Q&A With University Of Mobile Marriage & Family Counseling Professor Buddy Landry

Mobile AL

20 May, 2022

6:12 AM

Description

Press release from the University of Mobile: May 18, 2022 Helping students grow in their calling is one of Dr. Robert "Buddy" Landry's favorite parts of his role as an associate professor of marriage and family counseling at the University of Mobile. Students in UM's Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling program study topics like depression, addiction, crisis and trauma, and relationship counseling as they learn how to help people struggling with a variety of mental health and relational issues in a complex society. "It's a sacred calling," Landry said. "We look back at the ministry of Jesus, and we see Him doing healing and restoration as well as growth and development. I impress upon our students that we're doing God's work here." We asked the chair of graduate studies in UM's College of Arts & Sciences about his own calling. Q. You have taught at UM since Fall 2013. What is your background? A. I grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I earned an Associate of Arts in psychology at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Gautier, MS; a Bachelor of Arts in Christian education with enough additional credits for a major in English at Mississippi College in Clinton, MS; and Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in psychology and counseling at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, LA. I worked for 20 years in community mental health, substance abuse, behavioral health, and employee assistance programs before I came to the University of Mobile to teach. Over the years I've been involved in several short-term (ranging from one week to six months) international missions projects and have served as a member of our home church's disaster relief team. My time in New Orleans included five years of involvement in law enforcement, as well. Q. Why did you choose to study and teach Marriage and Family Counseling? A. I grew up in a Christian home and as a part of the First Baptist Church Biloxi family, and I accepted Christ when I was 7 years old. My parents had relationship challenges off and on during my childhood and teen years; I couldn't help but be affected by it and developed my own strategies to cope. I became a good listener and helper, and my friends and peers began to come to with me with their problems and needs for advice. By about 10th grade I had a sense that God had a specific calling on my life, but I believed that it involved medicine or the ministry. I explored both options academically and experientially and was one Greek course away from completing a Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Languages at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. God kind of tapped me on the shoulder and said, "You're going to use all of this, but you see that counseling program over there?" So I changed my major to psychology and counseling, got my 3-year MDiv in 5 years (which makes for practically two degrees), and earned my professional counseling license while pursuing my PhD at NOBTS. This press release was produced by the University of Mobile. The views expressed here are the author's own.