Katelyn Brantingham always has been interested in psychology, and more recently in neuropsychology.
So, when the opportunity to complete a summer internship at the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch presented itself, Katelyn sought the advice of Dr. Shelley Kilpatrick, chair of Southwest Baptist University’s department of behavioral sciences.
“She said that would be an awesome opportunity,” said Katelyn, a senior psychology major with a counseling minor. “Plus, I loved the idea of it because it’s a ranch. I’m from a small town and live on a big farm.”
Good Samaritan Boys Ranch is a 180-acre residential treatment facility for boys aged 13-18, who have challenging behaviors. The Ranch describes its mission as, “Helping those abused and neglected become responsible, productive adults.”
Katelyn feels the courses she has taken at SBU, in addition to leading the House of Hope mission team, have prepared her for the challenge of her internship, which lasts the entire summer.
“I’ve taken a lot of counseling classes because I have a counseling minor, so I’ve had a lot of classes that deal with trauma, abuse and child abuse,” Katelyn said. “I feel the psychology courses, dealing with the mental disorders and behaviors, has really helped me.
“I lead the House of Hope mission trip team at SBU. We go to the women’s shelter, and being around them weekly has been good for me.”
At the Ranch, the boys stay in different dorms, depending on the severity of their behaviors. The boys require 24-hour supervision with two staff members in sight.
“Every day, I am in a different dorm, helping monitor the boys and making sure they
are following the rules and not breaking physical or verbal boundaries with the other
boys,” Katelyn said. “In the mornings, the boys do various chores that include washing
windows, cleaning cars, painting, cleaning the arena, and more.”
Katelyn also gets to help with equine therapy and often rides horses with the boys.
In addition, the boys participate in recreational activities such as basketball, softball,
swimming and fishing in the afternoons.
The activities and organizations Katelyn has participated in at SBU – Center for Global Connections and Psi Chi (honor society for psychology) – also have helped her develop her talents and prepared her for her future career.
“It has been cool to actually put things I learn into action,” Katelyn said. “They talk about all of the things in class, but actually seeing it and putting what I learned into practice has been beneficial. It has definitely opened my eyes to a lot more and prepared me for my future.
“It has definitely boosted my confidence. I’ve been forced in situations where I’m uncomfortable, but it has been really good for me to get out of my comfort zone. I’ve never been a leader type, so throwing me into that position it has definitely helped. I’ve taken some communication classes because I thought it would be good for me. Although it was hard, it was really good for my confidence and good practice and good life skills for talking to people and talking in front of people.”
Those skills and the Christ-centered education Katelyn has received at SBU have been beneficial for her as she works with the boys at the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch.
“I have been totally humbled by this experience and have learned so much about the effect of trauma, abuse, and poverty on the behavior of teens,” Katelyn said. “Beyond psychology, I have learned how to love in more ways than one and have witnessed Christ in ways that I never would have imagined.
“I’ve also learned to practice boldness, authority, and confidence. I will take these experiences with me in the future as I pursue psychology and invest in young teens as well as other troubled youth and adults.”