Episode 125: Dr. Michelle Sherman, Licensed Psychologist, Author, and Teacher

Written By Susie Gurley

Dr. Michelle Sherman is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of experience, providing individual and couples psychotherapy to adults in a VA medical center, urban primary care clinic, community clinic, inpatient psychiatric unit, and private practice. Additionally, she served as a Full Professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the University of Minnesota Medical School, teaching and supervising trainees from numerous disciplines. Dr. Sherman also conducts research and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice. She has published over 75 articles in peer-reviewed journals, over 80 book chapters and articles in other sources, and four books.

In this episode of The Just A Mom Podcast, Dr. Sherman shares her extensive experience in clinical psychology, focusing on the impact of mental illness on families, particularly children. Dr. She emphasizes the importance of listening and support for family members dealing with mental health issues. Dr. Sherman discusses the challenges faced by children of parents with mental illness, the responsibilities they often take on, and the need for resources and awareness in educational settings. She also highlights the significance of prevention and early intervention, as well as the role of co-parents in navigating these complex dynamics. I’m Not Alone, A Teen’s Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has a Mental Illness or History of Trauma was co-authored by Dr. Sherman, along with her mother, DeAnne. In this book, Dr. Sherman and DeAnne hope to help teens feel seen and supported, and can be found at https://www.seedsofhopebooks.com/

Susie Gurley

Susie Stapp Gurley was born and raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She married her college sweetheart, Dan Gurley, shortly after graduating from TCU with a degree in advertising and public relations. In her first career, Susie worked in college admissions and academic advising. Simultaneously she pursued a master’s degree from The University of Central Missouri in sociology and then worked for the Sedgwick County, KS Department of Aging as a case worker. Susie stepped away from the professional world in 1997 to become a stay-at-home mom. She spent the majority of the last 25 years as a wife, mother, and volunteer, primarily in her church and her three children’s schools and activities.

Susie became a mental health advocate after her youngest son became a teen spokesperson about his battle with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. In 2018, at the age of 15, Will founded the You Matter Festival, a music festival promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Will shared his personal mental health struggles with the 1,000-person crowd, which started his role as a local KC teen advocate for mental health. Because of Will’s involvement, Susie recorded a video #Zeroreasonswhy (https://zeroreasonswhy.org), a Kansas City area organization working to end teen suicide in the Johnson County, Kansas area. This video was viewed over 10,000 times, which was the impetus of the Just A Mom podcast. Susie decided that she needed to follow the brave trail blazed by her son and became an outspoken advocate for parents of children who struggle with mental illness. The Just a Mom podcast launched in September of 2022 and encourages parents to know that they are not alone and there is hope.

Susie served as the Executive Director of the You Matter Festival and is currently on the Friends of Johnson County Mental Health Board. Susie has grown three children, two daughters-in-law, and a son-in-law.

Next

Episode 124: Kati Morton, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist