Naropa University

As many of you know or have perhaps guessed from my facebook updates, I have been pursuing admission to Naropa University for a Graduate program. Naropa is a Buddhist inspired University in the middle of Boulder, CO. It also happens to have a unique program. Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Wilderness Therapy.

As my undergraduate education was coming to a close, I began thinking about moving. More or less on a whim, I moved to Boulder, CO and began working at a Lutheran camp outside Fort Collins. While at Sky Ranch, I received an information packet that I had casually requested some months before from a school called Naropa which, coincidentally, was located in Boulder. This program got me extremely excited and through talking with a friend (who was to become one of my closest) apparently convinced her to also pursue the program.

Nicole was accepted a year ago to Naropa's Wilderness Therapy program while I chose to bide my time. Graduate school, after all, is a big commitment. During the following year I had the opportunity to see Nicole's experience with Naropa, to get an insider perspective from someone I admire greatly. This along with many, many other smaller incidents and experiences have solidified my desire to attend Naropa. With this conviction in mind, I turned in an application in December, was granted an interview at the end of February.

As of the 4th of March, I have been accepted to Naropa University's Transpersonal Counseling Psychology Masters program with a concentration in Wilderness Therapy!

On August 2nd, my cohort (classmates and I) will leave for a 10 day wilderness intensive that precedes the program itself. After that, we have orientation and then classes start around the 22nd of August. The first year has an intense academic focus and the majority of the classroom time will be during this year. The second year is mostly spend in 'the field' on various wilderness trips to learn practical and therapeutic skills. The third and final year consists primarily of an internship working as a therapist.

SO PSYCHED! (get it? psychology - psyched... yeah, I'm done.)

Now to finish the prereq classes and the 2 week wilderness trip (more to come on that in future updates).