Her Story
About Mikhaila
Mikhaila Eckjardt serves as a Clinical Supervisor at The Key Program Inc, an agency providing residential services in Massachusetts. She works closely with the Department of Children and Families and has been with the organization since 2016, following her graduation from college. Eckjardt earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and her master's degree from Smith College. She is trained in neurofeedback therapy, which allows her to incorporate talk therapy with neurobiology in her work with clients. Eckjardt attributes her success to developing a personal code of ethics, understanding her boundaries, and creating a sustainable career aligned with her values. She advises up-and-coming clinicians to keep their heads held high and their values front and center, noting that education is something that can never be taken away. In both her professional and personal life, she emphasizes modeling what she believes, maintaining balance, and being present.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mikhaila
01What do you attribute your success to?
I find learning kind of my own code of ethics, what my boundaries are, how I like to show up in my work and where my limits are has been really foundational to developing a career that is sustainable as well as attuned to just who I am as a person.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I think the best advice that I have received in my career is that education, you know, what I've accomplished in my journey as a professional is that's something that can never be taken away from me. So there's incredible value to being able to pursue the career path that you would like to. And there's an endless limit there.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
For a lot of up-and-coming clinicians, keep your heads held high, keep your values at front and center, because there may be times where you're pulled in many different directions, and remembering who you are and the qualities that you have will serve you very well.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The opportunities within our industry is there's always going to be a need, there's always going to be a gap that needs to be filled. The most difficult is the systemic component, the macro component, the policy, the legislation that really impacts the day-to-day work that we do.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think my code of ethics, the values that I carry is really modeling what you believe. Actions should match words. In my personal life, having that balance, being present, being able to set aside anything that might be coming your way work-wise and being able to be present and available for that joy so that you don't miss it.
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