Sydney (she, her, hers) was born and raised in southwest Wisconsin. Her reason for attending school for social work was because she always loved helping people and wanted to make a difference. In May of 2023, she graduated from Marian University in Fond du Lac with a bachelor’s in Social Work and an additional major in Psychology. In December of 2024, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a master’s in Social Work.
Her philosophy on mental health is that everything is connected. The Biopsychosocial perspective understands that thoughts and behaviors are influenced by genetics, psychological factors like self-esteem, and environmental factors such as the presence of healthy relationships and how a person was raised. Understanding that there is a reason for behavior is not meant to excuse the behavior, instead it is so an individual can comprehend how the reason is there and to take accountability and address it.
Sydney’s specialty in mental health is to work with all clients in a trauma informed way. Being trauma informed is to understand how trauma affects the individual’s mental health, the individual’s body, and the family unit. Trauma-informed care is putting the individual’s emotional, psychological, and physical safety first. Her mental health interests include assisting clients who do not have equal opportunity because they belong to a marginalized group, like the LGBTQIA+ population. Not only does she want to serve marginalized groups, but she also wants to help advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility.
While Sydney was a Certified Nursing Assistant, she assisted Fond du Lac County with clients at the Acute Psychiatric Center by overseeing clients that were on psychiatric holds and assisting with crisis calls in the county. Her master’s internship was at the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at UW-Whitewater. During her time at CSD, she assisted students in crises and had routine mental health check-ins with students who have a disability and mental health disorder. Most recently, she was the Director of Case Management at Bethel House, Inc. where she helped families experiencing homelessness, family violence, integrating into society following a recovery treatment, and more.
Sydney wants her clients to know that she believes in a client’s choice to get treatment, to have control over their treatment, and to not be treated at all. She recognizes the importance in celebrating little improvements as well as understands that setbacks happen and healing is not a linear journey. She wants every client to feel safe and like they are being approached with respect and addressed in a non-shameful way.
