“The dark does not destroy the light, it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.”
- Brené Brown
HERE'S THE BUZZ
01
Who I am
Hi there! I'm Bailey McDonald, LISW-CP. I've been in my own private practice as an outpatient therapist since 2013. That's when I took the leap and struck out on my own. Before going out on my own, I worked in community mental health with children and adolescents and at Marshall Pickens Psychiatric Hospital in the inpatient and partial hospitalization programs. In 2004 I was intensively trained in DBT and joined Three Springs DBT Group, where I worked for 10 years providing standard DBT.
I'm originally from Greenville, SC, where I now practice. I have a bachelor's in psychology from University of South Carolina, and a master's in social work from New York University.
02
What I do
I help people who struggle with an emotionally-sensitive temperament, emotional dysregulation, anxiety, suicidality, depression, self harm, OCD, BFRBs, learn to live a life they find worth living - whatever that may look like for the individual. I am focused on treating individual clients. Specifically, I specialize in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Exposure and Prevention Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and more.
I love what I do and the people I treat. Being a therapist is not just my job, it’s my passion. It’s important to me to meet people where they are in their lives and to do so in a non-judgemental, validating, caring way. That being said, I don’t beat around the bush. I will be very direct, honest and genuine with you.
03
Who I help
I'm proud to work with all kinds of different people, such as adolescents, young adults and college students, adults, and the LGBTQ population.
Oftentimes the clients who come to me (and are referred to me) have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and other related issues and disorders. They've gone through "regular" therapy without much success. Oftentimes they've been unfairly blamed by others for lack of progress, and they're at their wits' end. They've been invalidated time and time again. (If this tale sounds familiar to you, then take a deep breath; feel encouraged, because you've finally come to the right place.)
04
How we work together
B. McDonald Therapy takes work! However, we work together in a very active, collaborative relationship to get you the tools you need to make sense of your behavior, thoughts and feelings; and to manage your life with confidence and success on a weekly basis. I'll teach you to think differently, and be more aware of what's going on inside of you (even if other people don't get it). Know that I want you to want to be in therapy with me, and not just come because someone else wants you to, or told you that you should, or that you "need" it. Know upfront that there’s a lot of personal agency and responsibility involved on your behalf. Also know that you are worth every bit of effort, and that YES, you (we!) can absolutely do this.
TESTIMONIALS
What people say
"I was referred to Bailey for ERP Therapy around four years ago, when my internal suffering from generalized anxiety, PTSD, and severe OCD became more than I could bear. It was the best referral I’ve ever had..."
(continued)
