Clinician Spotlight: An Interview with McKenzie Sheridan, MABy Lauren Chapin, LICSW
Welcome to the fifth installment of Clinician Spotlight, a series where I sit down with some of our wonderful therapists for a cozy conversation about work, mental health, and many life tidbits in between. Most recently, I had the opportunity to speak with McKenzie Sheridan, MA. We are so excited to welcome McKenzie to the Castlebrook team for the next year while she finishes up her Doctoral program in Clinical Psychology. McKenzie discussed how she cultivates a safe space in her therapy room, her focus on the LGBTQIA+ population, and her jungle of house plants. ******** Lauren: Hi McKenzie, welcome to Castlebrook! Thank you for sitting down with me to chat. Could you begin by telling me a bit about your educational background and what brought you to private practice? McKenzie: I have wanted to be a therapist since childhood. I first earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Simmons University and then took a year off working in a group home for teen girls who were trauma survivors. I really enjoyed the work and appreciated having that hands-on experience before diving into my master’s in mental health counseling at Boston College. I then transitioned directly into the PsyD program in clinical psychology at William James College where I am currently in my fourth year. I have about two years left, and I was looking for a way to continue my clinical experience and gain some personal fulfillment because I just love therapy so much. While working under the supervision of Dr. Beth Anderson (another wonderful Castlebrook clinician!) at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, I fell in love with Dialectical Behavior Therapy. We discussed the possibility of working at Castlebrook to develop a DBT group for trans and gender non-conforming youth, and now it’s a dream come true for me. I’m here for one year before my next internship. Lauren: We’re so grateful to have you. You spoke about your experience at the hospital and a group home, what other settings have you had the opportunity to work in? McKenzie: I’ve done a lot of work in schools and community mental health settings such as integrated behavioral health within medical offices, crisis response, and a day shelter for women experiencing homelessness. I also held an internship practicing individual therapy where my youngest client was 3 years old and my oldest was 62. Lauren: You’ve had such a variety of experiences during your training! McKenzie: That was very intentional on my part. I knew that the setting really drives the experience and I wanted exposure to as many as possible to figure out where I thrive and where I see myself serving people in the most helpful way. I’ve learned a lot and to be honest, I'm still not sure, but I'm excited to keep figuring it out. My primary experience so far has been working with children, adolescents, and families. I really love working with the little ones, but my current population of interest is adolescents and young adults that are in the LGBTQA+ community or hold other historically marginalized identities. Lauren: You mentioned starting a group for this adolescent population. How did you come up with the idea for the group? Did you recognize a service gap? McKenzie: Yes, actually. It was a combination of that, current socio-political climates, and the direction my training took me in. I really dove into group work over the last year and loved it. Laws across the country are telling Queer youth that they are not allowed to be who they are. Here in Massachusetts, our community has more protections but they are still exposed to that message. External support, access to affirming care, and visibility of gender nonconforming joy are crucial, and unfortunately not a guarantee. One of the tiers of DBT treatment is finding community, and I thought creating a DBT group directly for this population would be a great way to readily incorporate community building into treatment. So, when clients come into this group, they’re in one protected space together where they can safely explore, grieve, and tackle some of that deeper stuff with others who share that experience. Lauren: That’s wonderful. You had mentioned some research too! What has that research been about? McKenzie: My research has been broad, but with a focus on trans and gender nonconforming youth, their experiences in therapy, and their experiences with trauma. Some of my research has looked at which aspects of treatment are found to be helpful and not helpful, and how these pieces are not always aligned between the identified client and their family. My doctoral project research has shifted a bit to queer people in general and identity formation. I am exploring the experiences of identity development of queer individuals who come out later in life and what the implications of that are. Lauren: That sounds like necessary research! Going back to your comment of always wanting to be a therapist, why is that? McKenzie: I was like a moth to a flame with therapy. Before wanting to be a therapist, I wanted to be a teacher. I loved working with kids, helping people, teaching new things, and learning new things. However, I didn't like a lot of the bureaucratic work that came along with it. I found myself feeling more invested in the emotional experience of children and how this often gets in the way of their academic or social success. Further, when I worked at the group home, I discovered that I didn't necessarily want to be managing schedules and talking around the dinner table. I wanted to help them with what was going on inside on a deeper level. I really love looking at things from a global perspective and looking at all of the moving pieces. Lauren: As you’re preparing to take on clients and build your group, what is something that you want prospective clients to know about the type of therapy space you try to cultivate? McKenzie: It’s important for my clients to know that I view the therapy space as not just a space of vulnerability, but a space of authenticity. You can be exactly who you are, no more and no less, and I am on your team. I really love the idea of unconditional positive regard and that’s very present in a lot of my therapeutic relationships. I think that one of the most magical things about therapy is that you get to have a person outside of your everyday life who is on your team and is there to specifically support you. There is no way to win or fail at therapy, you just show up as you are and do your best. Lauren: I like that message. Are there any other favorite metaphors or sayings that you use and have found effective? McKenzie: I love metaphors. One of my favorites that I've adapted over the years is to imagine that you are a juggler and the challenges of life are the juggling balls. You're constantly trying to keep them all up in the air, but this actually isn’t the most important piece of the work. The most important part is to figure out which balls are made of glass and which are made of rubber. Because when you drop a ball, and you will, some of the balls will shatter and some of them will bounce. I use that with myself and with clients. Lauren: That sounds really helpful when thinking about priorities and all of the different life domains we deal with. Speaking of life domains, besides work, what else brings you joy and keeps you motivated? McKenzie: There’s an independent music artist that I've been listening to a lot named Maddie Zahm. She writes a lot of raw, vulnerable, autobiographical stuff about who she is and figuring out what kind of life she wants to live. I love everything she puts out. She’s genuine even when it hurts. I’ve also been really into house plants these last couple of years. I started out propagating plants from leaves I bought online and now my hobby has grown to include over 100 house plants! Lauren: Amazing. I’ll definitely have to give Maddie a listen! Thank you, McKenzie, for chatting. I can’t wait to follow more of your work as you continue your journey here at Castlebrook.
