CPA Awards Nominations
The Catholic Psychotherapy Association would like to recognize individuals and their work that support and embody the mission of the CPA in a particular way. Four categories of awards are described here – please see below for details regarding criteria.
All awards nominations and applications are due by December 15th. See below for more information on each award and the scholarships. Please have all required documentation COMPLETED before you submit your application.
The CPA scholarships and awards aim to joyfully honor how the Lord ministers to His church through psychotherapeutic practice, research, and education. This year’s award recipients give us a diverse perspective of God’s love alive within our Catholic community of mental health professionals, and we would like to extend our sincere gratitude for the example they have set.
Award recipients will be fully acknowledged at the CPA conference.
Our Mother of Good Counsel Clinical Excellence Award
The Catholic Psychotherapy Association would like to recognize outstanding clinical
psychotherapy practice that embodies the mission of the organization. The recipient of this award displays exceptional clinical skills in psychotherapy, marked by their upstanding reputation within their local community and diocese. CPA members and non-members may apply or nominate other CPA members or non-members who meet the criteria.
St. Martin de Porres Intrinsic Dignity Award
Foundational to the ministry of the Catholic Church, acknowledges the intrinsic dignity of each human being and actively supports the needs of the underserved, oppressed, and/or marginalized persons in society. Catholic psychotherapists, researchers, educators, administrators, and spiritual leaders who minister to these persons have an essential role in the ministry of the Church as a whole. Therefore, the Catholic Psychotherapy Association would like to especially recognize those who have made laudable efforts to reduce discrimination and uphold the dignity of all human persons.
Pope St. John Paul II Academic & Research Excellence Award
The Catholic Psychotherapy Association would like to recognize outstanding academic literature and research that honors the dignity of the human person and embodies the Mission of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association. The recipient of this award has positively contributed to our understanding of Catholic psychotherapy and made a substantial effort to narrow the gap between research and clinical practice. CPA members may nominate another CPA member or a non-member and invite non-members to make appropriate nominations for this award.
St. Hildegard of Bingen Outstanding Supervisor Award
This award reflects the Catholic Psychotherapy Association’s commitment to supporting the growth of our interdisciplinary psychotherapy practice through outstanding mentorship and
supervision. The supervisor is a primary gatekeeper of ethical clinical practice and provides his/her supervisees with meaningful, personalized support as they develop their therapeutic self. The Catholic Psychotherapy Association would especially like to recognize supervisors who approach these supervisory tasks from a Catholic lens, in which their mentorship involves prayerful spiritual reflection and guidance.
2024 Award Recipients
Bryan Kelso, LMFT
AWARD NAME: St. Hildegard of Bingen Outstanding Supervisor Award
REASON FOR THE NOMINATION:
Bryan is a married father of five children. He converted to the Catholic faith in 2003 “after discovering for myself the healing power in the Church. He shares his gift of healing that he discovered with others. He has an extensive understanding of Catholic teaching and apologetics, especially related to enabling the power of the sacraments to assist in psychological healing.
Josephine De Guzman, M.D.
AWARD NAME: St. Martin de Porres Intrinsic Dignity Award
REASON FOR THE NOMINATION:
Dr. Josephine DeGuzman is a psychiatrist in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She received her medical degree from Texas AM Health Science Center College of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Josephine DeGuzman has expertise in treating anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, among other conditions.
Richard Dell’Isola, Pd.D., LMFTA
AWARD NAME: Mother of Good Counsel Clinical Excellence Award
REASON FOR THE NOMINATION:
Richard’s primary research interest is in marital relationship formation and functioning, focusing on pre- and early-marital factors that protect couples from divorce. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate in the state of North Carolina. He works with individuals, couples, and families to help with various presenting issues such marital conflict, family conflict, depression, anxiety, trauma, and passionate about facilitating premarital counseling.
Martino Rodriguez Gonzalez, Ph.D.
AWARD NAME: John Paul II Research and Academic Excellence Award
REASON FOR THE NOMINATION:
Martino Rodriguez Gonzales is an Associate Researcher at the Institute for Culture and Society and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education and Psychology at the Universidad de Navarra, Spain. He has 26 peer-reviewed journal publications in journals such as Clinical Psychology Review, The American Journal of Family Therapy, Contemporary Family Therapy, Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Family Process, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, Counselling Psychology Quarterly, Contemporary Family Therapy, Journal of Counseling and Development and Terapia Psicológica.
2023 Award Recipients
Shane Gomez and Michelle Browning (Co-Nominees)
AWARD NAME: St. Hildegard of Bingen Outstanding Supervisor Award
REASON FOR THE NOMINATION: Shane Gomez and Michelle Browning have been key in drafting and editing the section of CPA’s ethics code on the ethical responsibility of professors and supervisors toward students and supervisees. Michelle is a licensed supervisor in TX. Shane is faculty at Belmont Abbey. They have a passion for supervision and have a track record of excellence in facilitating the development of new professionals.
Lisa Fischer Ph.D.
AWARD NAME: St. Martin de Porres Intrinsic Dignity Award
REASON FOR THE NOMINATION:
Andrew Sodergren
AWARD NAME: Mother of Good Counsel Clinical Excellence Award
REASON FOR THE NOMINATION: Andrew has been a long-standing, active member of the CPA. He has positively contributed to our understanding of Catholic psychotherapy and made a substantial effort to narrow the gap between research and clinical practice. His most recent work with Gender Identity has been well received by membership and he has published a chapter in a book on the topic. He also travels nationwide to speak on the subject.
Furthermore, Andrew is the director of psychological services at Ruha Woods, a Catholic practice in Cincinnati Ohio that integrates Theology of the Body with clinical practice.
Andrew is a well respected colleague in the CPA and I think he is well deserving of the award.
Robert Kugelmann and Jesse Fox (Co-Nominees)
AWARD NAME: John Paul II Research and Academic Excellence Award
REASON FOR THE NOMINATION: Both have been instrumental in launching the journal, including recruiting authors, reviewing papers, and contributing articles. Outside of the journal, Bob published a book in February about Psychology and the Soul and Jesse has several projects about spiritual bypassing and increasing religious/spiritual competences in counselor training. Jesse is scheduled to be at the CPA conference this year and can accept the award in person. Both are well deserving IMHO and recognizing them is another way to highlight the journal.