Boston Counseling Therapy

Anthony Centore Ph.D: Interview with The Ph.D. Times

What was your most memorable moments of your Ph.D. experience?

My most memorial moments have to be the long conversations with Drs Clinton, Jenkins, Milacci, and Sibcy. My experience was somewhat atypical because I moved to Lynchburg and worked at the university, while most students would drive or fly in for intensive courses for only a week at a time. Because I spent so much time physically at the school, I was able to spend a lot more time with the professors.

What was your most gratifying experience while in the Ph.D. program?

I think that’s a trick question, because the program–any Ph.D. program I imagine—is one giant delay of gratification. Perhaps the most gratifying moments are the ones where you realize you are one step closer to completion of the degree. For instance, when I finished a few semesters and realized that I had made the transition from being the student in class who comments to someone else, “I wish I was as far through the program as you” to actually becoming the person that was said to. Very small gratifications, indeed.

What was the most challenging experience that you encountered?

Having endurance was the most challenging part of the program. Graduating is not just about being smart, or clever, or dedicated, or even ambitious. It’s not even about having a ‘calling.’ I saw plenty of ambitious students with a calling drop out half way through. The challenge is sticking it out for the long haul. I have heard that 50% of students will make it to become ABD (all but dissertation) and never finish—that’s case and point right there.

How did you successfully juggle your time during the Ph.D. program?

I didn’t. I’m not coordinated enough.

My approach to completing the Ph.D. program wasn’t about juggling everything as much as it was about dropping the bowling pins, knives, flaming sticks and any other paraphernalia so I could non-elegantly bull my way forward.

I advise this approach for my students now. Many of them are taking courses as they try to keep up with sick parents, sick children, sick spouses, their sickness, pregnancy, a job, a second job, church obligations, and a broken car—and it just doesn’t work. Kids get sick, churches have a crisis, parents die, jobs demand overtime, and the alternator goes out.

One only has so much time and energy. There will always be obligations outside of school, but students really need to find some way to stop juggling so much if they want to get through the program.

What was it like when you heard that you had passed your comps.?

I stressed over the comprehensive exam.

When I heard I passed, there was certainly a relief; a good number of the persons who took the comps with me had to retake at least one section. At the same time, passing the comps felt more like dodging a bullet than it felt like an accomplishment. The comps showed me how much I didn’t know.

I’ve heard the comps are so traumatizing for some students that they shut down for about 6 months afterward, before starting their dissertation. I definitely felt some of that.

What was your biggest adjustment after graduating?

The day after I successfully defended my dissertation, some members of my committee literally sat me down and warned me that I would suffer withdrawal after graduation. I had no idea what they were talking about, but they were dead on. It is a 10 year endeavor from undergrad to a Ph.D., if one goes straight through. After that amount of time, living a life without the structure of grades and semesters is an adjustment.

Also, upon graduation I had to make a transition from student to colleague, and it takes a while to get comfortable in that new role. This was especially difficult for me because even upon my graduation I was still younger than anyone in the program.

There was certainly a “what’s next” feeling. I began working full time for the American Association of Christian Counselors and eventually moved to Boston and opened a counseling practice.

How has the Ph.D. helped you in your career?

After earning the degree people would ask,

“Does it feel good to be called doctor?” and I would answer,

“It feels good not being called mister when everyone I work with is called doctor.”

The truth is, the Ph.D. has given me some instant credibility with my clients, which I think is helpful in the therapy process. For instance, if I affirm a client and tell him or her that I experience them to be sincere and worthy of love, they are getting this feedback from “the doctor,” and that’s meaningful.

How has the Ph.D. helped you personally?

Chicks at Harvard dig it. My bank card says “Dr Anthony Centore,” so I get some props when I order Chinese takeout. And some days when I am being hard on myself, and doubting my professional worth, the title of “Doctor” is hung on my office wall as a reality test of sorts. The Ph.D. is a reminder that a group of professionals, who are now my peers, deemed me worthy of the title. If I’m devaluing myself, I’m also devaluing their discretion to grant me a degree.

Why are you glad that you completed the Ph.D.?

Who says I am? Ok, for your next interview you’re going to want to read Don Dillman’s “Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method” and learn how to structure survey questions.

Would you do it again—another Ph.D. in a different field? Why?

I would not have brought this up, and this might be “the grass is always greener” mentality, but since you asked, if I could do it over I think I would get a degree in counseling psychology, instead of professional counseling.

In the mental health field, a Ph.D. in Professional Counseling is confusing. Your degree says Ph.D., but your license and insurance reimbursement are both at the Masters level. Also, people ask you what you do and it gets old explaining that “Yes I have a Ph.D., but no I’m not a psychologist….Yes, I am a psychotherapist, but I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor….You want to know the difference?… I make less money.”

My Bio

Anthony J. Centore Ph.D. works for the 50,000-member American Association of Christian Counselors, is Director of eCounseling.com, and Founder of Thrive Boston Counseling, in Cambridge, MA. Anthony is a graduate-level professor in the DLP counseling program at Liberty University. He has authored columns, articles, and books on a variety of counseling issues.

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