Meghan McNeill

You want to be the person you know you are deep down, but you do not know how to wade through the layers of who you feel you need to be for others, or the way you feel you need to present to meet external expectations. You feel lost. You feel misunderstood.You may even struggle to get through the day or week. You feel alone. I want you to know that you are not alone. I want to help you find the courage and confidence to be the person you know -at your core- who you really are. You are worthy of self-acceptance, community, connection, and love. You deserve to thrive. I want to help you discover the self-acceptance, skills, and strength needed to move you toward your best - and most connected version of yourself.

My name is Meghan McNeill. I am a Resident in Counseling and thrilled to be here. I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Sociology from the University at Buffalo. I also completed my Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the College of William & Mary. I also completed coursework at Gallaudet University, where I lived in a deaf community and completed a post-graduate certificate in Dyslexia and Language-Based Learning Disabilities at Southern New Hampshire University. My education and early career experiences allowed me to live in Mexico, Ecuador, the United Kingdom, and China. These experiences have promoted my ability to connect with others from a diverse range of multicultural and neurodiverse lived experiences and promote my ability to incorporate empathy and a genuine understanding and acceptance into my work with clients.

My passion is helping people view their weaknesses not as moral failings, but as signs and symptoms of the mental health challenges that brought them to therapy in the first place. I work from a trauma-informed lens, where I consider how previous experiences impact behavior and mental health. I embody this approach through eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. The goal of EMDR is to help people heal from trauma or other distressing experiences. I have also been through extensive mindfulness training and often incorporate mindfulness practices into my work with clients. I believe it is important to understand the client’s story as our previous experiences greatly impact how we engage with ourselves and the world around us today. Since a big part of my work is rooted in self-awareness and self-acceptance, I incorporate both shadow work and inner-child therapy into my work with clients. It is my aim to provide the support needed to nurture core wounds, process previous traumatic experiences, and help clients acknowledge and accept their whole selves.

My spiritual orientation is rooted in my deep connection to nature and through inner-work practices such as mindfulness meditation and yoga. I observe my spiritual beliefs by maintaining a daily mindfulness meditation practice, spending intentional time in nature, and by promoting energetic hygiene as a certified yoga instructor and reiki practicer. Outside of my work with Brave Within Counseling, I live and work in an Episcopal boarding school as I serve as the director of a learning support program that supports neurodivergent adolescents in understanding, accepting, and skill-building around their ADHD and/or diagnosed learning differences. My work in this Episcopal community focuses on promoting the core values central to the Episcopal tradition through a universal lens, which includes respect, kindness, acceptance, integrity, and curiosity.

If you seek acceptance, connection, and the courage to grow into your true self, or if you feel you would benefit from working with a clinician with a spiritual and trauma-informed orientation, I invite you to reach out. I would be honored to walk through this experience by your side and collaborate toward achieving your goals.

Please get in touch with me at contact@bravewithin.com or call (844)50-BRAVE (27283) and schedule your first appointment and connect!