MSW, LCSW-C
Psychology and Religion Major
Owner/Psychotherapist, Insight Wellness of Maryland

“My only advice is that if you have not developed a relationship with one of the amazing professors standing in front of you, do it-- the experiences you have with them will be with you for a lifetime.”

What has been your career path since graduating from Goucher?

As a double major in Psychology and Religion - Class of 2004 - I spent a lot of time developing an understanding of what I wanted to do, how I wanted to get there, and finding the right people to explore those options with to be where I am today.

I attended University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work and obtained my Master of Social Work, Clinical Concentration with a Mental Health Specialization - graduating in 2007. After graduating, I worked for Stevenson University in their Wellness Center providing counseling to their students. Over the years, I have worked in a variety of settings (because as a social worker we can be and do almost anything): Intensive Outpatient Substance Use Programs, Outpatient Mental Health Clinics, as well as Foster Care Visitation Centers.

I "hung my shingle" becoming a small business owner - opening my own private practice in February of 2010. In 2016, I needed to make some changes and decided to expand my business, with the support of my husband - fellow Goucher Psychology Graduate & Clinical Social Worker, Jesse Callan class of 2003. My new company Insight Wellness of Maryland, LLC officially started in 2017. True to the Goucher experience of developing connections - my first employee is also a Goucher graduate! In addition to running my group practice, I recently became an Adjunct Faculty member, returning to University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work for their Master's program teaching Clinical Social Work with Addictive Behavior Patterns, as well as Paradigms of Clinical Social Work.

What were your most influential and valuable experiences at Goucher?

During college, I remember walking on Van Meter after a class to catch up with someone from the Counseling Center, who had come into our class to discuss her role there. I told her I want to be a therapist and help people, and I asked if she had any advice. She turned to me and said, “Social work - fastest route to hanging your shingle.” I didn't understand what she meant at the time and I remember scratching my head, thanking her and wondering what on earth social work had to do with being a therapist.

I discussed this potential career choice with my advisor and the most influential Psychology teacher I had - Rick Pringle. I knew from my experiences in his classes that the relationships we developed with others impacts how we see, think, experience, and live in the world. I knew that I could help others by stepping into to their shoes and being fully present with them, their stories, and their pain. I recall him saying I would make a great social worker; I left his office with a task of finding graduate programs and trying to figure out what being a social worker would even mean for me.

The most valuable part of my experience in the Psychology department at Goucher was the connections I made with my professors, particularly Ann McKim, Carol Mills, Brian Patrick, and Rick Pringle. While some may not remember me, there is not a day that I don't think of or hear their voices through mine. I bring all of this with me when I sit with my clients.

What advice do you have for current students interested in preparing for a path similar to yours?

If you, psychology major/minor, are curious about what to do next, I will tell  you that no matter what you do, Goucher's psychology department has prepared you to be a critical thinker, to examine your self in relation to others, and how to apply a multitude of theories to the path you choose. My only advice is that if you have not developed a relationship with one of the amazing professors standing in front of you, do it-- the experiences you have with them will be with you for a lifetime.