That is, until a suggestion from his wife, Sierra, changed everything.  

Sierra told him she thought he’d be a good fit for a position at the Gibson Center for Behavioral Change, an addiction treatment center in Cape Girardeau. He took a leap of faith, and his first day on the job as a behavioral health technician (BHT) proved to be a turning point in his life.  

“Since my first day of being there, I fell in love with it,” Kapp recalls. “That experience and working with that population really ignited my passion for mental health.”  

That passion eventually led Kapp to enroll in Southeast Missouri State University’s Bachelor of Science in psychology program — the first step in turning his calling into a career. What followed was a journey marked by hands-on learning through in-person and online courses, meaningful mentorship from faculty and a growing sense of purpose in a profession built around impact.  

A Flexible Path: Transitioning to SEMO Online  

After two years of taking his psychology degree classes on SEMO’s Cape Girardeau campus, life took Kapp in a new direction, both geographically and professionally. A move to Washington, D.C., for his wife’s career meant leaving behind the in-person college experience, but it didn’t mean pressing pause on his education.  

Instead, Kapp shifted to the SEMO Online bachelor’s in psychology program, which provided him with the flexibility he needed to continue working full time in the mental health field while finishing his degree.  

The balance between school and work was essential. The online learning environment allowed Kapp to stay grounded in real-world experience and study at hours that fit with his active work schedule.  

During his time in the program, he interacted with classmates from across the country through coursework and frequent discussion boards. Many of his classmates were also working in psychology related roles. “Gathering opinions from other people working in similar fields really helped me broaden my horizons and build upon the knowledge that I’d already developed,” Kapp says.  

The SEMO Online program wasn’t just a continuation of Kapp’s education; it was a vehicle to deepen it, all while remaining immersed in the hands-on practice of psychology.  

Learning That Resonates in the Real World  

For Kapp, studying psychology wasn’t a theoretical exercise — it was something that came to life every day on the job. While the program at SEMO Online was academically rigorous and rooted in theory, Kapp found that it clicked in a very practical way.  

“I was able to apply coursework right away because I was already in the field,” Kapp says. “Professors like Dr. [Shawn] Guiling and Dr. [Jeremy] Heider really left a good impression on me because of their understanding of the topics and exciting ways of presenting them.”  

Dr. Guiling’s career development course and Dr. Heider’s research methods course played a key role in helping Kapp build applicable skills. Kapp was even inspired to work as a teaching assistant in one of Dr. Guiling’s career development courses, so he could help others see the importance of working in the field while they’re in school to make sure it’s a good career fit.  

Those classes, along with meaningful peer-to-peer interactions, specialized electives, and a sociology minor, made for a robust and integrated learning experience for Kapp. 

SEMO Online offered more than a checklist of courses. It provided a personalized, practical education that supported Kapp’s work and, ultimately, deepened his real-world impact.  

Growing Through the Work: From Crisis to Connection  

As the classroom continued to give Kapp the tools he needed, the field gave him the opportunity to use them. Each role Kapp took on added a new layer of perspective, testing his ability to adapt, connect and grow while exploring a wide range of career possibilities.  

After starting at the Gibson Center, Kapp moved on to Cape Girardeau’s Community Counseling Center, where he worked in a transitional living facility supporting individuals with mental health disorders. From there, Kapp joined the staff at Southeast Behavioral Hospital, where the pace and unpredictability of crisis intervention pushed his skills even further.  

But it wasn’t until moving to the Washington, D.C., area and stepping into the role of registered behavioral technician (RBT) at a local facility that Kapp found his most personally rewarding chapter yet: working with children on the autism spectrum through applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy. 

One child in particular left a lasting mark. Kapp was working with a four-year-old with autism who wouldn’t speak, and his mother was skeptical about the efficacy of treatment and intervention. After a heart-to-heart consultation, the mother placed her trust in Kapp to work with her son.  

Three months later, the child was speaking in full sentences again.  

“Just being a part of that process from start to finish was one of the most rewarding things ever,” Kapp says. “It made me feel amazing. It made the mom feel amazing. And it really just reaffirmed that this is the work I’m supposed to be doing.”  

Today, Kapp works as a psychiatric technician in a specialty clinic for individuals with treatment-resistant depression, administering cutting-edge therapies like Spravato (a form of ketamine) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). His role blends medical responsibility with therapeutic presence, allowing Kapp to continue to show up for people when they need it most.  

Maintaining Motivation While Serving Others 

With the range of setbacks and successes that professionals working in the mental health field can experience, maintaining one’s personal well-being is essential. Burnout is a word that hovers over every professional in the field, and Kapp knows it well.  

The pace of crisis work, the emotional weight of therapy, the constant urgency — all of it can grind away at even the most committed practitioner. Kapp counters this by consciously settling down and relaxing after his shifts end, engaging in hobbies, and spending quiet evenings with his wife and two cats curled up nearby.  

Recharging isn’t an indulgence; it’s maintenance for the mission ahead.  

Looking Ahead with Confidence and Purpose  

For Kapp, that mission is already taking shape. Kapp’s most powerful memories still come from his ABA sessions with young children on the autism spectrum, fueling his next goal: earning a master’s degree in applied behavioral analysis and the coveted board-certified behavioral analyst (BCBA) credential.  

After completing his bachelor’s degree program in spring 2025 as a first-generation graduate, Kapp’s plan is to step back from formal coursework for a year, then return to graduate school, fresh, focused, and ready.  

Kapp’s journey proves that real impact happens when you’re not afraid to do the hard work. By pairing real-world experiences with SEMO Online’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology program, Kapp turned classroom theory into daily practice, built a resume while earning a degree, and charted a clear path toward advanced certification.  

For anyone eager to serve others and grow a career on their own terms, SEMO Online’s psychology program can help them turn passion into profession.