Student Stories and Experiences

Resources

The Latest Video Interviews

Kenya C. | Meridian Student Profile

Hear from Meridian PsyD student Kenya Clement, about her journey so far in her first quarters. She describes vivid analogies of her experience with transformative learning and shares the inspiring career goals she has for after graduation.

Valerie W. | Meridian Student Profile

Hear from Meridian student Valerie Wildman, about following her heart and soul call to choose Meridian She describes how her program has helped her understand the many different ways of learning and expressing oneself. She also shares Meridian's impact on her beyond the day-to-day.

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.

—Caroline Cárdenas

PhD in Psychology

Meridian provides an extraordinary curriculum that has benefited me both personally and professionally. Community learning was completely transformative, catalyzing capacities in me which were previously undeveloped. Because of Meridian’s excellence, my education did not stop at graduation. I have bone knowledge and wisdom that continues to inform, guide, and inspire me in my work as a psychotherapist and educator. I am excited for anyone choosing Meridian for their graduate education because I know they will receive a rigorous yet meaningful education and expansive understanding of psychology and its true purpose of caring for the soul.

—Irene Ives

PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

The transformative experience here feels like a safe walk, like you're walking with a friend who just cares and wants to see you get to the other side because they've been there and they know how wonderful it is. So, it feels like a real, sweet, gentle invitation. Organically over the time I've been here, my family relationships have just come even more alive... The aspect of the shared learning that's happening is so rich. I find myself in awe most of the time for the depth of knowledge and experience that's in the space with me. There are just some really heartfelt folks here that seem to get, at a deep level, that it's about humanity; it's about really being here for ourselves and others in a way that we all thrive. The teachers in general, I found to be amazing individuals. The work they're doing in the world inspires me.

—Evelyn S.

PhD in Psychology

I would say it's worth it even if it requires you to juggle some things you know like your job your family, the way it's set up you're really able to do that. You're able to connect with the material and because of the platform, really engage with it from a deep place while still continuing on with your professional life and the other obligations that you may have.

—Heather R.

PsyD in Clincal 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

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

I did not find a better partner for that journey that I was on. It was speaking the language and opening the doors to all of these other people speaking the same language, too. Honestly, that's been one of the largest experiences for me. It was like an instant, ancient and present community.

—Angela Taylor

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

Through personal development as well as soul searching, I decided that I wanted to be able to use dance to be able to go to more people. So, we were working bringing movement into schools as well as volunteering doing after school programs with art and children. It was really fulfilling and I really loved it and wanted to expand that. It feels like I got to choose and personalize a graduate program for myself exactly what I wanted to do. That in itself just feels exciting. I'm doing two programs at once [Tamalpa Program] and they both influence and inform each program. Both through the learning through reading and lectures, but also learning through experience in the class, I'm getting a richer knowledge of how I react to things and my own experience in the moment.

—Alison D.

PhD in 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

I have very much enjoyed all of the classes I have been taking so far and I enjoy the faculty. One thing I can say that I have not experienced until now was such kindness, compassion, and empathy with faculty. The staff at Meridian are very mindful to speak to you on a very personal level. The most challenging aspect of Meridian is looking into yourself and exploring all those things in yourself that you may or may have not known that has been inside you. The most exciting part is also the flip side of this. You just get to this level where it clicks in a way that makes you think: I’m glad I’m here and I want to keep going.

—Rosa N.

MA in Counseling Psychology

My horizon has been widened by being a student here. I have learned to look at the world and myself differently. It’s very experiential and experience-based, which makes it very personal, but also I can take this personal experience and widen it and apply it in different ways to work with people or groups. It’s not just knowledge based; it’s grown into my bones and muscles and being, and I have grown with it. Meridian also taught me to actually value differences, to value diversity, look at diversity as a building material for community and society, and be creative in how we can create unity while preserving diversity.