Discovering the Roots of Psychology and Psychotherapy from Berlin to Vienna
This program will offer psychology majors the unique opportunity to study foundational concepts in their discipline in the context of the locations where modern psychology began. The program will start with two weeks on the Westmont campus and then continue with four weeks of studying and visiting Berlin (historic capital of Germany and the site of Gestalt psychology), Leipzig (site of the first experimental psychology laboratory), Regensburg (UNESCO heritage city), and Vienna (the birthplace of psychotherapy). Course material will be taught and incorporated with visits to a number of important locations of psychology, philosophy, and German/Austrian history and culture. Particular focus will be given to comparison and integration of the Christian faith with both historic and contemporary psychology. Applications are due October 16, 2026.
“This Mayterm reignited my love for learning. Between the shared conversations, integration into new cultures, and long but rewarding days of learning and studying, I discovered not only a deeper understanding of people, psychology, and culture, AND I met some of my best friends and had incredibly meaningful experiences with faculty who made the experience unforgettable.” -Sophia Morton (2025 program participant)
Our program begins on the Westmont campus, where you will spend two weeks in the classroom taking History and Systems of Psychology and Fundamentals of Clinical and Counseling Psychology. After having established a solid foundation of the history of psychology and psychotherapy, we will travel to Germany, the birthplace of psychology as a psychological science. We will spend three weeks in Germany, exploring Berlin, Leipzig, and Regensburg. In addition to our classroom seminars and city tours, we will visit the Ministry for State Security Prison (in former Communist East Germany), the Wilhelm Wundt Institute for Psychology (the world’s first Experimental Psychology laboratory), and the Walhalla Monument of German Heroes.
Our final week will be enjoyed in Vienna, Austria, also known as the city of dreams and the birthplace of psychotherapy. You will gain insight into the minds of Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, and Viktor Frankl – three prominent psychotherapists and founders of classic psychological theories – as you explore their homes and museums.
As part of the program, you will participate in Walking the History of Psychology, which will include extensive walking tours and site visits in Berlin, Leipzig, Regensburg, and Vienna. We will also explore Wittenberg, the hometown of Martin Luther.
Applicants must have successfully completed PSY-001 (General Psychology) and PSY-131 (Abnormal Psychology) and have sophomore status or higher at the end of Spring semester 2027 with a minimum GPA of 2.6. Applicants are strongly advised to have completed PHI-006 (Philosophical Perspectives) or the equivalent prior to the program. Students from all majors will be considered, but psychology majors will be given higher priority.
In addition to the general qualifications above, the following are requirements that must be met, with or without reasonable accommodation, in order to complete all essential elements of the program. All participants must be able to:
- Navigate multiple irregular surfaces and walk up to 6 miles a day with the group
- Navigate carrying personal items including suitcase and/or backpack without assistance.
- Anticipate having sufficient emotional wellness to fully participate in the program safely and successfully despite the limited availability of frequent access to psychological services.
- Anticipate at least double occupancy accommodations in all locations.
History & Systems of Psychology (PSY-111, 4 units)
This is a capstone course that focuses on major historical figures and historically important systems within the academic discipline of psychology. In addition, this course places psychology within the context of history, assumptions about knowledge, and perspectives on human behavior (i.e., worldviews). We will examine the persistent questions of interest to psychologists, and the dominant paradigms and models operating in contemporary psychology. Throughout the course, a consistent theme is the connection and contrast of historic themes and debates in science and psychology as they relate to principles of Christian worldviews. Students engage with these issues in class discussion and through journal writing on each of the sections that are covered in the course. A unique feature of the 2027 Mayterm course is the integration of course material in the actual locations where much of the modern history of psychology occurred, namely Germany and Austria.
Fundamentals of Clinical and Counseling Psychology (PSY-141, 4 units)
This upper-division course introduces students to the major theoretical approaches of clinical psychology. Focus will be on the theories and their founders, including an analysis of the structural components, historical background, and applied clinical methods for each theory. Theoretical applications in a clinical context will be emphasized, and ethical and legal considerations will be taken into account. The course will also explore characteristics of a skilled and effective counselor, as well as some of the basic principles to psychotherapy and counseling. Experiential activities will be utilized to assist students in understanding and implementing counseling approaches. Studying this material during Mayterm 2027 in Germany and Austria will afford students the opportunity to visit the homes and museums of theorists they are learning, undoubtedly making the course material come alive!
Walking the History of Psychology (PEA-001, 1 unit)
As a key component of the program, you will participate in extensive walking tours of Berlin, Leipzig, Regensburg, and Vienna. We will also explore Wittenberg, the hometown of Martin Luther.
Approximately $9,400 (includes tuition for 9 units, room, full board, travel within Germany and Austria, entrance fees to museums and historic sites). This price includes two weeks of full room and board on the Westmont campus and four weeks in Germany and Austria with double accommodation in 3 or 4 star hotels. Students are responsible for international airfare and additional transportation costs to domestic airports (e.g., LAX).
Meet the Team
Dr. Gurney teaches upper-division courses in clinical psychology at Westmont and devotes the rest of her time to working with individuals, couples, and families in her private practice in the community. Her research and writing interests focus on rebuilding and rethinking the ways we love one another well in our fast-paced, digital world. She has traveled to over 30 countries and deeply believes in experiential learning!
Dr. See has taught courses and conducted research in psychology and neuroscience at various academic institutions in the US and abroad. His research has included the study of antipsychotic drugs, mechanisms of relapse to drugs of abuse, and depression treatment. He has lived in the Middle East and Europe and traveled to over 60 countries and has a passion for history and cultures of the world.