Regina Guthrie, a valued Psychologist at
Russellville Independent Schools, recently graduated from the Doctor of
Psychology in Applied Psychology Program. She enrolled into the program, unaware of the
altruistic faculty that would become like her family. Each person went out of their way to make her
feel comfortable and worthy of success. She
was regarded as a competent team member rather than their inferior. The faculty always respected everyone’s
opinions and worked together to problem-solve any questions or concerns. She encountered several problems throughout
her journey, but it strengthened her adaptability, fast thinking, and
confidence to overcome any obstacle. She
received an ample amount of support from the faculty during her final
disquisition. Guthrie stated that this
support was essential as she successfully completed her dissertation. She shared she can’t begin to explain
the significance of earning her degree. She’s
a first generational college student on her father’s side, and the second on
her mother’s. The family of coal miners
instilled in her a love of learning, so earning this doctoral degree made
it feel like a salute to the work ethic she was taught early on as a
child. Guthrie’s degree is only the continuation of her learning and
the opportunity to serve individuals with her best professional guidance. One of her biggest inspirations is to instill
this exceptional work ethic to her son, Ethan, an eighth grader. Mrs. Guthrie is married to Stephen Guthrie,
who teaches at Franklin/Simpson. Completing
the program has demonstrated that anything is possible
if you want it bad enough and work for it. Guthrie sees limitless possibilities
ahead after obtaining her degree. Earning a doctoral has allowed her to unlock
her full potential as a future clinician. The need for educated individuals in mental
health is becoming more of a priority in our society and Guthrie sees herself
contributing to breaking the stigma of mental health issues. She envisions making a change through
her future work with many clients and patient populations. This advanced degree is the key to an exciting
new chapter in her life. In a past interview, Regina Guthrie
expressed her interest in teaching Psychology, but what she didn’t know was
that her words manifested into reality. Now, she teaches Russellville High School’s
very first dual-credit Psychology class. She
doesn’t want to make too many significant changes, but she also hopes to
improve the services in the school district. She serves as one of the few Psychologists in
the area, but she wants to make up for the imbalance and expand her services to
meet the emotional needs of all students.
Any person can see Mrs. Guthrie as a role model. She accomplishes what she puts her mind to and
commands her own fate. One doesn’t have
to look to a celebrity or a millionaire for advice on being
successful when there’s someone with more than enough experience here in our
community. Russellville
Independent School District is beyond proud of Regina Guthrie, is fortunate to
have her on staff, and appreciates the commitment she has to her students.
(Article written by Student Intern, Matthew Williams)