Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Megan Gleicher. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Megan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to be in the helping field. When I entered high school and took the childcare elective class, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. 15 years ago, I walked into my first classroom and welcomed 22 first grade students into my room. Back then, I saw myself living out my dream career and eventually retiring from the field of education.

Fast forward ten years and our school district began to implement social emotional learning. Having gone through, and continuing to go through my own therapy journey, I took this opportunity to bring mental health into my classroom and ran with it. That year, I saw my then fifth grade students begin to thrive, not just academically, but as young adults, cultivating kindness and empathy that I hadn’t seen before. Bringing mental health awareness into the classroom became my passion, and I began to wonder what I could do to continue to impact both the education and mental health field.

For years I had to work a second job to supplement my income as a teacher. I worked at a daycare after school and then eventually became an ABA therapist. I loved what I did and was passionate about continuing my education, so I began the Masters in social work program virtually through Florida State University.

I began my masters program in the spring of 2020. Three months into the program, my life came to a halt. Covid hit and schools shut down. My job as an ABA therapist was put on pause due to social distancing, and I became a home-schooling teacher mom to my four kids. That year, I went from working two jobs sometimes 60 hours a week, attending grad school, and managing my children’s soccer, dance, and track schedules.. to being home 24 hours a day, worried about my students, their families, and my children. I quickly realized my love for working was actually me running from past traumas I didn’t want to face.

With the uncertainty of life looming, feeling out of control and powerless with what was happening, I began to control food. I quickly slipped into an eating disorder that had my doctors and therapists telling me if I continued this way of life, I wouldn’t see the next Christmas. That summer, I made the incredibly hard decision to attend eating disorder treatment out of state, away from my children and husband, which required a leave of absence from work. It was during those months that I faced things I had buried deep inside me and I began my fight to recovery. I give all the credit to my therapist in residential, my dietitian in PHP, and my therapist in IOP who saved my life and change the trajectory of my career. It was then that I knew I wanted to become a therapist and specialize in eating disorders. My thoughts were validated as I came home and searched relentlessly for a provider that took my insurance or offered sliding scale and specialized in eating disorders and found only a handful of people who might be able to help.

Two and a half years later, an added treatment stay due to losing my best friend to suicide, and with the help of my treatment team, I graduated with my Masters Degree in Social Work. I proudly walked the stage at FSU with my husband and four kids in attendance, and was handed my degree.

I’m not a believer that things happen for a reason, but I do believe I was placed on this path to social work at the right time. I began searching for supervisors to begin my registered intern status and was told by my mentor to reach out to Erin McKinney. It was in that session where I was interviewing her to be my supervisor, that she quickly turned the tables and asked to interview me for a position in her group practice.

Almost 9 months into my new career, I am thriving as an independent contractor in two group practices with a full caseload. I am EMDR certified and in the process of becoming a certified eating disorder specialist. My clients come from all walks of life, different ages, genders, and races.. and more than half of my caseload are individuals struggling with eating disorders. I bring in evidence based practices, my own healing journey, and a lot of humor to help my clients find what I eventually found: recovery.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I put a lot of that info in the previous question.. but…

I’m a registered clinical social work intern in North Palm Beach. I work with adolescents and adults who have experienced trauma and who struggle with anxiety, depression, dissociation, and eating disorders. I am EMDR certified and bring in concepts of DBT (dialectal behavior therapy), and IFS (internal family systems). I come from an anti-diet and health at every size (HAES) mindset.

On the side, I coach high school volleyball- I played for 10 years..

Mental health is an open discussion in my home and my children know at an age appropriate level what I experienced.

My treatment team would be so proud, but I still cringe in saying, im most proud of myself. I’m proud that I went to treatment, opened up about my struggles, allowed people to help, and found the light in my eyes. I found me again. I do everything I can to bring that hope into sessions with my clients and sit with them in the hardest moments they’ve experienced. I being in my humanness, my passion, and even things I learned at a teacher and mom to help my clients begin their own healing journey.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

What I stated in the first question. I took a huge leap of faith and left the school I had been teaching at for 15 years. I left a community of people I loved and students who impacted my life. In doing so, the community of people have continued to support my career change, and several of my former students continue to keep in touch with me. I look at my career as a social worker as a different form of teaching.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

100%. In my grad school journey- through almost 20 different classes and two practicums, I was only introduced to eating disorders on one question, on one exam, and it was a very stereotypical eating disorder vignette to diagnose. If I hadn’t had my own journey to recovery, I don’t think I would have thought to specialize in eating disorders.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/megan-gleicher-north-palm-beach-fl/1149076
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/registered_intern_drp?igsh=MXJsbDA0OXF0cm1jeg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
📸: Bri Fournier