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Clinician Spotlight: An Interview with Shawn McGuirk, LMHCWelcome to the fourth installment of Clinician Spotlight, a series where I sit down with some of our wonderful therapists for a cozy conversation about work, mental health, and many life tidbits in between. This month, I had the opportunity to speak with Shawn McGuirk, LMHC. Shawn combines mindfulness with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in his work with both college students and post-college aged adults. Shawn discussed what mindfulness means to him, how even summer can be tough on mental health, and his overall passion for the work.
Lauren: Thank you for chatting with me! How long have you been with Castlebrook and what is your therapeutic background? Shawn: I started at Castlebrook in the Fall of 2020. As for my therapeutic journey, I worked in higher education for a long time, but held a masters degree in counseling and psychology and wanted to eventually use it. While I became a therapist a little later in my career, I’ve been in the mental health field for 11 years now. I got licensed in 2019 and here I am doing what I love doing! Lauren: Congratulations! What made you want to make the switch? Shawn: I’d been in higher ed for a long, long time working at different colleges and universities. It was my 40th birthday and I thought to myself, “If I don't do this now, I’m never going to do it.” Lauren: Speaking of higher education, I know that you also work at Clark University in a clinical role now. Shawn: Yes, I work at Clark in the counseling center and just finished my fifth year. Lauren: What do you feel is the main difference between university counseling and private practice? Shawn: There are obviously a lot of similarities such as people struggling with depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. However, I find that one main difference in working with young adults in a college setting is level of insight. When you’re a college student, especially a first and second year, you’re still trying to figure out, “Who am I? What do I want to be? What do I want to do?”, and so there are some existential issues that go along with that. Whereas in private practice, I tend to work more with post-college aged adults. There are a lot more relationship based issues such as how you’re relating to yourself, spouse, family, job, and so forth. Lauren: I like that you get the best of both worlds. You work with people that may have a more established sense of self and then with people who are at the beginning of that journey. Shawn: Yes, and prior to Clark, I worked at a nonprofit in Fitchburg. I did individual therapy, family therapy, couples counseling, home-based therapy, and I did work with young kids for a period of time, but discovered that it wasn’t in my wheelhouse. I am much better with adults so that’s what I stick to. Lauren: That’s great that you got such an array of experience! It’s just as good to figure out what you don’t want to do. Shawn: Yes! When I started, I really wanted the full experience to figure out what I liked and what I was good at. I'm very fortunate because I got that experience. I was working with everyone from older adults to four year old kids. I give people a lot of credit who work with kids that young! Personally, I love working with adults. They are often genuinely looking for help with their emotional state, are more insightful, and are open and willing to be somewhat vulnerable. You really have to take a leap of faith to be vulnerable and willing to put in the work of therapy. I find that my relationship with my clients is strengthened when they’re willing to try. Lauren: So, you’re the first clinician I’m interviewing in the summer! It’s well known what kind of issues clients might go through in the winter, like seasonal affective disorder, but have you found that working with clients in the summer brings some unique challenges for them? Shawn: Actually, yes. More family related issues as families are spending more time with each other. I see a little less anxiety and depression and a little more communication difficulties with significant others and family. Lauren: That makes sense. I think sometimes summer can also be tough because people think they should feel a certain way. The sun’s out, the weather is beautiful, why am I not happy? Shawn: That’s a really good point and in fact, I’ve met with client’s recently that have had similar issues. They have all of these outwardly positive things in their lives, including the nice weather and outdoor activities, so they question why they’re not happy. Chasing happiness is what causes unhappiness. Lauren: The chasing happiness piece reminds me of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Is that a modality that you work with? Shawn: Absolutely. I’m a big proponent of ACT. I also do CBT and mindfulness work. For me, it’s important to recognize the connection that exists between thinking and emotions. We experience certain emotions due to the thoughts we’re having, then we talk to ourselves in a way that aligns with those emotions and thoughts. The acceptance piece comes in when we are not looking to make judgements on or evaluate these thoughts and emotions, but are just accepting what is. I do quite a bit of that. Lauren: How did you hone that style? Shawn: Honestly, it was my own therapy. His style really resonated with me and I was able to make it my own to fit my personality, style, and how I personally think about therapy. When you’re talking about mindfulness, anybody can benefit from that. I combine ACT, mindfulness, and some CBT, that’s my triangle. Lauren: I know some people reel back a bit at the mention of mindfulness just from what they’ve heard or seen in popular media. How would you describe mindfulness to somebody who is hesitant? Shawn: Interestingly enough, this just came up with a client. They said it’s something they’ve tried before and weren’t sure about. I try to educate as much as I can as far as what it actually is. Often, people think it’s just meditation and that they can't clear their