Alumni Spotlight: Amanda McLaughlin ’07, A Life in Career Counseling

As part of our Alumni Spotlight Series, Gill St. Bernard's recently sat down with Amanda McLaughlin, a GSB Class of 2007 alum, whose path has taken her from Mr. Wendell's psychology course to a life in career and college counseling.

How did you land at GSB? 

I grew up in Morristown, NJ, where I attended a private school that wasn't a great fit. At the time, my parents were going through a tumultuous divorce, and I needed a place where I could escape the chaos at home and be accepted for who I was.  

I remember visiting GSB in Sixth Grade and being buddied up with Olivia Kupfer, who I knew from summer camp. I vividly remember a PE class on that day, where we played softball with Coach LaBarre, and I felt like part of the community already. That's when I knew GSB was where I wanted to be.  

Do you have a favorite GSB memory?   

My senior year, I was head of the decoration committee for Homecoming and Prom. I worked closely with Ms. Dori, who was such a wonderful and warmhearted woman. The Homecoming theme was "Stairway to Heaven" with blue and white balloon archways and dangling stars from the ceiling. The prom theme was "Kissed by a Rose,” and I was adamant that we had floating roses as centerpieces. I don't remember if that actually ended up happening, but I do remember watching my friends dance and feeling extremely accomplished seeing the entire night come together.  

What was your favorite class? 

I find it so funny that I pursued a PhD degree because high school academia was not my strong suit. I struggled through many courses and had tutors along the way (thank you, Mr. Sumliner!). However, the one class that led me to where I am today is the psychology course taught by Mr. Wendell. Beyond learning about the history of psychology and relevant experts, I loved the personal reflection in the course and creating our "About Me" videos. I have revisited that video a few times since, and it is something I now appreciate so much, as a reflection on who I was at that time. 

Tell us about the Spring Units you took part in.  

Two units stand out to me: one was a sailing unit I took my sophomore year and the other was an independent study. The sailing unit was a blast! I recently went sailing in Maine with my husband and loved reminiscing about the sailing unit. He couldn't believe we even had the unit program at our school. That in itself made GSB pretty special.  

My independent study was also amazing. I shadowed Dr. Gerardi at Morristown Medical Center, a connection Patti Aresty helped me with. That's the thing about GSB—the community you're a part of is so supportive, which really makes it feel like a family. During my study, I spent days in the ER watching traumatic events unfold and in the pediatric department seeing miracles happen. I always knew I wanted to support others, and this study exposed me to ways I could do that, even if for just a few weeks.  

How did GSB prepare you for college and the working world? 

GSB helped me learn how to work with others in a small setting. One selling point I’ve heard about public school is that their larger size (and therefore more people to choose from and more clubs to be a part of) increases your ability to make many friends. However, I found benefit in having a smaller class size. It taught me how to work with others through good communication and collaboration. Most importantly, I learned how to handle conflict. In such a small setting, there is no escaping your peers! Problems had to be worked through. It is definitely a skill I am proud of, and I encourage others to work on. 

Tell us a little about what you do now.

I feel like I have my hands in a bit of everything these days, from raising two wildly fun children to supporting new college graduates and their parents through the transition from college into adulthood. 

After GSB, I earned my MA in Forensic Psychology as well as a BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice from George Washington University followed by a PhD at Seton Hall University in Education, Leadership, Management and Policy. During my PhD studies, I worked in career development at a public university and researched the parent-child relationship throughout my studies. My dissertation covered helicopter parenting seen at the college level. 

Before starting my own business, I worked in human resources at a fortune 500 company with a team that was primarily focused on self-care and personal growth. I also worked with Strength Deployment Inventory and conducted assessments on team dynamics and conflict resolution. 

I recently published my first book, I Graduated, Now What?, which can be found at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. This project actually fell into my lap. The publishers found me on Psychology Today and checked out my website, Beyondthebooks.org. They reached out to me, and I went through a writing sample process. After a whirlwind two months, we now we have a published book!  

During my down time, I write blog posts for DC Moms and enjoy boxing and exploring my city.   

What would be your advice to current GSB students be?   

High school is about developing yourself and gaining a better understanding of who you are. High school years can feel like they are never ending, but they do end. Embrace the struggles that come along with them. Be and love yourself.  During this time, start forming good habits. Set goals, learn how to be organized, and practice time management. These are all skills that will benefit you over and over again.