Sydney Conroy, LMHC

About

You'll find a mosaic of interests and experiences here: mental health, play, education, healing, public health, psychological trauma, politics, tech and social media/content creation. My journey has spanned three countries, five universities, and promises to continue down paths and roads that allow me to bring together the knowledge I've gathered from where I've been before. I have recently completed my PhD at the University of Cambridge with the Centre for Play in Education, Development, and Learning (PEDAL). My doctoral research spans collective trauma, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on play therapists, and exploring children's perspectives of the pandemic impact on their mental health through play-based research. To bring more play into the world is part of my life's work, and one avenue I've tried since the start of my PhD is publishing about children's films in academic journals. Using media to explore education around psychological complex topics, I've published on how films such as Inside Out (JAACAP) and Encanto (JCAMH) could support conversations and healing within families. The latter paper was covered by The Times and local BBC radio. With content creation, I've leveraged social media to build community and bring exposure to mental health in academia, not fitting into one specific field with interests, international student life, and encouraged more play. The account, formerly @acambridgechronicle, was featured in Varsity and described as a space to breathe between lectures and supervisions.

Experience

• Research Supervisor · Children's Therapy Centre2024-07-01 –

  Support final year master's students in psychotherapy at Children's Therapy Centre (CTC), Ireland's foremost provider of training in play therapy, in the development of their research question, ethics, data collection, data analysis, and thesis write up.

• Core Associate · mpathic2022-06-01 –

  As part of the clinical core team, I primarily complete data annotation for mpathic's life sciences data that supports the development of mTrial and mConsult.

• Content Creator (Mental Health & Education) · Instagram + TikTok + Substack + Threads + LinkedIn2021-09-01 –

  Mental health, play advocacy, and soft academia - the focus of all my social media platforms is to encourage people to feel their feelings, learn in public, and model navigating a different way to exist in education (aka when you feel better you do better). 10K combined audience across platforms.

• Dissertation Supervisor · University of Cambridge2022-10-01 – 2024-05-01

  Supported the development of research questions, data collection methods, data analysis methods, dissertation write-up, and editorial support. Evaluated projects for ethical standards and accreditation requirements (British Psychological Society) Advised research projects and monitor progress through the course of eight months

• Research Consultant · Ours2022-03-01 – 2022-12-01

  Created two market surveys to explore topics such as play in relationships, advice that newly engaged couples were seeking, and the choices that kept couples together in marriage. Collated and analyzed the data into accessible blog posts to share findings and inform social media posts.

• Therapist · Eastside Play Therapy2020-10-01 – 2021-08-01
• Child, Youth & Family Therapist · Navos2019-06-01 – 2020-07-01

  Specializations: Play therapy, Sand tray therapy, Child-Parent Relationship therapy

• Child, Youth, & Family Therapist/ Case Manager · Navos2019-05-01 – 2019-06-01
• Intern CYF Therapist · Navos2018-10-01 – 2019-05-01

  Maintains primary case responsibility and authority for assigned caseload. Develops problem-focused, strength-based, goal-oriented service plans which address the specific needs of the client. Provides services primarily at an office and school-based location, but can at times be delivered in the community or home. Provides services within a trauma-informed framework, promotes client voice and wellness, respects client culture and client choice.

• Therapeutic Classroom Teacher · Childhaven2017-09-01 – 2018-10-01

  Childhaven is a facility dedicated to healing children and their families to stop the cycle of abuse and trauma, providing many layers of service to children and families including: daily transportation, therapeutic services, family case management, and wraparound services. My job was to provide services one-on-one for an autistic child who sustained brain trauma to foster the development of attachment, positive self-esteem, self-confidence, communication skills and meets the individual goals for the child.

Education

• University of CambridgeDoctor of Philosophy - PhD, Education
• Antioch University SeattlePlay Therapy Certificate
• Seattle UniversityMaster of Arts - MA, Psychology
• Michigan State UniversityBachelor of Applied Science - BASc, Psychology
• John Cabot UniversityStudy Abroad Semester

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