Women of Faith and the Superwomen Syndrome

Sponsored by The People's Community Baptist Church Health and Wellness Ministry, this presentation is a call to action for women of faith to recognize and address "Superwoman Syndrome" and its negative impact on our lives. As women of faith, it's important for us to understand how this syndrome affects us spiritually, mentally, and physically, and take steps to achieve a more balanced life.

In our pursuit of success in our personal lives, academics, work, and ministries, we often neglect self-care. This can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, low self-esteem, and damaged relationships. We must put an end to this cycle of self-neglect and choose to live a more balanced life.

Dr. Shauna Moore Reynolds and Minister Joan McCarley will guide Women of Faith on how to put an end to Superwoman Syndrome and create a plan to gain more balance in their busy lives.

Joan McCarley, Associate Minister, The People’s Community Baptist Church, Silver Spring, Md., is a 1999 ordained American Baptist Convention Minister, a Howard University School of Divinity M.Div. Summa Cum Laude (1999) Graduate, and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (MSW) for 45+ years (University of Buffalo). She is an Executive Director of the 49-year-old non-profit housing and human service organization TERRIFIC, Inc. (Temporary Emergency Residential Resource Institute for Families In Crisis). She has received international and national acclaim as co-founder of “Grandma’s House:” – “first-in-the-nation home for children abused, neglected, abandoned,home and living with HIV/AIDS.”

She has served as a national/international lecturer, keynote speaker, and consultant with the American Psychological Association, American Academy of Sciences, and National Institutes of Health. She has consulted in and with socio-economic-cultural settings via Thailand, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Columbia, Bahamas, United Kingdom, Uganda, Russia, Swaziland, India, and with international/national dignitaries. She has been featured in USA Today, Washington Post, Life, Boston Globe, New York Times, Buffalo Evening News, etc., and received numerous awards.

Minster McCarley is the mother of three tremendous children, seven wonderful grandchildren, and one beautiful great-grandchild. She has committed her life to her faith, family, and improving the quality of life of the less fortunate.

Dr. Shauna Moore Reynolds is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LCPC-S) in Maryland, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Washington, D.C., an NBCC National Certified Counselor (NCC), and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). Dr. Reynolds has received numerous awards and accolades from many sources, including recognition from The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, The Washington D.C. Attorney General's Office, The U.S. Attorney's Office, induction into the Chi Sigma Iota counseling honor society, and she was the 2018 winner of the Maryland Counseling Association Outstanding Mental Health Professional Award and the winner of the Texas Southern University, Department of Education, Outstanding Educator Award 2020.

Dr. Shauna is a former Department Chair, Associate Professor, and Director of Clinical Training at The Chicago School, an Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University in the Department of Education, and a former Visiting Professor at Loyola University of Maryland in the Department of Pastoral Counseling. Dr. Shauna's areas of research include Anxiety, Depression, Crisis, Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress, Sexual Assault, and Domestic Violence. Her dissertation topic was: An Analytical Comparison of the Anxiety Levels of Intimate Partner Violence Victims During the Initial Abuse Reporting Stage.

Dr. Shauna holds positions as a Mental Health First Aid Facilitator and Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Volunteer and continues to be a source of support and mentorship for Master's level mental health counseling interns and pre-licensed and post-licensed counselors. Dr. Shauna has served her community by discussing Intimate Partner Violence, the importance of mental health care, and self-care.

Dr. Shauna is married to Douglas, a retired Law Enforcement Detective who retired after 33 years. Dr. Shauna comes from a family of counselors. Her father was a licensed counselor, Marine, and in law enforcement, and her Daughter is a licensed counselor scheduled to begin her doctorate in the fall.