Over the summer, SUNY Oswego graduate students had the opportunity to study abroad in "London for their Contemporary Topics in Play Therapy: Trauma" (CPS 604) course.

The class, taught by Counseling and Psychological Services faculty member Jodi Mullen, explored childhood responses to trauma, along with unique techniques and challenges in supporting traumatized children.

Gurkirat Singh, a mental health counseling graduate student, said the class was an invaluable experience, especially the hands-on learning she shared with her classmates.

“We would practice,” Singh said. “Sometimes one student would be the child, the other would be the therapist, and we’d interact and figure out, what would you do in this situation? How do you set boundaries? How do you set limits? How do you reflect emotions and track the play? Learning how to do everything but with each other.”

When designing the course, Mullen said she wanted to expose students to some of the heavier topics they will likely encounter in their careers, through a mix of lecture, conversation and exercises.

“Many mental health practitioners will burn out or get compassion fatigue working with this powerless population, children who have been harmed in ways we don’t like thinking about,” Mullen said. “They were immersed in that — there was no escaping it. The way I teach, I use a lot of experiential and authentic learning activities, so they really couldn’t get around it.”

Singh said the small, interactive nature of the course allowed her and her classmates to bond in unexpected but meaningful ways.

“There were only 10 people, so it was very close and intimate, and there were times where the class got really heavy, and people would get emotional,” Singh said. “But that was kind of the beauty of it, because we all got really close and could see the power of this work.”

The course represented a rare and pioneering study-abroad experience for master's students, and its success paves the way for many other potential opportunities for SUNY Oswego graduate students.

'Use that as your superpower'

Mullen said she was pleased to see how closely the class bonded, as she envisioned the course to be a safe space for both learning and healing.

“I actually think [that connection] is really important, because when you’re faced with those children — and you may have been one of those children yourself — that’s where the power lies,” Mullen said. “Knowing how to use that as a superpower, rather than it getting in the way and being a fatal flaw.”

Mullen also invited two guest speakers: her daughter, who lives in Europe and works regularly with children, and Graham Hill, a criminologist, former senior detective and visiting professor at Birmingham City University.

“Dr. Graham Hill is a criminologist who studies people who harm children,” Mullen said. “Getting that other side of the story, an additional lens, was profound. The other thing is he was local, in London, and that was additive as well. I think they benefited from keeping those multiple lenses involved… we don’t usually think outside of that narrow lens of being American.”

Singh said that class in particular was vital to her future career.

“My professor said about 90% of the children she works with are sexually traumatized,” Singh said. “I was told you cannot fully understand or work with children who are sexually traumatized by an adult without understanding the mind of an adult who does that to children. So having that one special class on that and why they do what they do, and how they do it, it gives you the other perspective.”

Singh also appreciated learning how to recognize signs of sexual abuse in children, which she said are often not obvious.

“Things in their play or in their drawings that you wouldn’t really expect, or look at a normal drawing and think anything of it,” Singh said. “It helped me understand what children are communicating through the use of toys in play, without directly saying anything. They’re not going to have the words to describe what they’re going through.”

Mullen said she hopes the class gave students both a deeper understanding of the work they’re pursuing and realistic expectations of the field.

“Somebody, most people, cried every class,” Mullen said. “It’s pretty intense. But working with traumatized children is pretty intense, and one of the things I hope they got out of the class is a realistic look at what that is like. I hope their takeaway is not minimizing the lived experiences of children, and I feel very confident about this group of students.”

Studying across the pond

With class scheduled in the mornings, students had free time in the afternoons to explore London and the surrounding areas, visiting attractions such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, the West End theatre district and more.

“I was really nervous because I didn’t know anybody on this trip,” Singh said. “I didn’t know what to expect. But it wasn’t like solo traveling the whole time. After class, the whole class would do something together, or I’d go solo, or with a couple of classmates. It just worked out great.”

Singh said studying abroad pushed her out of her comfort zone and allowed her to build close connections with her peers.

“The group of people was amazing,” Singh said. “We could be silly, serious, and vulnerable. We tapped into our own personal childhood experiences, connected that to what we were learning, and then left the classroom to spend time together and connect to our inner child. That’s what really made the trip.”

Mullen said she was surprised at the level of vulnerability students embraced, and believed the setting abroad encouraged it.

“You’re away from the things that make you feel comfortable, so there was a lot of vulnerability,” Mullen said.

That vulnerability, she said, led to a lifelong bond. The group even contemplated commemorating the experience with tattoos.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret: some of us may have new tattoos,” Mullen said. “I like to think I make connections with my students. It’s so important in a professional field that’s all about connection. Traveling with them, doing things with them, I felt like I got to know them at a different level, and they got to know me at a different level. I had hopes that it would go well, but this was beyond.”

Singh said she encourages other students to study abroad, calling the experience life-changing.

“Advice to students who are contemplating studying abroad: do it,” Singh said. “Take risks. Don’t be afraid to do it alone, to talk to other people and put yourself out there. You’re going to make amazing memories, and you’ll form a special connection with the people you’re with — something no one else understands unless they were there.”

Mullen plans to take students abroad again next summer, this time to Switzerland for her "Integrated Wellness/Integrative Counseling Approaches for Wellness" (HSC 390/CPS 595) course. Students interested in the program can learn more on the study abroad website.