Student Stories and Experiences

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The Latest Video Interviews

Rafiq M. | Meridian Student Profile

Meridian student Rafiq Martin reflects on how transformative learning has contrasted with his traditional education experience as he discovers his own path, including a meaningful shift in his career goals.

Donna M. | Meridian Student Profile

Meridian student Donna Mitchell shares how the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program has challenged her to explore new perspectives with the support of a caring online learning community.

Student Testimonials

Read key takeaways from Meridian graduate students about their educational experience and why they chose Meridian's curriculum, faculty, community, and learning platform.

—Mary Fullwood

PhD, M.F.A., Co-Director of the Terra Foundation, Los Osos, California

It's been a really beautiful experience at Meridian to dive into putting my whole being into the learning process- instead of just listening to a lecture or reading a book, actually experiencing the learning process in my body, my mind, and expression- and weaving that all into something that I can carry with me when I leave. Professionally, it's given me a lot of fuel and ideas and concepts that I've taken into my work and used not only with my clients but with designing programs where I work. There's a lot of encouraging of imagination and experience, while also rooting us into solid foundation.

—Carter S.

PhD in Psychology

I think for me the kind of engagement part is more being in a space where so many different students meet. Kind of this international vibe and the stories and the context people come from, because sometimes we can also share things online or in small breakout rooms, and somehow, these different viewpoints, that always make me somehow reflect on something... I also like the questions and perspectives that the faculty brings. It just makes me curious and makes me think and inquire more into myself

—Piret J.

Open Enrollment Student

I’ve always wanted to fuse dance and Psychology. I think what this joint program [with Tamalpa Institute] offers me is choice, flexibility, and connecting with a network I wouldn’t have before. I have choice in how I utilize therapy, how I utilize expressive arts, and in how I want to help people. My goal after Meridian is to be an expressive arts therapist. I feel like Meridian has really prepared me for that in being able to garner how I have been affected by others, my own memories, the stories of my own cohort, the concepts and theories and topics we’ve discussed…And that awareness is going to take me on for the rest of my life and my vocation.

—Gloria R.

PhD in Psychology

My overall experience at Meridian thus far has been quite transformational because the methods of presenting the teaching material, the assignments, and the classes has been quite profound. All the classes, all the teachings, and all the readings have helped me in such a way as to build my self-awareness muscle, and that has been quite palatable in my life. I appreciate the level of engagement that they [program faculty] put through with the class. I also appreciate their insights and perspective on things, but one of the things I appreciate the most is their vulnerability. That creates a kind of bond and openness, like safe space between the students and faculty. It's been quite meaningful to learn from my classmates as well.

—Cynthia G.

PsyD in Clinical Psychology

I chose Meridian for a lot of different reasons. I know that I can slam through a traditional curriculum; I've done it my whole academic career. But, I almost want to say that there was a sense of a calling to try something different. It just didn't seem like an interesting enough idea to pursue a PhD in the same way that I've pursued all of my prior education. I was attracted to a lot of things about Meridian that I knew would be particularly challenging for me, which is that transformational learning platform. Participation and being asked to become vulnerable around certain topics has been an exciting challenge.

—Emily M.

PhD in Psychology

Transformative learning really is something that has changed my life because it integrated all parts of myself. It leaves nothing out. Everything is subject for examination in this program.

—Phoenix J.

PhD in Psychology Student

I think Meridian’s platform is amazing. It’s self-paced and online, but you do get a lot of contact with the faculty and with your peers. The faculty are so supportive and very attuned to your needs and interests. They know how to bring out things you’re afraid to admit at first. The peers are so supportive. Every time we have zoom classes or the intensives, it’s just totally life-changing. Meridian taught me a lot about myself. It was a big step in knowing who I am as a person and how I can bring this person into my professional career in the future.

—Vanessa N.

PsyD in Clinical Psychology

This endeavor, although one of the most challenging of my life, has supported me in the development of my capacities that has allowed me to grow leaps and bounds...The course work, the transformational learning experience, and my dissertation process, along with the support of the professors, faculty, and staff, has empowered and enabled me to be the best that I can be, so that I may continue to support and be of service to human beings in need. I am deeply grateful

—Caroline Cárdenas

PhD in Psychology

Take a moment to imagine the most meaningful educational experience possible. Then, like me, imagine embarking on the life changing journey of going to Meridian. Engaging in the educational process at Meridian provided me the invaluable opportunity to enhance my willingness to participate in daily life as both a learner and a teacher. In a unique and compelling fashion, Meridian’s staff and faculty mentor students towards developing those capacities necessary to become a powerful and effective psychological practitioner who can serve the larger community with compassion and respect. Embracing Meridian’s encouragement of its students to strive towards cultural leadership in both professional practice and personal life, continues to be a challenging experience fully worth its immeasurable reward.

—Susan J. Gulbe Walsh

PhD, Counseling Psychologist, University of California, Santa Cruz

When it comes to transformative learning, what I really notice is kind of exactly how they say it: it’s just landing in my body. I don’t have this stress or urgency to memorize facts. Because it’s landing in such a way, it stays with me and translates to my outside of school experience, too. One thing that I have also really appreciated about the faculty is that they really leave space in their classrooms for folks to challenge and disagree not only them as the faculty, but with each other, and use those times of challenges or disagreements as learning opportunities to see how we can expand our awareness and capabilities to be with the other. Coming in, I didn’t have experience of online education. I was very surprised at what could be cultivated in the online format. I truly did feel seen and heard by my fellow classmates and the faculty and really felt like some deep transformative work was happening.

—Heather B.

PhD in Psychology

So far, my experience has been pretty phenomenal. It’s an incredible program. One of the things that’s really special about Meridian is the cohort culture. What’s called for is your presence, to be with the as-is in the moment, and to allow whatever’s in the room to arise without trying to fix, move, or change it. That capacity, I felt like I came into Meridian with, but I’m going to be leaving at a whole other level of ability to do that. The learning here is kind of meant to throw you for a loop and let you sit in that, and when you come out the other side, there’s a transformation that’s taken place.