My name is MaryKate MacHardy, and this is a little about myself and my mission here:
I was born and raised in the Otter Creek Valley of the Green Mountains. This is where I first began my training to be a peaceful warrior, someone who walks with the wisdom to know when to fight, and when to stay quiet. Someone who appreciates that every moment is not wasted if you live it with purpose… of course, most of my life in Vermont was living everything but that, and the journey is a daily work in progress 🙂
I’d describe myself as inherently headstrong, independent, and have a fantastic sense of humor about life! I learned early on that life is too short to not find the humor in it. In kindergarten I won an award for being “most enthusiastic” and I’ve tried to live up to that reputation with everything I do. Most importantly however, I have an overwhelming need to heal those that are suffering.
Kudo’s again to my teenage rebellion years where my school didn’t know exactly what to do with me, but was willing to get creative. My senior year of high school I attended class for half of the day to meet the requirements. The second half I was offered work study with the guidance department and school resource officer as a liaison to my struggling peers. Soon enough, I left for college and transplanted to Rhode Island. I have worked in community mental health, the courts, the prison, hospitals, and currently I collaborate with local and state police to support their mental health and substance use calls.
Over the years I have worked on transforming my selfishness into a more empathetic way of life. I am now devoted to my work as a Forensic Mental Health Clinician, focused on populations that might not otherwise be serviced. My mentor referred to be as Carl Jung’s “Wounded Healer”, which is a unique twist of fate from those dark adolescent years.
Several moons ago, I was sitting in group with 8-10 adult males charged with pretty horrific crimes. A client of mine, whom I had gotten to know well, turned to me and asked me to write their stories. He said “We are not lost causes, we are broken, but we can be put back together even better with the right tools”. Throughout this site you will hear their stories and I will add in techniques that helped them move forward through the healing process. Maybe they will help you too.
Robert Frost wrote in a poem “Two roads diverged in the woods, and I, I took the one less traveled and that has made all the difference”. My family probably wished I had chosen a “safer” journey but accepted that if I was going to live, I was never going to live boringly!
So welcome to ZenVermont, a place in the woods where the roads divide. Where you may always return to sit for a moment. To listen, share stories, acquire tools, suggestions, and whatever else we come across. I hope to explore all the emotions so that you too may find peace with what causes pain. To build confidence to rise up and light your own unique fire that will illuminate your own warrior way…
…To thine own self be true
#zenvermont