We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shandra Davis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shandra below.
Shandra , appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
After completing my doctoral internship, I worked at an community outpatient program in their children and adolescents department. I loved working there, but it was made clear that upon getting licensed, they could not afford to keep me. I started looking for jobs and wanted to make sure that I found the right fit. One day, a colleague I worked with came into my office and declared she had gotten a job and wanted me to go with her. I was shocked and grateful at the same time. The job entailed working at a juvenile correctional facility for boys. Up to then, my experience was with school systems and in community mental health. This was a big risk for me to trust someone I continue to look up, and to work in a new setting expanding my professional knowledge. She got me the interview, but I still had to get the job. It worked out that they hired me. Three months into working, we were notified by the state that the two facilities I was working at would be privatized. So I was on the search to began looking for a job again as the conversion would occur by the end of the current fiscal year. I am happy to report I was hired by the company that took over. That job broadened my knowledge and experience. Trusting that co-worker lead to a series of events that lead to my next job and going into management positions. For some of us it is hard to trust and take risks, but as I have learned from Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy “taking risks is the only way to learn” and grow. This has served me well in several areas of my life. I have had moments of failing, but never regretted taking the risk as I have learned and grown. The things I have regretted lies with the things I was too scared to try.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
People are shock to learn that I actually wanted to be a chemical engineer throughout my childhood until my senior year of high school. I have a natural love of science and math. During my senior year I was selected to be part of a special program giving minority students the opportunity to obtain paid internships with Fortune 500 companies throughout undergrad and a position with the company upon graduating. We had to attend a workshop where I was challenged by a woman to research what type of job I would like to get upon obtaining my degree. After researching the different jobs available for chemical engineers, I realized that it was not the right industry for me. I continued researching and decided to go into Human Resources Development as I loved the idea of helping employees to advance in their professional careers. As I exempted out of majority of the introductory classes due to taking Advanced Placement classes in high school, I took sociology and psychology classes to learn the difference between the two. It was during this time I fell in love with psychology and my faith played a major role in helping me to further my education in psychology. It was the best decision I could have made. I absolutely love what I do.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
I believe to be successful in the field of psychology you have to be willing to be open to new experiences and opportunities. Surround yourself with others in all fields in order to grow. You also have to make sure that you engage in self-care on a daily basis and never be afraid to ask for help both professionally and personally. As I say to therapists I have trained, therapists need therapists too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.davissynergeticdevelopment.com/
- Instagram: davissynergetic
- Facebook: davissynergetic
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/shandra-davis-psy-d-47b79512