Abuse

Lori Gray - January 25, 2019

Therese Becker’s passion for helping others through counseling dates back to high school: “When I was a senior, we had an assignment in which we had to think about what we wanted to do in life.

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences alcohol and drug abuse studies mental health
Photograph of Behavioral Health Sciences instructor Michael Tompkins, Ph.D., ABPP

Helping Youth Through Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Lori Gray - December 4, 2018

“Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is the most studied psychotherapy that we have,” says Behavioral Health Sciences instructor Michael Tompkins, Ph.D., ABPP. Along with its empirical approach to

Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences cognitive behavioral therapy CEU workshop Michael Tompkins
Photograph of Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Sooeun Tiffany Kim

Making a Difference in Behavioral Health

Lori Gray - October 22, 2018

Growing up in a first-generation, low-income immigrant family, Sooeun (Tiffany) Kim faced firsthand struggles and challenges due to social inequality. Her family had had difficulty with

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology graduate school
Photo of School of Social Welfare lecturer and UC Berkeley Extension 2018 Honored Instructor Andrea DuBrow

Developing Students' Futures in the Public Sector

Lori Gray - August 2, 2018

Since 1994, more than 600 local public social-services managers have received Berkeley-quality education in order to become leaders in the Bay Area through a fascinating opportunity called

Extension Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences honored instructor executive development social welfare
Photo of Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions graduate Jensine Sneeden

When Mental Health and Business Career Goals Converge

Lori Gray - July 24, 2018

Jensine Sneeden does not let geography hinder her career choices.

In 2012, Jensine earned a B.A. from St. Lawrence University in upstate New York, where she majored in government and

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology graduate school
photograph of Health Advocacy program graduate and health care advocate Donna Smith

From Human Resources to Health Advocacy

Lori Gray - June 22, 2018

Donna Smith was only four years old when she had a life-saving surgery to repair a complex congenital heart defect—and her parents’ health insurance saved them from any resulting financial

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Health Advocacy insurance

How Technology Can Improve Patient Care

Sarah Benzuly - April 30, 2018

Since 2005, Melanie’s professional mission is to guide health care organizations on better utilizing technology and data to deliver higher-quality care at a lower cost. She’s done this through a

Educator Insights Industry Trends health care public health
Graduate sharing his thoughts with team

Turning an Aspiration Into a Career

Lori Gray - March 22, 2018

In 2012, Ryan Barrett decided to go back to school. A variety of professional and personal factors led him to this career change. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology social work graduate school

Prescription Drug Abuse: Prevention as Treatment

Lori Gray - February 15, 2018

On October 26, 2017, President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic "a national public health emergency" under federal law. As a result, agencies had a 90-day window—which has been extended

Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences alcohol and drug abuse studies Counseling addictions

Health Care Dream Fulfilled Through Advocacy Role

Lori Gray - January 23, 2018

Cara Sperry was about five years into her job as a vocational trainer at Computer Technologies Program in Berkeley, when her brother, a U.S. citizen, suffered a fall while living in South Korea.

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Health Advocacy graduate

Helping Others Focus on the Future

Lori Gray - November 13, 2017

When Robin Andrae and her siblings had to make decisions about their parents’ end-of-life care, they found themselves faced with puzzling questions and hard decisions. Nobody could agree on

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Health Advocacy career change

Event: New Approaches to Healthcare Advocacy

Lori Gray - October 24, 2017

Want to learn more about the growing field of health advocacy?

Industry Trends Behavioral Health Sciences Health Advocacy

A Pioneer in Health Care Advocacy

Lori Gray - September 1, 2017

Why would you need a second opinion to make the right decision for you or a family member, especially coming from someone who is not your physician? But what if it is someone who knows the ins and

Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences Health Advocacy honored instructor social work

Does an Employee’s Mental Health Affect Your Bottom Line?

Lori Gray - June 5, 2017

Drama, drama, drama. When I was watching Mad Men, all of the characters seemed to be swirling in the drama that surrounded their lives.

Behavioral Health Sciences Educator Insights CEU workshop Employee Assistance Programs workplace counseling

9 Reasons to Battle Against Substance Misuse

Lori Gray - May 9, 2017

Addiction is a health condition. While prevention is ideal, if a person does develop a substance use disorder, treatment is critical. People with this chronic condition need continued support

Behavioral Health Sciences Industry Trends alcohol and drug abuse studies addictions Surgeon General's Report public health

A Community Working Together for Substance Use Recovery

Lori Gray - May 8, 2017

According to the latest Surgeon General’s Report released in 2016, 20.8 million people aged 12 and older in the United States had a substance use disorder in 2015. How many of those 20.8 million

Industry Trends Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences alcohol and drug abuse studies addiction recovery

The Hows and Whys of Volunteering

Lori Gray - February 22, 2017

Before you can transform the lives of others while on payroll, you can make an impact and gain experience in your field as an intern or a volunteer. The coursework in our Post-Baccalaureate

Professional Pathways Behavioral Health Sciences Psychology graduate school

The Gender Spectrum

Lori Gray - February 6, 2017

Are you a boy or a girl or neither?

