A Buckeye Becomes a Hawk: Going Small for Grad School

Lyndsey Sheldon grew up in a small town in Ohio where everybody knew everybody. She was excited to attend the Ohio State University, where she received her B.S. in Psychology and minored in Forensics in 2021. Being a Buckeye gave her the opportunity to live the crazy game day experience and embrace being part of a (very) large community. When it came time to continue her education, Lyndsey knew it was time to get back to her small-town roots and find a tight-knit community for graduate school. 

“When I knew it was time to get my masters and really buckle down, I knew a small community with interactive professors is what I needed,” she said.

After taking several psychology courses during her undergrad studies and being introduced to the field of forensic psychology, she knew she wanted to work with the underrepresented, mentally ill individuals dispersed throughout the criminal justice system. “I took a forensics class for fun one semester and was informed that forensic psychology was a branch of psychology,” she said. “From that very day, I was sold.”

When she met Marcus Hanscom, Director of Graduate Admission at RWU, during a presentation at Ohio State in 2018, she heard about the Forensic Mental Health Counseling (FMHC) program at Roger Williams and decided the program was meant for her. With forensic disciplines being a rare specialization not only in Ohio, but in many parts of the country, she had no doubt in her decision.

“I called my parents immediately after and said, ‘Well I guess I’m going to Rhode Island for a couple of years after school!’”

Now, she is in her final year of the Forensic Mental Health Counseling program at RWU and is studying to be a licensed, forensic mental health clinician. She hopes to treat clients in correctional facilities and possibly wants to open her own private practice in the future. Part of her preparation for future licensure includes participating in the FMHC program’s required 200 hours in a practicum experience and 600 hours in an internship.

Lyndsey began her first part of practicum at the Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) in the psychiatric emergency department, where she observed mental health clinicians evaluating individuals coming into the emergency room. Those evaluations consisted of clinicians gathering background information from the patient and family members about the individual’s mental health and substance abuse history. Lyndsey learned firsthand how that information was gathered and documented for a psychiatric evaluation. 

Partway through her practicum experience at RIH, she transitioned to Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH) in Massachusetts, where she is now completing her internship. At BSH, she meets with patients who are being evaluated for committal or have been deemed incompetent to stand trial. Each week, Lyndsey tracks weekly progress for patients, creates treatment plans, conducts group work, and provides individual therapy with patients.

Reflecting on her past year in the FMHC program, Lyndsey said the professors are among her favorite aspects of her experience at RWU. Coming from a particularly large undergraduate program in the Midwest, she said she “…cherishes the meaningful and personal relationships with her professors,” and thanks them for being great mentors, sharing their experiences in the field, and always being willing to help. 

“I feel I have learned and experienced many things that have prepared me for my future career as a LMHC,” she said.