Hi! I am Nathan and I am happy to be a guest blogger for Roque Neto’s Blog. I am 23 years old, grew up in Montana, made my way to the west coast, and now live in Washington. I started at Palo Alto University (PAU) the same time as Roque, in the fall of 2023. The first quarter was a big shake-up in my life, as I hadn’t been in school for two years. Moreover, the program was entirely online, a format I had only briefly experienced at the beginning of the pandemic as an undergraduate student.
As I immersed myself in classes, it became apparent that I was not the only one who felt this was where I was supposed to end up, at least academically speaking. I spent most of my time in high school flip-flopping about what I wanted to do with my life. As I began my undergraduate program, I was still unsure. It was only after taking a class on gender and human sexuality that I knew what I wanted to do: sex therapy. Finding a program aligned with what I wanted turned out to be quite difficult, as I hoped to give myself a good base. That is when I stumbled upon PAU. They had human sexuality classes and a wide variety of classes that gave a strong base for counseling. The program also had flexible scheduling and in-person residency weeks that allowed me to meet my classmates once a year. It was the perfect fit.
As the program started, I realized that impostor syndrome was beginning to set in. Information was flying about, and we started to do some mock sessions to practice the different counseling techniques. To my surprise, other people were feeling the same way I felt. The professors made sure that we discussed these feelings and understood that they were normal. They also told us it would take time and practice to learn these skills. What also surprised me was how quickly I was able to make friends. As my cohort was all online, I thought it would be difficult to connect with people and truly start making connections. These connections, to my surprise, came quickly due to the environment that was created at PAU.
With the first quarter wrapping up and the second quarter beginning, my friendships became closer, and I really felt connected to the program and the material I was learning. The environment that PAU cultivates is one of love, compassion, tolerance, and the willingness to watch their students grow. These feelings were accentuated even more during the second quarter. The professors were willing to work with me as I started to build my counseling skills and tried to understand the intricacies of legal and ethical foundations. They were open to inquiries around identities and how to navigate tough situations with clients.
During the second quarter, we also worked on counseling skills. As someone who has experienced impostor syndrome this felt daunting, to say the least. However, the cultivation of a loving environment and classmates who only wanted to see me succeed helped me gain more confidence and grow in the areas where it was needed.
As I continue with this program, I hope to grow in many ways and to deepen my relationships with faculty, fellow students, and the profession itself. I also hope to become more empathetic and to continue expanding my understanding of other cultures. Overall, I look forward to my continued growth at PAU and am excited to see where this program will take me.
Roque Neto 