Alumni » Our Alumni » Christina Lynch, Psy.D.
“My Academic Experience has Been Invaluable”
Christina Lynch, Psy.D.
In December 2005, Dr. Christina Lynch became the first student to be awarded a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) from the Institute for the Psychological Sciences (IPS).
Nine years ago Mrs. Christina Lynch walked through the doors of IPS with one objective, “to learn more about my Catholic faith and to use the gifts God has given me to help those in need as a licensed counselor in Clinical Psychology.”
As a member of the first IPS Class Chris had no idea at the time that her quest would take her to Lakewood, a suburb of Denver, Colorado where she would serve as the staff psychotherapist for the Archdiocese of Denver’s St. John Vianney Theological Seminary.
She is in charge of the Celibacy Curriculum for more than 130 men and 14 dioceses. In addition, she is helping to expand the psychological department services at the seminary in 2012-2013 by inviting a post-doctoral student to have the experience of working in seminary formation.
What brought you to IPS in the first place?
My husband and I started a maternity home in our house for women in crisis pregnancy. Though we could help them with love and material resources, I soon learned that their emotional needs were so enormous, that they needed psychological tools to receive the healing the Lord desired for them.
Shortly after the home was taken over by the Diocese of San Bernadino, I decided to return to school to learn more about my Catholic faith. I enrolled at Notre Dame Institute where I studied for two semesters.
After completing my studies, I saw an ad in the Arlington Catholic Hearld (Diocesan Paper) for a new program that integrated the Catholic Faith into the science of Psychology. It was called the Catholic Institute of Psychological Sciences (CIPS) which would later change its name to the Institute for the Psychological Sciences. After a 28-year hiatus from college, I applied and was accepted into the Master’s Program.
Has your academic experience at IPS helped you in what you are doing now? If so, in what way?
My academic experience at IPS has been invaluable in every aspect of my life. Not only has it prepared me academically to be an adjunct faculty member at Creighton University for the Institute for Priestly Formation (IPF) every summer, I’m also a published author for several journals, an invited speaker for religious symposiums, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Catholic Psychotherapists Association (CPA).
Additionally, my training was instrumental in being recruited by St. John Vianney Theological Seminary for the Archdiocese of Denver as the staff psychotherapist and seminary advisor for the curriculum on celibacy.
Are you surprised to find yourself employed where you are now or was that your plan all along?
As part of my “fiat” to the Lord I have tried to only focus on my immediate, day-to- day goals. In other words, no matter how many plans I have, the Lord seems to have His own! All I have to do is show up.
What would you like to do in the future?
Through prayer I feel the Lord is calling me to help in the formation of future priests. Similarly, I feel called to help unite and form Catholic therapists on how to integrate their faith into their practice, and to serve as a therapist resource referral for dioceses around the country who are seeking trustworthy Catholic therapists for their people.
Lastly, I would like to help diocese around the country through organizational assessment to form and rebuild their mental health facilities to be truly Catholic.
Dr. Christina Lynch lives in Lakewood, CO with her husband Pat and continues to work tirelessly to meet the emotional needs of others through an authentic, integrated psychology
Posted 11.14.11