Introduction: Say a Little about Yourself! {by 5/25}
Yes, this is cheesy. However, this is your first semester of graduate classes. Let’s at least start to sort of get to know each other. Please answer the following about yourself (the more, the merrier, but no pressure): (1) Name? (2) What college/university did you graduate from? (3) Something wicked interesting/cool about you (it is okay to brag here)? (4) What are your initial thoughts (or experience) about psychological measurement? (5) What do you know about cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or evidence-based practice?
Your original post should be posted by 5/25. Post your two replies no later than 5/27. *Please remember to click the “reply” button when posting a reply. This makes it easier for the reader to follow the blog postings.
*Strong suggestion: Write all your blogs on a separate document. Then, copy and paste it. This will make your life easier and less stressful in case something “wacky” happens with technology.
*Your first post may not immediately appear on my website. I have strong spam filters. So, I may have to approve your first post before it is visible. I should only have to do this once unless you post with a different name and/or email address.
Dr. Adam M Volungis 
May 22, 2023 @ 10:39:38
My name is William Ritacco. I graduated from Worcester State University. I have a son Alexander who lives with me and means the world to me as well as a dog named Rosie. We live in Auburn where I am a martial arts teacher as well as a graduate student. I have taken a psychological measurement class before and found it to be very interesting and helpful. What I know about Cognitive-behavioral therapy is that CBT is centered around the interplay of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It operates on the principle that our thoughts have an impact on our emotions and actions. By identifying and modifying negative or irrational thought patterns, CBT aims to enhance our mental well-being. Finally what I know about Evidence-based practice is that (EBP) is an approach employed in healthcare, encompassing fields like psychology and psychotherapy. It involves the incorporation of clinical expertise, patient values and preferences, and the most up-to-date and trustworthy research evidence when making decisions regarding patient care. By utilizing this approach, practitioners ensure that treatment decisions are grounded in the most current and reliable scientific knowledge available.
May 27, 2023 @ 11:27:07
Hi William! That is so cool that you’re a martial arts teacher, how did you get into that? I also like your description of evidence-based practice; I think it is crucial to pull from these practices when making important decisions with clients; without reliable evidence or research to back up your claims, it would feel wrong to be guiding clients in the way that counselors do. I am looking forward to learning with you this semester!
May 27, 2023 @ 12:38:15
Thank you for your kind words. I got into martial arts as a kid my uncle was really influential and still is in the way that I teach. He’s 61 and we practice together twice a week he really inspires me. It’s really a great way to reduce stress and gain confidence, my son who is 10 also practices with me. Also, I totally agree I always gravitate toward evidence and or research to back up any claims I make whether in a professional setting or even just talking with my friends. Looking forward to having a great semester learning and growing with you !
May 27, 2023 @ 14:26:24
Hi William! I do not know much about martial arts. It is good to hear that it is a great way to reduce stress and gain confidence. I agree that CBT aims to enhance mental well-being and improve overall quality of life. CBT is a collaborative and goal-oriented therapy that empowers individuals to actively participate in their own healing process. CBT’s evidence-based nature, practical focus, collaborative approach, and versatility make it a highly effective and beneficial approach to enhancing mental well-being.
May 24, 2023 @ 12:33:17
Hi everyone, my name is Chase Cooke! I graduated with my B.A. in Psychology from Oregon State University, and now live in Holden, Massachusetts. In my free time, I can really be an old lady at heart; I love to crochet or read whatever long book I can get my hands on! Any course I have taken surrounding psychological measurement has been interesting to me, so I am excited to have the opportunity to take a deeper dive into this course’s material. My current knowledge of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) encompasses the goal of identifying and replacing negative or irrational thought patterns; I also know CBT is an evidence-based practice, meaning it has a great deal of empirical research supporting its efficacy. I am excited to get to know and work with all of you this term!
May 26, 2023 @ 21:00:12
Hi Chase! Its cool to hear that you got your degree from out of state. I’ve never been to Oregon so I would love to hear what its like sometime. I also love that you consider your hobbies as “old lady” hobbies. I find those types of hobbies to be relaxing and stress relieving after long days and can easily be a project you can come back to. Its definitely one of my favorite healthy outlets. I also love crafting and taking it easy when I get the chance. I’ve never been very good at crochet or knitting but I do like to do some latch hooking every now and again. We have the same ideas and knowledge about CBT and how it can help to replace negative thoughts and patterns. Aside from this class we have two other classes this semester so I am excited to get to know you this summer!
May 27, 2023 @ 10:40:22
Hi Chase! It’s good to see someone in class that also lives in the area! I live right by Holden myself. My friends also comment that I can be a bit of an old lady myself. I also share in your hobby of crotchet! I learned when I was twelve and always seem to pick it up again around the holidays when it’s time to make cute little gifts (LOL). I find that it is very relaxing to have a hobby and skill like that to fall back on and is always nice when you can tell someone “I made that!”. I look forward to meeting you in person next week!
