Sandra Eleanor McDermott

As early as age six, Sandra Eleanor McDermott knew she wanted to live an exemplary life. It was then that she discovered she had a strong desire to read, and to find out why people behaved the way they did. And when she went missing around the house, or went abnormally quiet, her parents could be sure to find her intensely studying the encyclopaedia.

At 16, the teenager knew that she wanted to become a psychologist, and after meeting mentor Dr Ruth Doorbar, a visiting clinical psychologist from abroad, McDermott grew certain.

But she soon found out that Jamaican schools did not offer studies in psychology then, and so she went on to the Midland Bible Institute in May Pen, where she received her diploma in biblical studies. Following this, she attended the Jamaica Theological Seminary, pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in theology and guidance counselling, while also undertaking two graduate courses at the Caribbean Theological Seminary.

And this was just the beginning.

With psychology in mind, the young McDermott worked and set aside her savings. She worked as a civil service clerk at the Collector of Taxes, as a library assistant at Jamaica Theological Seminary and as a personal assistant at William Billy Hall and Associates.

She then served as guidance counsellor at St Anne’s High School in Kingston and at the Edith Dalton James High School. She was also an in-service adult education teacher at the Bethel Baptist Church Adult Education Centre.

It was her quest for knowledge – specifically about human behaviour – coupled with the desire to fulfil God’s purpose for her life, that propelled her later into the path of successfully achieving her goal as clinical psychologist with a specialty in neuropsychology, forensic psychology, geriatric psychology, play therapy and substance abuse psychology.

In 1991, with the little she had saved and with Dr Doorbar’s help, McDermott migrated to continue her studies at the Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee, doing her Master of Arts in clinical psychology. In 1994, she pursued an eight-year study course, achieving her doctorate in clinical psychology at the Carlos Albizu University in Miami.

But Sandra McDermott was still not satisfied.

So in 1998, she continued her studies at the Caribbean Centre for Advanced Studies at Miami Institute of Psychology, where she did her Master of Science (non-terminal) in the general psychology field. Even during her years of study, Dr McDermott still felt it necessary to undergo additional training to fully embrace her work.

She embarked on predoctoral internship educational seminars, gaining professional competence in neuro-psychological interpretations of tests and preparation of specialised psychological reports, allowing her to participate in neurology and neuroanatomy lectures at the Sinai Grace Hospital in Michigan. She was also trained to perform hypnosis, psychotherapy with children, forensic psychology I(criminal law) and forensic psychology II (juvenile and family law).

Her professional experience today is wide and varied. For the past six years, Dr McDermott served as an outpatient staff psychologist at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital of Macomb, Michigan, working in the addiction treatment centre and in the department of behavioural medicine. Here she provided a variety of psychological services and substance-abuse treatments to a diverse clinical patient population – adults, geriatrics, adolescents and their families.

While there, she also served as a clinical therapist, with responsibility to provide clinical, administrative, and didactic services to partially hospitalised psychiatric patients within the day hospital setting. Her clinical services included conducting psychological testing and neuropsychological assessments to individuals and groups.

During her first two years at St Joseph, Dr McDermott was also the mental health therapist at the institution, performing crisis intervention and consultative psychological services to individuals with a wide spectrum of psychiatric and emotional disorders.

Even though her roles at St Joseph were many, Dr McDermott saw it fit to serve at Taylor Hospital in Michigan and the Children’s Psychiatric Centre in Miami, Florida, as a therapist.

Here she worked directly with emotionally disturbed adolescents, elementary school children and providing consultations for professionals like educators, parents, state and community organisations.

During that same period, Dr McDermott was the neuro-psychologist within the Brain Injury Programme at Mt Clemens hospital, Michigan.

Not only did she function effectively as a psychologist, but Dr McDermott expanded her scope to include teaching Spanish and liberal arts at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Today, Dr McDermott works as director for the Counselling Centre at the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology in St Andrew.

“It gives me joy to work with students, to impress on their minds how to properly represent themselves and God,” she said. “Yes, it is different from my work in the hospitals, but I like this setting.”

Five months ago she returned to Jamaica to take up the post, taking up an offer that had been made since 2004.

She explained that she’d never envisioned herself returning to Jamaica, but after many wrestlings and consultations with God, she was convinced her role was to return.

Dr McDermott said she would love to put her skills to work in Jamaica by aiding the police in the forensics department.

“I believe I could be of some assistance to the Jamaican police, because I don’t believe you have a lot of people working in this area,” she said.

“Also with my experience in play therapy over the years, one of my greatest dreams is to write children’s books and give to the public, especially to children who are grief-stricken because of gun violence or loss. In fact, I would seek to target inner-city children,” she emphasised. “In order to do this though, I would have to get some funding. I believe this type of contribution is necessary. I also want to have a play room at the seminary to begin grief ministry and therapy for hurting children.”

Born in 1959 in Port Antonio to “God-fearing” Evelyn and William McDermott, Dr McDermott was the fifth of nine children. Her father was a senior telephone technician, while her mother worked as a store clerk manager at the Port Antonio hospital.

When the young girl was not busy reading, she was being a ‘tom-boy’, playing marbles or shooting toy guns with her four brothers in Peters Lane, where she grew up.

“I did not do the things normal girls my age did,” she said. “I was not interested in dolls or things like that. Even as a teenage girl, I was different, I gravitated towards books and reading, I spent a lot of time at the library,” she reminisces.

She explains that she took her career path so seriously that now, at age 47, she is unmarried and without children of her own.

“This is now the time that I would settle down,”she laughs as she mentioned her ‘interest’, who presently resides in England. “I don’t know yet what will happen there, but I will let God lead.”

She adds: “I have been back in Jamaica four months now and I know this is where God has led me. I am ready to serve and fulfil my purpose in Jamaica.”