Sarah McCaslin, M. Div, LCSW has been named the new Executive Director of the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute and will assume her new role on January 4, 2021. Her leadership begins at a critical time in our city and in PSI’s 45-year history. In addition to providing spiritually-informed psychotherapy for individuals, couples and families, PSI hosts conferences and continuing education programs; offers consulting services to organizations, businesses and faith communities; and supervises both graduate and undergraduate students.
The Board of Trustees announced the choice of Sarah after a selection process that involved PSI Board and staff. According to the Rev. John Kamas, current Board chair and PSI-affiliate for over 25 years, “We are in a time of tremendous transition. PSI must navigate this new time and adapt to a rapidly changing world. We are so very glad that Sarah has accepted the challenge to assume the mantle of Executive Director during this important time of transition. We look forward to the future and our collaboration.”
Mary Ragan, PhD, LCSW, a long-time staff member, says of Sarah’s appointment: “There is no better person to lead our organization at this point in time. Sarah has the clinical competence, pastoral experience and interpersonal skill to bring PSI to a wider world. She believes in our mission and has passion about spirituality as a resource for achieving healing and wholeness.”
Prior to her tenure at PSI, Sarah worked in various congregational settings and nonprofits in New York City, including Project Renewal, the Jewish Home and Hospital, The First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York, and St. Lydia’s in Brooklyn.
Sarah is a licensed clinical social worker and an ordained Presbyterian minister. She is a graduate of Columbia University School of Social Work and Union Theological Seminary. She also holds a post-graduate certificate in family therapy from the Ackerman Institute for the Family.
She is excited to be leading PSI at this time in the organization’s history. In her words: “One of my favorite sayings is this… blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape! With flexibility, we are able to lean into difficult spaces and discover new capacities in ourselves, our relationships and our communities. I see this in my role as therapist, mom, pastor, human being, and now the new leader of PSI, which itself has modeled endurance and adaptability in its service to New York City through such stressful experiences as September 11th, 2001, the economic crisis of 2008, and now this global health pandemic. My hope is to broaden our reach in NYC and beyond, through ongoing clinical work, consultation, public programming and training.”