Hello Pacifica Community,
On Veterans Day, we pause to acknowledge and honor the courage, sacrifice, dedication, and needs of those who have served in our Armed Forces. Veterans hold a unique perspective shaped by profound experiences and challenges, and their commitment to defending our freedoms has paved the way for countless opportunities. In our depth psychological community, we also recognize the immense effects of war on the individual and collective psyche and aim to positively support the needs of our veterans, particularly in mental health, as we work toward a peaceful society.
As an educational institution, employer, and support network, Pacifica is dedicated to meeting the needs of our veterans, addressing the consequences of violence and trauma, as well as attracting, developing, and retaining highly skilled veterans who bring invaluable perspectives in areas of need. We take pride in fostering a community that values and supports our military members whose journey brings them to Pacifica to pursue both degree and certificate programs within the field of depth psychology. Through our training and research, we also uplift Pacifica students and graduates who work with or on behalf of veterans, either through therapeutic practice or research – services that can be difficult for them to access.
Pacifica Extension and International Studies (PEIS) recently completed a series, “Warriors in Liminality: An Alchemical View of the Transition from Military Service to Civilian Life.” The recordings of this are available here. PEIS will also soon launch a Veterans certificate in early 2025 with a world-recognized faculty. Please look for more on this upcoming.
Through the Yellow Ribbon program, Pacifica continues to provide scholarships for qualifying veterans under the Post 9/11 GI Bill®, ensuring accessibility to transformative education. For details on Pacifica’s support for veterans, visit us here.
Several Pacifica students have also completed dissertations on veterans and the military, including:
- Dulce et Decorum est: Moral Injury in the Poetry of Combat Veterans by Davids Lawrence Fisher (DP)
- Children of Vietnam Veterans: Intergenerational Trauma and the Archetypal Astrological Signature by Barbara Amneris Niepelt (DPP)
- Military Wives and the Experience of Living in a Transcultural State by Dawn Michelle Berry (Clinical)
Pacifica Faculty, Victoria Stevens, also works with an innovative theater therapy program for Veteran residents and alumni of New Directions for Veterans (NDVets), which acts on the growing evidence of how the arts can play a significant role in supporting Veterans’ recovery from trauma.
Pacifica is also honoring Veterans Day as a holiday for employees for the first time in its history this year, in which offices will be closed.
To our veterans, we recognize that your service has not only safeguarded our freedoms but has also enriched our shared understanding of the human spirit, the costs of war, and the role we can all play in supporting those too often forgotten.
As an educational, relational community, let us honor and tend to the souls of those who have served by creating space for dialogue, healing, and connection, ensuring that the lived experiences and personal stories of our veterans become part of our community and collective journey.
With deep gratitude, we thank you to all who have served and continue the work in support of veterans and peace,
Deneatrice Lewis
Pacifica Graduate Institute
Vice President of People Culture and Belonging
Deneatrice Lewis, MS, is the Vice President of People, Culture, and Belonging at Pacifica Graduate Institute. She engages with students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and community partners to foster an inclusive culture. Overseeing Human Resources, she identifies challenges, crafts strategic solutions, and integrates Pacifica’s goals into HR and organizational development.
Deneatrice is an experienced HR professional with a background in both private and public educational environments. She has worked at the University of La Verne, American Career College, San Bernardino Community College District, Woodland Joint Unified School District, and Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Leadership and Organizational Management, both with a concentration in Human Resources, from the University of La Verne.
Hired as Director of Human Resources at SBCC during the pandemic, Deneatrice advanced systems, processes, and relationships with integrity and compassion. In 2022, she became the interim VP of HR.