May 27, 2023 @ 12:54:08
Hi Chase,
Your understanding of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is spot on. CBT focuses on identifying and replacing negative or irrational thought patterns, helping individuals develop healthier and more adaptive cognitive processes.
It’s wonderful to hear that you have diverse interests outside of psychology. Crocheting and reading are fantastic activities to unwind and engage your mind. I completely agree that there’s something special about getting lost in a good book. I aim to read at least four books a year. Additionally, growing up with a dad who owned a flower shop, I’ve witnessed a lot of creative work, which has always inspired me. Learning something like crocheting has been on my list, especially since I have family members who really enjoy it.
I’m looking forward to this course and having you as a classmate! I’m sure we’ll have valuable discussions and learn from each other throughout the semester.
Jun 01, 2023 @ 12:34:48
Hi Chase! I love that you went out of state to get your undergrad! I did as well, but I only traveled to NH (definitely not as far as Oregon, lol), and I have always wanted to visit Oregon. I also love that you described your hobbies as “old lady” hobbies. I have always wanted to learn to crochet as I think it looks so relaxing, and I also love to read! I like your definition of CBT and how it replaces negative and irrational thoughts and trains people to think more positively. I’m looking forward to getting to know you more this semester!
May 24, 2023 @ 12:34:09
My name is Leah. I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2020 with a degree in Psychology with a minor in Biology. I work as a Program Manager at a group home for adults with developmental disabilities, mental health challenges, and that require nursing support. After graduating from Umass I worked several different jobs in the field to figure out exactly what I wanted to do for a career. I worked as a Residential Counselor, Registered Behavior Technician, Case Manager and a Program Manager. My current job as a Program Manager is what made me want to further my education and work towards becoming a LMHC. Another interesting fact about me is that I have 3 dogs: 2 Golden Retrievers and 1 French Bull dog. My initial thoughts on psychological measurement were reflections on different assessments that I have seen (in doctor offices, schools, etc.) and wondering the validity of these assessments. Many assessments exist attempting to assess emotions, intelligence, personality etc but I am curious the validity and reliability on some versus others. What I know about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is that it focuses on the concept that cognitions (thoughts, attitudes, beliefs) affect behaviors (actions). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is well researched and shown to be effective. The goal of CBT is for the client to learn and recognize when their cognitions are negatively affecting them and to use different skills to redirect these cognitions. I know that evidence-based practices are practices which are known to be effective as they are backed by extensive, and thorough research. Most of the time the research includes clinical expertise, scientific literature, the practice context, as well as the patients circumstances.
May 26, 2023 @ 21:10:39
Hi Leah! You and I have similar jobs, I work as a residential teacher for boys on the moderate to severe spectrum of autism. This position is heavily ABA based so I would like to move towards a more CBT based position. I too am a huge dog person, I just adopted my dog Cocoa in January. She is a 7 year old Boxer, Pitbull, Ridgeback mix. Big hunting dog. But she prefers to sitting outside and listening to the birds under the sun. I also saw that in your reply that you did cross country! Swimming and Running are very close in relation to races and understanding what each race means. I also haven’t swam in some time but would love to get back into it too. You and I have a lot of the same ideas of CBT. I’m excited to include some more measurements to the ideas of CBT and see where it takes us. I’m excited to get to know you this summer!
May 27, 2023 @ 10:33:49
Hi Leah! It’s good to see your name in my class list again! I was surprised to see you have experience working in ABA, so do I! It is something that I tried out during my undergraduate career and it definitely taught me a lot. I was working within the families homes so I definitely think that experience helps me in many ways as I now consider these new job opportunities. One of the jobs I am considering uses a computer system that directs their specialists in the direction of evidence based practices and guides them through the intervention implementation, so I am very interested in that one role to acquire more skills that are based in practices that are proven to help. I look forward to see you in class next week!
May 27, 2023 @ 14:03:22
Hi Leah! I guess that you have a lot of fun time with your dogs. It is good that you have experiences through several jobs. I think you have learned more skills from these. I wish I had some opportunities to work while I spent time for my studying, so that I could gain more experience and skills for my field. However, as an international student, I cannot work while I study. I like the way you explain the psychology measurement as you mentioned the validity and reliability. The validity and reliability of psychological measurement are of utmost importance in the field of psychology. Validity ensures that the measurement accurately captures the construct of interest, while reliability ensures consistency and stability of measurement results. Together, they form the foundation for meaningful and trustworthy psychological research, assessments, and applications.
May 24, 2023 @ 19:41:30
Hello my name is Meaghan Comisky. I graduated this past weekend from Emmanuel College in Boston with a double major in Counseling & Health Psychology, and Art Therapy. One cool fact about me is that I was a competitive swimmer for 14 years and competed against a couple Olympic medalists. I was a distance swimmer and swam the mile almost every weekend so getting to compete against an Olympian was an amazing experience. Unfortunately, I was a second off the time requirement for three separate races so I myself never made it to the Olympic trials but still learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way. My main experience with psychological measurement is my classes within my undergrad, so I am excited to continue to learn and potentially use the tactics in a professional setting. My knowledge with CBT comes from both the classroom and slight experience with an internship I had during undergrad where I got to work at a non-profit with children of underfunded communities around the greater Boston community. While working with the children I got to help them through negative emotions that they were experiencing and gave them assistance in finding what helped them in their own ways. Following the cycle of thoughts–> feelings–>behavior and so on. Currently, I am working with The New England Center for Children as a residential autism teacher, which is mainly ABA based. I am excited to meet everyone and for the semester ahead!
