Brigid Buchheit Carney, Doctoral Candidate, MS, LPC, NCC, MBA, PMP, LSSMBB, is a counseling PhD doctoral candidate and seasoned professional with over two decades of leadership in the international healthcare payor and insurance sectors. Her extensive background in strategic healthcare operations and project management has uniquely positioned her at the intersection of mental health policy and clinical care. Carney’s pivot into the counseling and mental health fields was inspired by the transformative behavioral health initiatives she led during her corporate career. Her passion for trauma-informed care, particularly for first responders and veterans, is deeply personal, rooted in her family’s legacy of service. Her husband’s career with the New Haven Fire Department, along with the military service of her father and grandfather, profoundly shaped her academic focus and advocacy. Currently pursuing her doctorate, Carney’s dissertation explores trauma-informed practices and their impact on those who serve on the front lines. In addition to her clinical and academic pursuits, she is an adjunct professor at both the University of Bridgeport and the University of New Haven, where she mentors the next generation of mental health professionals and healthcare leaders. She has her own private practice, Janus Health Care, Inc., where she serves first responders, veterans, and their families via equine-aided activities.