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![\"Photo](\"http:\/\/blogs.luc.edu\/ips\/files\/2015\/04\/Photo-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHometown<\/strong>: What\u00a0did your studies focus on at IPS?<\/strong> What do you want to be doing upon graduation?<\/strong> What has been your biggest accomplishment while at IPS?<\/strong> Were there\u00a0any challenges you\u00a0had\u00a0to overcome during your time here?<\/strong> What was your favorite class and why?\u00a0<\/strong> Do you have any\u00a0advice\u00a0for future students?\u00a0<\/strong> As a recent graduate, in what way will you go forth to \u201cchange the world?\u201d<\/strong> <\/p>\n Join the conversation by\u00a0following\u00a0@BrianSchmisek<\/a>\u00a0on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the\u00a0Loyola Chicago IPS<\/a>\u00a0community on LinkedIn.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" David Gibbons will be completing his four year journey with IPS in just a couple weeks when he graduates with his MA in Pastoral Counseling. Like many of our students, it was a challenge for David to balance life, work and education, but he did it and did it successfully! “Just take it one day read more
\nI am originally from Portsmouth, UK and have been living for the past 7 years in Barrington Hills, IL.<\/p>\n
\nI have been taking the MA in Pastoral Counseling since 2011, taking all classes on campus except one \u2013 The Counseling and Care of Men, which I took online.<\/p>\n
\nI will continue as Rector of St. Mark\u2019s Episcopal Church, Barrington Hills and work part time as a counselor at a Counseling Center in the Northwest suburbs.<\/p>\n
\nTaking another step on the path to integration!\u00a0 Plenty of work to do, but the great gift that IPS offers: its classroom experiences, friendships, learnings, and opportunities to put the class learning into practice has helped make a significant shift in my personal growth journey.<\/p>\n
\nJuggling full time work, family, classes, internship and commuting has been a significant\u00a0challenge.<\/p>\n
\nPastoral Psychodynamic Assessment and Intervention because it provided a rich framework for plotting a client\u2019s current situation as well as needs and\u00a0some strategies and plans toward healing and wholeness.<\/p>\n
\nJust take it one day at a time \u2013 it will not last forever and every day is a wonderful opportunity for learning and growth. Make the most of the community of peers and the wisdom of the professors.<\/p>\n
\nHopefully \u2013 I\u2019d like to be part of the emergence of spiritual growth and integration into our society to influence and even heal our culture.<\/p>\n