How would you answer that seemingly simple question? Could you answer that question? Not many of us understand how neuroscience and the

Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences Psychology Neuroscience transgender

Breaking the Cycle of Self-Destruction

Lori Gray - January 3, 2017

Coping with stress is something that both plants and animals experience, according to the late UC Berkeley philosophy Professor Emeritus Wallace Matson. It is not uncommon. Alleviating stress on

Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences Psychology Counseling self-injury

Helping the Community Deal With Loss and Grief

Lori Gray - September 12, 2016

UC Berkeley Extension’s Professional Program in the Study of Loss and Grief helps current therapists and those interested in becoming counselors understand current issues in the field.

Educator Insights Industry Trends Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling loss and grief

What Can Be Done About the Rise in Rx Opioid Misuse?

Lori Gray - August 22, 2016

Dr. H. Westley Clark, executive professor of public health at Santa Clara University and former director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment in Washington, DC, addresses prescription

Industry Trends Behavioral Health Sciences alcohol and drug abuse studies addictions H. Westley Clark

Richard Sprott Inspires Extension Students to Become Lifelong Learners

Lori Gray - August 16, 2016

When you skim through the course evaluations for Richard Sprott, Ph.D., you see phrases such as "great course, great teacher." He's "fantastic." He is "an amazing lecturer who made going to class

Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology Richard Sprott honored instructor

Teaming Up: Extension and the Department of Rehabilitation

Lori Gray - July 28, 2016

"My knowledge of the disease of substance abuse disorders was limited, especially regarding the aspects of how it affected my brain's neurological system, my liver enzymes, my lungs and all my

Industry Trends Behavioral Health Sciences alcohol and drug abuse studies partnerships

How Will the 'End of Life Option' Affect Your Practice?

Lori Gray - June 8, 2016

Beginning June 9, 2016, California's terminally ill residents will have more control over how they choose to live their final moments. The End of Life Option Act—ABX2 15, California's version of

Industry Trends Behavioral Health Sciences Educator Insights David Jull-Patterson Counseling end of life

Dying With Dignity in California

Lori Gray - June 8, 2016

It took almost 25 years for a Dying With Dignity law to be passed in California. View the historical timeline of what was to be the End of Life Option Act.

Industry Trends Behavioral Health Sciences end of life Counseling

New Book From UC Berkeley Extension Honored Instructor

Rebecca Lubitz-Marchena - June 1, 2016

David Presti, Ph.D., is an interesting guy. His areas of expertise include drugs’ effects on the brain, the treatment of addiction, and the scientific study of the mind and consciousness.

Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences Neuroscience Psychology

Is an Online Post-Baccalaureate Program for Psychology Careers Right for You?

Lori Gray - May 16, 2016

Location, location, location—that’s not always a requirement when you’re looking at schools to further your education. Living hundreds or even thousands of miles away from Berkeley, you can still

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology Online Courses Richard Sprott

Meet Pamela Rosecrance

Lori Gray - April 4, 2016

In five years, Pamela Rosecrance will be completing her final year in residence at the University of Tennessee Ph.D. program (where she was recently admitted to) and preparing for a clinical

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology graduate school

Meet Mark Langton

Lori Gray - April 4, 2016

Mark Langton's years as a journalist left him with many great memories, both as an entertainment columnist for the San Francisco Examiner and as a theater critic for the Marin Independent Journal

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences alcohol and drug abuse studies Counseling addictions

John Edwards: Student Success Story

Lori Gray - April 4, 2016

No stranger to UC Berkeley Extension—he has taken classes to earn CEUs—John Edwards found that the Professional Program in Eating and Weight Disorders was a natural fit to better serve his clients

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling eating disorders LGBT

Meet Psychology Student Colin Fyfe

Lori Gray - March 3, 2016

Poring through numbers to prove causes and correlations as a psychological-health researcher at UCSF and UC Berkeley, Colin Fyfe began to miss the one-on-one communication that is part and parcel

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences alcohol and drug abuse studies LGBT

Soul-Searching Leads Student Ed Shockley to Study Loss and Grief

Lori Gray - January 29, 2016

Not content with easing into retirement by sitting, reading or watching TV, Ed Shockley has done some soul-searching as to "what's next."

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences loss and grief end of life

Coaching Young Tech Professionals to Attain Balance

Lori Gray - January 8, 2016

UC Berkeley Extension instructor Christina Villarreal brings her extensive knowledge in evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to the classroom.

Educator Insights Behavioral Health Sciences Psychology cognitive behavioral therapy

Corey Datz-Greenberg Gets Real-World Psychology Experience

Lori Gray - December 7, 2015

For Corey Datz-Greenberg, making a career change from union organizer to psychologist isn't that much of a mind-shift.

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Counseling Psychology Richard Sprott

Where Our Counseling and Psychology Graduates Go

Lori Gray - November 9, 2015

Students in the Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions have been admitted to a variety of schools, including but not limited to...

Industry Trends Behavioral Health Sciences Psychology graduate school

Health Advocacy Student Susan Dugan Wants to Make a Difference

Lori Gray - July 8, 2013

Re-entering the health care field after six years as a stay-at-home mom, Susan Dugan looks to the Certificate Program in Health Advocacy to supplement her Master of Social Work and Master of

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Health Advocacy health care social work

Stephanie Bisgaard Finds Enrichment in the Classroom

Lori Gray - July 9, 2012

Stephanie Laila Tuxen Bisgaard draws on her experience as a clinical psychologist in Copenhagen, Denmark, to enhance the lively discussions in her Counseling and Psychology courses at Extension.

Student Stories Behavioral Health Sciences Psychology