May 26, 2023 @ 13:31:02
Hi Meaghan! Congrats on just graduating! Thats so cool about the swimming. I used to compete in cross country. I loved it. Its been awhile but I would love to get back in to it. It must have been really cool swimming with those medalist. Im sure you learned a lot from them. I too am interested in incorporating skills we will learn in psychological measurement in our professional settings. I feel that it will be incredibly helpful, especially with intake. I also have had the pleasure of working in an ABA setting. ABA taught me a lot. I was able to teach new coping skills, as well as to help children with skills for school. Through this experience I saw a lot of different behaviors. It was interesting to get to the root of those behaviors and effectively teach these children different coping skills. I am eager to expand my knowledge and skills in cognitive behavioral therapy throughout this program! Look forward to getting to know you better in class!
May 24, 2023 @ 20:09:32
Hey everyone, my name is Maura Sneed! I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology & Sociology in 2021 and started this program last semester. Currently, I work in a Kindergarten classroom in the Worcester Public Schools and am pursuing some new job opportunities in family services to step farther into the mental health field. I have been eager to start this course because I’m interested in furthering my knowledge on psychological testing and assessment that is currently based on my experience in my undergraduate research position. I feel like a more in-depth understanding will aid me in many ways, whether it be in ease of understanding research findings or in any assessment I may partake in with clients. My knowledge of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is that its main goal is to unveil and acknowledge the thoughts, feelings and belief systems (cognitions) of the individual you are treating in order to help them target specific behavioral patterns. Ultimately, it has been found to effectively treat a variety of presenting problems, such as anxiety, depression, etc. and consists in identifying which negative thought patterns or perceptions are most detrimental to the individual and what can be done to reduce their frequency and impact.
May 26, 2023 @ 13:40:46
Hi Maura! I know you were in my classes last semester, so I am glad we will be able to take another class together! Family services sounds like it would be helpful within the mental health field. I am sure that job will keep you on your toes! My ideas / first thoughts about this course were also a reflection of my undergraduate experience. I was in undergrad a few years ago, so I am glad that I am able to take this class and sharpen my skill set. It is true that cognitive behavioral therapy has been proven to be effective in a variety of mental health problems. My knowledge of CBT, as a treatment, has been mainly with individuals that have depression and/or anxiety. However, I am taking a class next semester that focuses on CBT but for trauma and related disorders and I am curious as to how it will compare to what I currently know. I started this program in the fall, and my knowledge has expanded so far already. I am eager to continue on with my program of study and am confident that these skills will make me a great professional in the field. See you in class next week!
May 27, 2023 @ 11:18:55
Hi Maura! First off, I noticed your reply to my post and I am looking forward to meeting you in person next week as well, it seems we have a good amount on common! A job in family services would definitely help get your feet wet in the field, are there any particular positions you have in mind? With regard to your understanding of CBT, I like that you included the acknowledgement of one’s belief systems; oftentimes these are based in irrational thought patterns and we have quite a few depending on what area of our life it is referring to. I am excited to dig deeper into psychological assessment and I look forward to learning with you this term!
May 24, 2023 @ 23:45:04
Hi everyone,
My name is Doan (pronounced as Zwan), and I am from Vietnam. I graduated from Hilbert College in Buffalo, NY with a degree in Psychology. I started the CCP program in January. I cannot work here in the US now because I am an international student. However, I sometime engage in volunteer work.
Based on the understanding that I gained from two psychological measurement courses within my undergrad, I understand that psychological measurement refers to the process of quantitatively assessing various aspects of human behavior, cognition, and emotions. It allows researchers to obtain reliable and valid data that can be used to study and understand human behavior, personality traits, intelligence, attitudes, and mental health.
What I know about CBT is that is a widely recognized and extensively researched form of psychotherapy that focuses on the connection between an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is based on the idea that our thoughts and interpretations of events influence our emotions and behaviors. CBT aims to identify and modify unhealthy or negative thought patterns and behaviors to improve psychological well-being. Evidence-based practice (EBP) refers to the integration of the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values and preferences in making decisions about individualized patient care. In the context of psychological treatments like CBT, EBP involves using interventions that have been rigorously researched and demonstrated to be effective in scientific studies.
Jun 01, 2023 @ 12:26:44
Hi Doan! It is so cool that you are from Vietnam and are here for school. I’ve always wanted to travel more in Asia as I have been to China before, but I have always wanted to see Vietnam. I love how you explained CBT and EBT; I think it is so important for people to understand their thoughts and work to make them more positive and helpful. Looking forward to having more classes with you!