Finding a sense of belonging
Love brought Cindi-Marie Willoughby, Psy.D. to the Midwest from California. Her late husband introduced her to Oakton, where she would further expand her community in student life and on-campus employment. These experiences opened doors to possibility, leading her to further study at University of Illinois-Chicago and a doctorate degree in clinical psychology from the Chicago School.
“I got to be connected with student activities and student leaders. And then, I also got to participate and help out with Oakton’s Futures Unlimited Program which goes into the junior highs and has women professionals go and talk to other women about what jobs they can have and careers. It really sparks this sense of empowerment and change. I think that has always resonated with me. It was women from all over the place, all different types of careers talking to these young women and providing hope that you can do something different, even if you didn’t have the support. It really just takes one connection within a school or within your world to have somebody believe in you that can change your entire trajectory for the future.”
Holding onto hope, enduringly
Cindi-Marie Willoughby, Psy.D., clinical psychologist and Oakton alum, has taken life’s trials and turned them into a practice where she supports clients in climbing their own mountains.
“I've dedicated my entire career to embracing all that life has to offer and all of that pain and experience, and then finding hope and light and a way to come forward from it. I grew up with a lot of different adversities, and at the same time, what I've always been able to find is that light. I think there's so much function that can happen through the different things that we go through. And sometimes we don't always know what that learning is, but we can always learn from every single thing that we've experienced. There always is a way through.”
Believing in a common humanity
Cindi-Marie’s work continues to be guided by compassion and empowerment. Her diverse clinical and professional experiences have brought her to the south and west sides of Chicago, an inpatient chemical dependency facility, a geriatric psychology nursing home, outpatient group practices and to work with trauma survivors and those struggling with severe mental illness and life’s constant ups and downs.
“I sought out most of my clinical work within the disenfranchised population that really gets forgotten and unseen, where we don’t provide as many supports. I incorporate that into my work now where I offer services pro bono or sliding scale. I make sure that I’m working with people from all different backgrounds. So I take all different types of insurance to make sure everybody’s getting quality care and support along the way.
I really have loved being connected to so many different communities and being inspired by the courage and the ability for people to truly create something out of some pretty horrific instances. To find hope, to thrive, and to find functionality within that pain.”
Growing through learning
In addition to seeing clients, starting a not-for-profit, and pursuing creative endeavors, Cindi-Marie can be found leading a classroom as an adjunct professor at University of Arizona Global Campus.
“I think as educators, we really do want to help. I always encourage everybody to just ask. But I know that it takes so much courage… just like it takes courage to get help and support and go to therapy. It takes the same thing when you're in college to be willing to say, ‘Hey, I don't understand this or I'm not sure.’ We think we're supposed to be experts already, but how can we be? You know what I mean? We really are in that learning process and everything in life is learning.