Lyneia Richardson, Ph.D.

A skillful psychologist who celebrates the bridge between humanities and the sciences.

Skilled | Focused | Thoughtful: Lyneia Richardson was inspired to pursue Psychology after meeting educators who were also practicing psychologists. Now a licensed psychologist herself, for 10 years she has provided services in a variety of clinical settings. Her Ph.D. dissertation at Howard University focused on understanding the impact of race and gender on professional Black women and their mental health. She now teaches courses like Family Counseling and Diversity Sensitive Counseling in McDaniel’s Counseling graduate program. “It’s great to have practical experience that I can bring right into class.”
What do you hope students will take away from your courses in Counseling?: I hope to give to my students what I found helpful in my own educational experience, which was the importance of understanding yourself. That understanding can help you become a better counselor, because understanding yourself allows you to show up authentically for your clients and engage fully in all the ways that allow for healing to take place.
What drew you to the field of women’s mental health?: I work at a private practice that specializes in perinatal mental health, and then I have a private practice that focuses on women’s health. The perinatal focus is more recent since having my daughter and learning about maternal mental health and the challenges that women face once they have children, like postpartum depression and anxiety.
How does the study of Psychology fit into a liberal arts curriculum?: Psychology often bridges the arts and sciences. It has a philosophical side of understanding the mind, the world, and people, but you have to investigate like a scientist. For instance, my Ph.D. is in Counseling Psychology, which included scientific study, but it’s also a Doctor of Philosophy. That philosophical understanding of how we see and interact with the world and what influences us as humans is relevant in so many fields.

Directory Profile for Lyneia Richardson

Fact

She is a first-generation college graduate.

Travel

She recently traveled to the Republic of the Gambia and plans to visit with her young daughter again soon.

Hobbies

She is currently learning Spanish and plans to become fluent in French next.

Lyneia Richardson, Ph.D.

About Prof. Richardson

Outside of the Classroom