September’s School Psychologist of the month is Candice Buchanan!
How long have you work as a school psychologist, and what path brought you to this field?

I've been a school psychologist for 13 years and was drawn toward this path because of my own lived experiences. I had a school counselor in high school who was very helpful to me while I was navigating challenging family circumstances. I also had an experience with a community-based psychologist who was not helpful to me. Both experiences planted seeds in my journey. One showed me the importance of being available to hold a safe space for students who may need it. The other influenced my desire to become a psychologist who would respond differently and work to expand feelings of belonging.

In your professional practice, what experiences did you find most rewarding or interesting?:

It is very rewarding to have the honor of holding sacred space for others and to witness students being encouraged by their own growth. Other rewarding experiences have involved working alongside team members toward positive impacts and implementing systems change. I've been fortunate to have a wide range of experiences, including serving as a middle school debate coach, restorative practices facilitator, ropes and challenges experiential learning facilitator, systems change implementer for RtI/PBIS, evaluation team member, regional TBI team member, internship supervisor, and facilitator for many parent and student groups.

What are your long-term goals for your career as a school psychologist? Your dreams?:

My long-term goals are to continue supporting all students. I am shifting from providing direct services to students toward supporting team members who engage in direct service. My dreams are to continue being someone who builds bridges, elevates the voices of those impacted within our communities, and seeks opportunities to engage in collaborative systems improvement.