Xiaoting Joyce reflects on the faculty mentorship, clinical training, and personal reflection that shaped her path from Notre Dame de Namur University to clinical practice in California and continued study in Zürich.
When Xiaoting Joyce came to Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU), she was drawn to questions about human nature, relationships, and our inner lives. In NDNU’s School of Psychology, she found a place to explore those questions through coursework, clinical supervision, and conversations with faculty and fellow students.
In this alumni Q&A, Joyce shares what drew her to NDNU, how Dr. Helen Marlo’s mentorship shaped her development as a therapist, and what she would tell someone considering graduate study in psychology.
- What inspired you to pursue your degree at NDNU?
Xiaoting Joyce: “My interest in psychology grew from a curiosity about human nature, relationships, and the complexities of our inner lives. At NDNU, I found a little piece of peace and psychological depth in the midst of the fast-paced culture of Silicon Valley. The program offered a space for intellectual curiosity, personal reflection, and genuine human connection.”
- What was the most valuable part of your experience in NDNU’s School of Psychology?
Xiaoting Joyce: “I particularly valued the integration of psychological theory, clinical practice, and personal reflection, as well as the meaningful relationships I developed with faculty and fellow students. NDNU provided a sense of belonging and a foundation for my professional identity. The classroom was a place for genuine dialogue, where different perspectives and experiences enriched our understanding of human relationships and the inner world.”
- How did your education and the faculty at NDNU help prepare you for your professional career?
Xiaoting Joyce: “NDNU provided the academic and clinical foundation that enabled me to become a licensed marriage and family psychotherapist in California. It also nurtured my commitment to lifelong learning.
Since graduation, I have continued to deepen my engagement with psychotherapy through years of clinical practice, professional development, and now my studies as a training candidate at the C. G. Jung Institute Zürich, Switzerland. My education at NDNU remains an important foundation for both my current work and my continuing exploration of depth psychology.”
- Were there any particular classes, faculty members, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?
Xiaoting Joyce: “I am particularly grateful to Jungian analyst Dr. Helen Marlo, whose teaching, mentorship, and dedication to her students made a lasting impression on me. She brought a depth-psychological sensibility to her teaching, encouraging an appreciation of the complexity of human experience and the importance of the therapist’s own inner development. Her influence has remained with me and has been part of what inspired my continuing exploration of Jungian analytical psychology.
Her courses in Law and Ethics and Complex Trauma Treatment, together with her year-long clinical supervision, deeply influenced my understanding of clinical responsibility, psychological suffering, and the therapeutic relationship.”
- What advice would you give to prospective students considering NDNU’s School of Psychology?
Xiaoting Joyce: “Remain curious and open to the many dimensions of human experience. Psychology offers rich theoretical frameworks, but the study of the human psyche also invites us to question what we know, reflect on our assumptions, and remain attentive to what is not yet understood.
Allow your education to expand not only your professional knowledge but also your understanding of yourself and the world. A graduate degree can open the door to a meaningful career, while the questions and discoveries that begin in the classroom may continue to unfold throughout a lifetime.
I remain deeply grateful to NDNU and the faculty who helped shape my professional journey. Their teaching and encouragement continue to inform both my clinical work and my studies.”
Explore Psychology at Notre Dame de Namur University
If Joyce’s experience resonates with you, explore NDNU’s School of Psychology. The Master of Science in Clinical Psychology offers graduate study options in clinical psychology, marriage and family therapy, and professional clinical counseling. If you’re working toward your first degree, the BA in Psychology Degree Completion program offers an undergraduate path to studying human behavior and relationships.