Brockway’s Cavalier Shares Path to PsyD; Clinical Mental Health Counseling

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (EYT) – As a little girl, Brockway native Jordyn Cavalier thought she would be an attorney and have Juris Doctorate (JD) by her name. Instead, during her first college class, she discovered that a Doctor of Psychology PsyD was more of her style.

A 2015 graduate of Brockway Area High School, Cavalier went on to Clarion University, where she earned a baccalaureate degree in psychology. However, she knew for a long time that achieving a doctorate-level education was a path she felt compelled to embark on.

“I’ve had the goal to get this level of a degree for as long as I can remember,” Cavalier told exploreJeffersonPA.com. “I always wanted a doctorate degree. It makes me pretty proud to say that here I am with this degree. I feel very accomplished, but I didn’t do it and could not have done it by myself. There’s a great support system that was and remains behind me.”

Cavalier graduated a term early in the fall 2018 term. She used this time to solidify her next educational decision between going to a few different schools around the state, as well as to continue working to help finance her education. Ultimately, she was ready to experience a city environment for the first time. It’s what led her to choose this path after receiving several acceptance letters. Duquesne’s program offers a PsyD with a focus on school psychology and a Master of Science in Child Psychology (MS.Ed) that’s built into the four-year program in the first year.

Cavalier finished her master’s degree in August 2020 with a 4.0 grade-point average and through the unique remote learning environment that COVID-19 presented through much of her first year at Duquesne.

“So much was up in the air, and it definitely impacted the program. We had to adapt to some of our in-person work and working with clients and people. There was a lot to catch up on,” Cavalier explained. “When we returned to in-person learning, it was felt that some people adjusted with it and others didn’t adjust very well.”

The interesting aspect of the PsyD at Duquesne is that learners can eventually find work as educational psychologists or use their learning to enter the clinical mental health setting.

For Cavalier, she was more interested in the clinical aspects than embarking on a career in education. Through her time as a student, she worked in the educational setting at Brockway Area School District as a School Psychology Intern, at Crossroads PHP in Elk County as a Caseworker/Therapist, at Deer Lakes School District as a Counseling Practicum Student, and at Highlands School District also as a Counseling Practicum Student. Though there were many aspects she enjoyed in these roles, working with the public in a more private practice setting was more fulfilling to her.

This was solidified after beginning her work as a Pre Doctoral Fellow at the Cognitive Behavior Institute (CBI) in Cranberry Township. During her year spent with CBI, she had the opportunity to work with patients aged 11 and older to help them with treatment plans to live a higher quality of life.

“There’s always something new, and there’s always somebody new to help each day,” Cavalier noted. “I conduct diagnostic evaluations to help people and can escalate their condition to see our psychiatrist or extended therapy. I can sometimes sit with clients for hours in order to complete the testing to find a diagnosis and think about a treatment plan. Working in this private setting has been challenging, but fulfilling work to me.”

After one year as a Pre Doctoral Fellow, she transitioned to become a Post-Doctoral Fellow after completing her doctorate-level education in May 2023. Over the last 15 months, Cavalier has continued working with CBI to earn the necessary hours to prepare for her Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) exam and her Pennsylvania Psychology Law Exam (PPLE). In order to practice under her own license, Cavalier needed to earn the hour count practicing in the field and then pass these certification exams to complete the final stages of becoming a practicing psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania. She passed the EPPP exam in September and expects to test for the PPLE later this fall.

In July, she completed the hours, and her title transitioned to Interim Psychologist for CBI. However, her duties have not changed in the slightest. She’s still continuing to see patients and help people live a better life.

By January 2025, Cavalier is hopeful to have completed both exams and received her clearance by the state of Pennsylvania to have the interim tag removed from her title and practice of psychology on her own license. It’s unquestionably a long process and has been 10 years in the making.

As she continues inching closer to this final stage of her journey in education, Cavalier is thankful for the people who first got her to think about pursuing this path in her life. Former Brockway Area School District school psychologist, Yvonne Ransbottom, encouraged her that she had what it took to earn this level of degree several years back. Robinson also wrote her letters of recommendation to apply to graduate and doctorate-level programs, which helped her to get into Duquesne in the end. Besides Robinson back home, Cavalier also has been thankful for her advisor, Dr. Tammy Hughes, who supported her throughout her time as a Duquesne student. Finally, the support from her family has never wavered.

“I would not be in this chapter of my life without the support from my family. They have truly been the ones who have believed in me and supported me the most to get where I am today in my career and life.”

The Jefferson County native hopes that by others reading about her story, they’ll both be inspired to do great things and will also continue to take their mental health more seriously.

“I hope I advocate for people that nobody should deter you from what you want in life. It’s okay to break out of your comfort zone. If you want something, all it takes is one person to make it happen. It starts with you.”

She continued, “I see a lot of hard things at work every day, and I hope more people will realize we need to remove the stigma that surrounds mental health. There is always someone here to help and talk to you. We can all benefit from these services and information.”

With the knowledge she has gained over the last decade, Cavalier has also prioritized her own physical and mental health. A few years back, she became an almost daily gym-goer. It has helped her to transform her own health and become a key outlet to help her forget about a tough day of school or work. In the world of mental health, there are sure to be some tough conversations almost daily. Through the workouts and recognizing the need to watch a horror film, hang out with friends, or even listen to a True Crime episode, it’s helped her to pour into others who need her advice, ear, and expertise.

What Jordyn Cavalier does for a living isn’t exactly glamorous. But if it’s anything, it’s real.

She can make a true difference in the lives of people who need help and are seeking to make positive changes for their future. It’s a noble career that’s taken many years to get to. She’s not quite 100 percent there yet, but she’s certainly on the last stretch. Just a few last items to cross off on the goal sheet, and she will have her own license in Pennsylvania.

“I’m thankful for that small community back in Brockway who remains close to my heart. It’s nice to know that there are still people who care about me in the small town that I’m from. I love being able to come home and have my teachers from over 20 years ago still recognize me. I love where I live now, but Brockway will always be special to me,” she said.