James Fisher is using his psychology major and religious studies minor to go into pastoral psychology

Written byAshley McClure-French

小蝌蚪APP淢测 religious studies minor courses have shown me how to look at things in a different light and from a new perspective. It小蝌蚪APP檚 a very beneficial thing to me, and I think to most people. I really enjoy being able to look at situations from other perspectives than my own.小蝌蚪APP

James Fisher is a psychology student at the 小蝌蚪APP.
James Fisher
Major
Psychology
Hometown
Tallulah, La.

Where I'm From

I小蝌蚪APP檓 from Tallulah, La., where I went to Episcopal summer camp my entire life.

Where I Am

I小蝌蚪APP檓 majoring in psychology and making the connection between psychology, sociology, and religion.

Where I'm Going

I am going to be a pastoral counselor and help people with spiritual and mental guidance.

James Fisher, a psychology major, has found his passion for psychology, sociology, and philosophy at UL Lafayette. With his minor, though, he also found his niche. 

小蝌蚪APP淢测 religious studies minor courses have shown me how to look at things in a different light and from a new perspective,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 a very beneficial thing to me, and I think to most people. I really enjoy being able to look at situations from other perspectives than my own."

小蝌蚪APP淏ecause of these courses, I try to look at things from multiple different perspectives and see if there is a right or wrong,小蝌蚪APP he explained, 小蝌蚪APP渙r if it小蝌蚪APP檚 just an opinion-based matter. I think that小蝌蚪APP檚 been very beneficial to me so far and I hope to keep expanding on that.小蝌蚪APP

James credits his professors with helping him develop his attitude and understanding of the world. 

小蝌蚪APP淚 haven小蝌蚪APP檛 had a bad professor yet,小蝌蚪APP James said. 小蝌蚪APP淭he course load might be a lot, but the professors have been doing an excellent job at reaching out to us and being there for when we need them. They小蝌蚪APP檙e trying their hardest so we can be our brightest and I can really appreciate that.

小蝌蚪APP淭he open-mindedness and willingness to discuss things in class with the intention of gaining a new insight is one of the things I really enjoy about in my courses,小蝌蚪APP he said.

James小蝌蚪APP檚 plans for graduate school might not be fleshed out to the last detail, but he knows what direction he小蝌蚪APP檚 heading. 

小蝌蚪APP淚 like the idea of pastoral psychology,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 like being a therapist but with more of a theological mind-set behind it. So, it小蝌蚪APP檚 pointing you in the way of spiritual guidance as well as mental guidance.小蝌蚪APP

His interests in religious studies started early in his life.

小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檝e been going to Episcopal summer camp my entire life,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淎nd I小蝌蚪APP檝e been on the staff for it for the past two summers. Doing that, I get to spend a lot of time learning about the bible and learning about other people小蝌蚪APP檚 perspective on the bible. But I hadn小蝌蚪APP檛 learned too much about other religions.小蝌蚪APP

James has been enjoying his classes and making connections between his psychology major and his religious studies minor.

小蝌蚪APP淟earning the sociology of religion was really interesting to see,小蝌蚪APP he explained. 小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檝e enjoyed finding the correlation between religious values and morals, and comparing Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and seeing all the similarities between them.小蝌蚪APP

He could have studied elsewhere, but his tour of UL Lafayette made his decision a little easier.

小蝌蚪APP淎t other universities, I just fell into the crowd and I felt like no one really noticed me,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淏ut when I was touring UL Lafayette, I was talking to current students on campus and I even got invited to come watch the Floyd and Pacquiao fight. It was a more welcoming environment and I really liked that a lot.小蝌蚪APP

His experiences since have lived up to his expectations.

小蝌蚪APP淓veryone I小蝌蚪APP檝e met so far has been really friendly,小蝌蚪APP James said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 haven小蝌蚪APP檛 met anyone that has just been outright rude or trying to one-up you in any way. Everyone is very encouraging. It小蝌蚪APP檚 a very nice community to be in.小蝌蚪APP

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