Neuruppin, 11 November 2024

The Kulturkirche in Neuruppin was the location of a farewell ceremony for psychology graduates on 19 October - 40 with a Bachelor’s degree and 15 who successfully completed a Master course in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy.

MHB president Prof. Hans-Uwe Simon looked back to the start of that cohort in his speech: “Your studies began in extremely difficult times, during the Corona pandemic and the switch to online instruction. Despite considerable efforts, the MHB did not always succeed in offering smooth conditions, for various reasons: e.g. sickness among teachers and staff, lessons cancelled or scheduled for inconvenient times, or delays in timetables and test results. We have implemented organizational and staff-related improvements since then and plan to do more in this respect. But you have overcome all these obstacles and developed a number of soft skills in the process which will serve you well in future.” Master student Theo Strittmatter also described experiences with online and hybrid instruction, but above all he recalled personal encounters with a strong impact on his studies and learning progress. In particular, he mentioned Prof. Bettina Doering, professor of clinical psychology and psychotherapy with a focus on behavior therapy: “She was a formative influence for our class when she conveyed the fundamentals of psychological disorders in children and adults. Her strong practice orientation helped us to overcome much of our fear of hospital routines. To me personally, she demonstrated a far more modern understanding of behavior therapy than I expected from the introduction lecture.”  

Prof. Simon compared studies at the MHB for this cohort of students to an adventure journey involving challenges “which were often difficult but made you the persons you are today”. He quoted from writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson who praised courage as outstanding among human qualities and the basis and safeguard for all others. He complimented the graduates for their courage to embark upon their academic journey at the MHB and engage with the depths of human psyche and human behavior, to explore the theory and also – a specific element of the MHB programs – the practice of psychology. They had learned the importance of applying acquired knowledge to give individuals the support they need. This kind of responsibility, so Prof. Simon, is not easy to carry but one of the most rewarding tasks imaginable: “You can be proud to have reached this milestone in your life. The experience of your performance so far will be helpful in overcoming future hurdles. I am convinced that we at the MHB have done our best to prepare you for what lies ahead.”