Regula Berger, MA '04, PhD

Marriage and Family Therapy Program
Department of Applied Psychology

Clinical Psychologist Discovers Therapy is Her True Calling

Regula Berger, MA '04, PhD Even while completing a research-based doctorate in clinical psychology in Switzerland, Regula Berger knew she would want to go back to school to complete the training she needed to be a couples and family therapist.

“My PhD program was focused solely on research and not on clinical work and my heart was more fully into people than statistics.”

So this already well-educated woman-who completed her doctoral-level research on family and adolescent psychology-decided to start looking for marriage and family programs that would give her the practical counseling skills she needed. Since marriage and family therapy has been an accepted discipline in the United States longer than it has in Switzerland, Regula decided to look at American programs.

“My PhD program was focused solely on research and not on clinical work and my heart was more fully into people than statistics.”

Surfing the web in Switzerland, Regula came across Antioch University New England and was “immediately attracted by its progressive nature and focus on social justice and diversity.” After looking at a few programs in the New England region, Regula decided on Antioch University New England “in large part because of the balance between practice-based learning and academics. It was also very important to me that the program was accredited by the AAMFT. The length of the program fit what I was looking for and I also appreciated that there was not a thesis requirement.”

While a student at Antioch University New England, Regula was active in the department serving as the student representative on the search committee for the new director of the Marriage and Family Program.

With her researching days behind her for now, Regula has a job she loves at “an exceptional place” working with a full caseload of clients and has no doubts that she made the right decision to come to Antioch and specialize in marriage and family therapy. “I love counseling couples and families and love my work in the therapy role.”

Last Updated: 2/22/12