Nicole Grayson

Quick Facts

Program: B.A. in Psychology
Graduation Year: 2014
Current Job Title: LMFT with Grow Therapy
Hometown: Cottonwood, CA
Current City: Scottsburg, IN

Life at CBU

Why did you choose your major? What interested you in this particular field of study?
I chose psychology because I knew from a relatively young age that I wanted to be a therapist. I knew I wanted to devote my life to helping others, and this passion grew throughout my lifetime.

What did you like about being in this program at CBU?
CBU not only provided me with a quality education from wonderful professors, but it also provided me with truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I learned so much about how to integrate my faith into my current career because I attended CBU, and that is invaluable as a LMFT.

What did you think about your professors?
I genuinely enjoyed all of my professors. I can remember being so thankful for how faith based each and every professor was in the classroom. I felt supported and challenged throughout my time at CBU by each of my professors.

Did you complete an internship or any field work?
I completed my practicum work during graduate school at Neighborhood Church in Redding, CA. I completed my internship at Empower Tehama (formerly Alternatives to Violence) in Red Bluff, CA. Both experiences were wonderful and provided me with a vast amount of experience and knowledge.

Did you participate in anything else at CBU?
I was on a music scholarship during 3 of my 4 years at CBU and sang in the women's choir as well as choral union. My time in women's choir provided me with some of my favorite memories and my best friend. I am truly thankful to have been given the opportunity to be a part of this group. I also participated on an ISP team that served migrants from northern Africa in northern Italy. This experience came at the end of my time at CBU and I am truly grateful for it.

How did you grow as a person (spiritually, socially, educationally) while in this program at CBU?
I grew in so many ways during my time at CBU. It's hard to put into words the ways in which I grew. What I can say is that I believe I am a better and stronger person because of my time at CBU.

Did your major help you figure out your purpose?
I wouldn't say my program specifically helped me to figure out my purpose, rather my experience at CBU as a whole helped me to figure out my purpose. During my time at CBU I began learning more about who I am, specifically who I am as a child of God, and this led to my continued growth following my time at CBU.

Life after CBU

What have you done since graduating?
After I graduated from CBU, I took a year off school before starting my graduate studies at National University. Following the completion of my graduate studies, I landed a full-time job as a MFT intern at Empower Tehama (formerly Alternatives to Violence). I worked at Empower through licensure as a LMFT in 2020. I left Empower in 2021 to move to Indiana where I worked briefly for Eating Recovery Center. I am currently still living in Indiana, married, and running my own virtual private practice under Grow Therapy.

What are your current job duties?
I currently run my own virtual private practice and maintain all of the legal and ethical standards of a LMFT.

How has your program and time at CBU prepared you for your life and career after college?
My time at CBU launched me into a time of discovering myself and figuring out just who I am. CBU taught me how to challenge myself and step into the unknown, which has prepared me for a variety of challenges in the years following my time at CBU.

Is there anything you learned at CBU that you still use in your professional life today?
Everything. The knowledge I gained at CBU continues to be the foundation of who I am personally as well as professionally.

How are you making a difference in the world? How are you living your purpose?
My goal is to simply let God use me as He wills. I'm definitely not perfect at this. I am constantly considering how I can shine His light both in my personal life as well as in my professional life. Each time a client says "thank you," I thank God for giving me the ability to help His people.

What are your future goals and plans?
Currently I'm not sure. I'm happy with where I'm at, both in my career and life in general. My prayer for myself and my husband is that we would follow wherever God leads.

Would you recommend CBU to others?
Absolutely. I treasure the time I spent at CBU and want nothing else than for others to have similar experiences. CBU is special and will always hold a special place in my heart.