Sydney Crane works to provide affordable therapy services to Lubbock families needing mental and social health support
Sydney Crane, M.S., LMFT, graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in Community, Family, and Addiction Services, now referred to as Counseling and Addiction Recovery Sciences (CARS). She also graduated from Texas Tech's Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy (CMFT) master's program. Currently, she is working on her doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northcentral University.
Crane has recently accepted a new role as assistant clinical director of the Children's Behavioral Health Clinic (CBHC). The CBHC joins the University Medical Center as a partnership between Texas Tech's CMFT program and the Department of Psychological Sciences to offer pediatric patients and their families expert mental and social health services. Her new role will provide direct and indirect support to promote overall health and well-being through various mental health initiatives. Crane's work is a great example of what can be accomplished with an education from the Couple, Family, and Addiction Sciences department (CFAS).
"The CBHC is intended to provide an innovative, affordable approach for therapy services to children, adolescents, and families, as well as support families and children navigating medical treatments and experiencing PTSD," Crane said.
In past and present roles, Crane has continuously felt that the education she received from the College of Human Sciences better prepared her for new responsibilities. She took time to share that the CARS program served as an introduction to the mental health field, helping students learn about systems and the unique challenges that keep families from changing in positive ways. In her new role at the CBHC, she has been able to apply the framework the undergraduate program provides on how to start thinking about changes in families and components that enhance or inhibit functioning.
Crane has also experienced real-world applications for her graduate degree in Couple, Marriage and Family Therapy. She expressed how the CMFT master's program fine-tuned her skills as a clinician, which has equipped her with the knowledge needed to help systems overcome unique challenges and navigate to healthier and more functional places.
"I would recommend the CFAS and MFT programs to anyone considering working in the human science helping field that is constantly growing and evolving," Crane said. "The CFAS and MFT programs are for people who can authentically invest in themselves so they can truly invest in others and help others reach their desired potential."
Beyond her education and role as assistant clinical director, Crane has also published a children's book titled I am on Hospice: A Children's Book for Processing and Coping With a Terminal Illness. The book helps parents and families talk with their children about what a terminal illness is, what caring for a terminal illness can look like, and what hospice team members' roles are in the care of a terminal illness. After noticing a lack of resources for families with a child entering hospice care, she took it into her own hands to ensure these families understand what lies ahead.
Crane actively represents the College of Human Sciences' mission to improve and enhance the human condition. Like her, graduates from the Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences programs use their education to impact others and implement fundamental life skills that benefit their community.