Kate Cusick, PsyD

Kate Cusick, PsyD

Core Faculty

Office phone: 248.476.1122, ext. 132
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Cusick began teaching at MSP in 2020 as Adjunct Faculty and joined MSP as Core Faculty in 2021. She shares in the responsibility of maintaining the integrity of the academic programs of MSP. Her courses include Core Concepts in Humanistic and Clinical Psychology, History and Systems of Psychology, Human Development and Behavior, Foundations of Psychopathology, Identity Formation, and Existential and Phenomenological Psychology. She uses experiential teaching methods and brings her clinical experience into the classroom. Dr. Cusick’s clinical work focuses on depression, anxiety, trauma, chronic pain/illness, body image/disordered eating, and overarching existential concerns. She conducts opioid risk assessments and psychological evaluations for various surgical clearances. 

Education

• PsyD in Clinical Psychology, Michigan School of Psychology
• MA in Clinical Psychology, Michigan School of Psychology
• BA, Marquette University

Licensure

• Licensed Psychologist – Michigan

Areas of Expertise

• Chronic pain and illness
• Somatic manifestations of distress
• Trauma-informed therapy
• Anxiety and depression
• Adjustment to course of life transitions
• Existential concerns
• Disordered eating and body image issues
• Relational psychotherapy

Selected Presentations & Publications

Boot-Haury, J. & Cusick, K. (2023, August) Intersectional Asexual and Transgender/Gender Diverse Identity Experiences: A Thematic Analysis. Poster Presentation at the American Psychological Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC.

Boot-Haury, J. & Cusick, K. (2023, March) Intersectional Asexual and Transgender/Gender Diverse Identity Experiences: A Thematic Analysis. Talk presented at the Society for Humanistic Psychology Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Cabell, C. & Cusick, K. (2023, March) Racial Socialization of Black Adolescents: Protective Intervention or Vicarious Trauma? Talk presented at the Society for Humanistic Psychology Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Cusick, K. & Johnson, K. (2023, March) So You Want to Teach? Teaching Opportunities at the Undergraduate and Graduate Level. Psi Chi Workshop presented at the Michigan School of Psychology, Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Cusick, K. M. (2019). Manifestations of existential concerns in obese individuals [Doctoral dissertation, Michigan School of Psychology]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Shepler, D. K., Smendik, J. M., Cusick, K. M., & Tucker, D. R. (2018). Predictors of sexual satisfaction for partnered lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 5(1), 25-35.


Shepler, D., Smendik, J., Cusick, K., & Tucker, D. (2018, April). LGB adults in relationships: Ego- and partner-focused sexual satisfaction. Presentation at the 90th Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

Shepler, D. K., Cusick, K., & Tucker, D. (2017, August). Predictors of sexual satisfaction for partnered LGB people. Poster presented at the 124th Convention of the American Psychological Association Convention, Washington DC.

Cusick, K. M. (2016, April). Body dissatisfaction and social comparison theory. Poster presented at the Psi Chi Research Symposium, Farmington Hills, MI.

Cusick, K. M. (2016, March). Body dissatisfaction and social comparison theory. Poster presentation at the Michigan Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Letters.

Cusick, K. M. (May 2015). Animal-assisted treatment for PTSD. Poster presentation at the Psi Chi Research Symposium, Farmington Hills, MI.

Professional Memberships

• American Psychological Association
  • Division 32 (Society for Humanistic Psychology)
• Michigan Psychological Association
• Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology

Q&A

• Please describe your teaching philosophy.

I approach teaching in a variety of ways. I bring knowledge and enthusiasm to the subject’s I teach, while motivating students to discover their strengths and growth edges so they can reach their highest potential. I believe it is important to support students by creating an atmosphere of trust and respect that encourages sensitivity to multi-cultural issues and allows for diverse opinions to be discussed and explored. By using narrative and experiential teaching methods, I hope to engage student’s curiosity and critical thinking skills, while promoting autonomy and competence. I share real-life clinical examples to enhance students understanding of theories and discover how their knowledge can be applied in their clinical work.

• What do you like most about teaching students at MSP?

As a proud alumna of the school, I find MSP students to be enthusiastic and engaged in the learning process, valuing openness to new experiences with a willingness to grow, both personally and professionally. Students come to MSP primed to want to make a difference in people’s lives through a career that offers a sense of purpose. I appreciate teaching students at MSP as they navigate the complexities of higher academia while getting a variety of real-world clinical experiences.