mind and be still. But that's not what it’s about. Mindfulness is about being able to focus on what’s going on in this moment. I often will use the Lao Tzu quote, “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the moment.” So how do we go about honing that focus? How do we train the mind to come back to this moment? Lauren: A more general question, and something I’ve asked some of the other clinicians too, a lot of people are hesitant to start therapy at all. One goal of this spotlight series is to humanize therapy and therapists in order to make it less nerve wracking to start. What would you want potential clients to know about therapy? Shawn: More than anything, I would like people to know that it’s a conversation. We’re having a conversation about you. We’re going to talk about you and whatever it is you feel like talking about. We all need somebody to talk to from time to time and that’s all this is. You talk to me about things that are on your mind, I’ll ask you questions, you can ask me questions, and I’ll try to answer as honestly as I can. I can appreciate that someone coming into therapy is uncertain, a little scared, or intimidated. I get that. It’s my job in part to foster relaxation and comfortability. I like to think of it as the client driving the bus. I’m riding shotgun with a map, and I’m trying to direct us as best we can to the place we both want to go. Lauren: That’s a great metaphor, because both the driver and the map reader can make mistakes. It kind of puts you in a non-expert role. Shawn: For sure. If we end up taking a wrong turn somewhere, we’ll backtrack or take another turn. We’ll eventually get to where you want to go, even if it takes some time or is uncomfortable. Lauren: So, what do you do for fun? We tell clients all the time that it’s important to have hobbies and coping skills, what are yours? Shawn: I meditate a lot which is really beneficial for me, I exercise, and I read. For reading, it’s mostly nonfiction, spiritual types of books. Also, my kids are older, but I try to communicate with them as much as possible, which is not always easy. My oldest just left for the peace corps! I love being a father and when I can connect with my three children, that means everything to me. Lauren: Is there anything that you were hoping to share that I didn’t ask? Shawn: I love my work, I consider it a real privilege to do what I do. I am really grateful to get the chance to do it on a daily basis. When you think about the work we do and how absolutely amazing it is, you can’t get any better than that. What is DBT?By Kerrie Toole, LICSW, Executive Director “I tried DBT before and it didn’t help.”
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this statement from a client during an initial meeting… Typically after hearing this from a prospective client, my next line of questioning includes asking what they did in their DBT sessions: What Target Behaviors were on their Diary Cards? What patterns were identified through Chain Analyses? How often did they utilize Phone Coaching with their therapist? How long did they participate in Skills Groups? Most of the time, I’m met with blank stares and confusion. There is a sizable amount of misinformation in the therapy world about what Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is, and many therapists are even attending trainings where they are led to believe that they are doing DBT treatment when they actually are not. This is why the developer of DBT, Marsha M. Linehan, Ph.D., ABPP created the Dialectical Behavior Therapy - Linehan Board of Certification credentialing process to demonstrate to the public those therapists who are providing DBT with full fidelity to the treatment as it was designed. In this post, I will review the core components of DBT so you can ensure that you are receiving the best form of treatment for your needs. DBT was initially developed by psychologist Dr. Marsha M. Linehan to address self-harming behaviors and emotion dysregulation commonly associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, DBT has since proven to be beneficial for individuals dealing with a range of mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) consists of four core modalities that work together to provide a comprehensive and integrated approach to therapy. These four modalities are:
Adolescent DBT: Modifications in the treatment protocol for adolescent clients and their families include an additional Module in DBT Skills Groups called Walking the Middle Path, which focuses on building the balance between validation and change within families and within oneself. Family therapy is also a signature component of Adolescent DBT, and Castlebrook also requires that parents or caregivers attend a 12-Session DBT for Parents group to educate parents about ways to recognize patterns in their teens, regulate themselves, and offer support in constructive and compassionate ways. If you read this far, you can see that DBT is a highly structured, intensive treatment protocol. What is described above just scratches the surface of what DBT treatment looks like. Now one might ask, does following the full DBT Protocol to a “T” mean that this is the ONLY way that DBT can be effective? The research says no, not necessarily. Recent studies on DBT have been focusing on the dosage of treatment, and how to match up a person’s individual symptoms with the most effective component of DBT. This may mean that someone could benefit from participating in the DBT Skills Groups as an adjunct to traditional therapy. Conversely, it may mean that the full protocol is the recommended dosage, and to provide less than that would be doing a disservice to the client. The dosage of DBT is often assessed by the therapist and the client during the initial assessment process. |
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Castlebrook Counseling Services, Inc. is a group of private practice clinicians with a shared goal of strengthening our community by providing therapy and clinical support designed for children, adults, and families to successfully meet life’s challenges.