An Impactful Study Abroad Experience Prepares Students for Personal and Professional Success

After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, graduate students in Caldwell University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Art Therapy Concentration program again took to the skies to spend 10 days abroad during spring break in March 2024.

Donegal, Ireland, was home base for program students, faculty, alumni and guests whose mission was to gain deeper understanding of the specialized treatment interventions for trauma within specific clinical populations and settings.

Current student and study abroad attendee Isis Day ’25 credited the experience with opening her eyes to a broader set of career opportunities.

“The cultural awareness I was able to experience showed how many more opportunities there are regarding what to do with my degree,” she said. “Seeing a greater cause of being a counselor made my goals more global.”

The curriculum of the course explored Irish culture specifically, with an emphasis on the psychological impact of traumatic stressors, including the affective, behavioral, cognitive and spiritual challenges faced by survivors. Resiliency factors, such as the role of art and myth in mental health, were also examined.

Dr. Annette Vaccaro, the Program Coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree with Art Therapy Concentration who organized the trip adds, “Traumatic experiences in the history of Ireland can sometimes be traced in the individual challenges of people in the United States today played out in intergenerational trauma. The Great Hunger, social and Civil Rights conflicts and colonization all contributed to migrations of the Irish to the United States. We can see the impact of these events on individuals we treat today”

A mix of coursework and field study brought the already tight-knit cohort even closer together as humans, as well as in faith.

“One of the most significant moments during the trip included having myself lead a moment of silence in the Catsby Cave,” said alumnus Brandon Colle ’23. “I felt that we should remember what exactly brought us together in Ireland and keep the faith during these memorable moments.”

Alyssa Remantas ’24 plans to work full-time as a therapist and counselor, eventually opening her own private practice. She credits this study abroad experience with furthering her professional experience and goals for her future.

“[I knew that] studying abroad with other art therapists would not only be an amazing travel experience, but would also further my experience professionally,” she said. “I know that this experience impacts not only me on a personal level but also the quality of work that I am able to offer to my clients.”

The 2025 study abroad program is currently planned for Iceland.