Seminary Training for Two Careers

Moody Theological Seminary Michigan alumnus Daniel Restum hopes to one day use his Counseling Psychology degree in a future Christian counseling career. But for now, he applies his MTS training to better interact with people in the often high-stress world of law enforcement.

‘It doesn’t get more applicable than that’

Daniel, 38, works at a metropolitan police department in Southfield, Michigan. Sworn in as an officer in 2008 at age 21, he has worked in various roles, including patrolman, traffic officer, SWAT team member, detective, and, most recently, training coordinator. Since earning his counseling degree from MTS in 2017, he has seen firsthand how his seminary training enhances his ability to do his job.

“The folks we encounter can be extremely stressed out, terrified, agitated, or high on drugs,” Daniel says. “Some are dealing with major depression or anxiety. Having valuable counseling expertise from MTS has allowed me to understand their motivations and behaviors better, which helps determine the best way to interact with them.”

His training is especially valuable in working with criminal offenders.

“These people are going through difficult times and struggling. Having a clinical knowledge of how the brain works helps immensely, especially when I was a hostage negotiator,” he says. “It doesn’t get more applicable than that.”

‘That’s how it pretty much began’

Daniel lives in Brighton, Michigan, about 20 minutes north of Ann Arbor, with his wife, Laura and their two children, John, 9, and Lilly, 6. He first felt drawn to law enforcement as a teenager.

“I know it sounds a bit cliché, but it always bothered me when I saw people being victimized, so I wanted to be a part of preventing and rectifying those situations,” he says.

Now, as a training coordinator, Daniel develops and oversees essential instruction for the department’s 130 officers. He manages courses for the active shooter program, taser program, firearms program, and gas mask task force. He also runs controlled training exercises to simulate real-life situations officers encounter in the field.

His interest in criminal justice was also influenced by his father, John Restum, who worked as a police dispatcher in Farmington, Michigan, before transitioning to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office as the director of mental health operations.

“My dad has decades of experience—so that’s how it pretty much began for me.”

‘It’s impossible not to grow closer to Christ’

Like his father, who now serves as director of the Counseling Psychology program at MTS Michigan, Daniel plans to pursue a career in Christian counseling after retiring from law enforcement. That goal led him to enroll at MTS in 2015.

At the time, Daniel was still working full time while supporting his wife and two young children. “So I told my wife, ‘you can basically barely see me and it’s going to be quicker, or we can push this to four years,’” he says.

They agreed on the fast-track—taking a full class load and studying through the summers. With that schedule, he completed the program in just over two years, even while interning at InterSessions, the student-run, on-campus counseling clinic. “We made it work,” he says.

Daniel flourished in his MTS coursework, graduating in 2017 with a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. Though his fast-track approach was demanding, he was grateful for the faculty and staff who poured into him academically and professionally.

“MTS Michigan was excellent. The chapel experiences were inspiring, and everyone from staff to students were so welcoming and caring,” he says. “Not only was I educated on a high level, but the professors were of another caliber and engaged us on a personal level. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

His time at MTS gave him confidence that he had gained the tools and skills he needed for success. But even more than that, it impacted his personal and spiritual life.

“It’s impossible to go through that program and not grow closer to Christ,” he says. “My time at MTS made me a better person. And that makes me better at everything I do—a better husband, father, and police officer.”

Daniel’s father, John, has fond memories of his son’s time at MTS.

“Daniel was an excellent student who exhibited personal maturity, leadership qualities, and clinical competence,” he says. “I am so glad Dan has shared my interest in studying psychology and theology for a future in Christian ministry.”

Preparing for the next chapter

Since Daniel started his law enforcement career young, he plans to retire in his late 40s. With a counseling degree already in hand, he’ll be ready to begin a new chapter.

“My rough plan is in three to five years start my exit plan from law enforcement and begin working toward my counseling license,” he says.  

In the meantime, Daniel has put his experience to use by training churches to develop their own security programs.

“After the police force, I want to continue training churches and maybe turn that into a business. But counseling would be my primary focus,” he says. “I’ll probably end up counseling in the law enforcement or military fields. I had a few of those clients while doing my clinicals at MTS, and it was a good fit for me given my background.”

While excited for the future, Daniel remains grateful for the opportunity to serve others in the criminal justice system.

“I think transitioning from a career in law enforcement to one in Christian counseling will be a natural step for me,” he says. “In my current job I spend my days serving people in crisis. In my next one, I’ll do basically the same thing—only this time with a focus on the gospel.”