Whitney Cain LCMHC PHD

Thanks for taking time to learn a bit about me. I grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee and attended The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.  My interests in how others craft their unique life stories grew from Sewanee’s deep literary traditions.  This appreciation of story nestled right beside my love of psychology and socio-cultural influences shaping our lives.  My Masters’ program at Boston University furthered these interests, served up with hearty doses of psychodynamic theory.  My Ph.D. program in Developmental Psychology at North Carolina State University gave me the opportunity to explore the ways we craft narratives and make meaning about the unique events in our lives.

As an Associate Professor of Psychology at William Peace University (formerly Peace College), my research and teaching focused on the social and cultural influences contributing to who we are and how we move around in the world. 

After 18 years of teaching in the college classroom, it was time for me to take a look at my own unique life and living.  This transition led me to become a student again at North Carolina Central University where I earned an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.  My practicum and internship experiences at Lucy Daniels Center and Duke Cancer Center gave me a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of body and mind, as well as the many creative and holistic treatment modalities reinforcing these connections.  These experiences also strengthened my beliefs that even very difficult experiences create opportunities for growth, guide us into new ways of being, and offer influential additions to our unique lives and the stories representing them.

Should you need help negotiating your own transitions, I welcome the opportunity to work together.  Please contact me to talk about what we might be able to do together.  To learn about my thinking on life and living, check out my “currently on-sabbatical” blog.