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About Mary Ellen

I began my first position as a licensed psychologist in Wyoming in 1994 at St. Joseph's Children's Home.  From there I moved into part-time solo private practice in Cheyenne, while raising my family.  There was a significant need for more mental health providers in Laramie County for Medicaid clients, so my practice grew rapidly in 2004 when psychologists were able to become independent Medicaid providers.  In 2006 master level mental health professionals were able to serve Medicaid clients under the supervision of a psychologist, and Equality Connections PC was initiated, to increase the pool of mental health providers for Medicaid clients and their families.

From 2011 until 2015 I served as Associate Director for Catholic Charities of Wyoming, following which Sternitzke Consulting LLC was opened.  Sternitzke Consulting LLC offers a variety of children's mental health and social work services through our programs at Bright Kids Learning Center full-time child care and Bright Kids Learning Center therapeutic preschool.  Reading Rescue is our summer and after-school reading clinic for elementary and junior high students whose reading level is impacted by developmental delays, anxiety, ADHD, homework refusal, impatience and/or inappropriate behavior.  Our programs focus on the development of executive functioning skills in children and teens, because these skills form the foundation for success over one's lifetime.

Since December 2017, the ChildTrauma Academy acknowledges that I have completed NMT training certification through the Phase I level.  Sternitzke Consulting LLC also offers Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics metric compilations and consultations for clinical treatment teams across Wyoming.

I serve on the Board of Directors for My Front Door (formerly the Wyoming Family Home Ownership Program), a program in which we partner for 7 years with Wyoming working families to establish them as home owners. 

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Getting Licensed in Wyoming

Depending on your graduate school specialty area, you can find Wyoming mental health provider application materials and requirements on the following websites: For bachelor or master level social workers, licensed professional counselors and psychotherapists, marriage and family therapists, you can obtain the needed application forms from the Wyoming Mental Health Professions Licensing Board at  http://mentalhealth.wyo.gov/ For doctoral level psychologists, school psychologists, post-doctoral psychology interns, and specialists in school psychology, you  can visit the Wyoming Board of Psychology at  http://psychology.wyo.gov/ School psychologists or Specialists in school psychology who wish to pursue a license as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) should contact the Wyoming Mental Health Professions Licensing Board at  http://mentalhealth.wyo.gov/

State Rules and Regulations

The mental health licensing board in each state not only oversees the professional and ethical expectations of counselors but it typically outlines which professional licenses can and cannot own own private practices. For instance in the State of Wyoming, mental health licenses that require temporary or ongoing supervision are not allowed to own a private practice. This includes Certified Social Workers Provisionally Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists Certified Mental Health Worker Clinicians that have full licenses (LCSW, LMFT or LPC) typically have fewer restrictions in owning a private practice. If you are uncertain if you can own a private practice, review the rules and statutes posted by the mental health licensing board in your state. Call or email the board directly with any questions not outlined within the state statutes. 

Federal Tax Payments

Federal taxes as a self employed individual and for a business operate differently then other employment arrangements. You will pay your typical percentage of tax withholding plus an additional self employment tax. Self employment tax is currently about 15%.  The rate consists of two parts:  12%  for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) and  3%  for Medicare (hospital insurance). Essentially self employment tax is the amount a company pays on your behalf when you work for them. Since you are now self employed, you are responsible for both chunks of the payment. Depending on how you established your practice as a legal entity alters how the business is taxed.   Remember that the legislators of the country reform tax law often and your tax liability may change with new laws. Consider having an CPA in your community complete your taxes rather than an online service. This can maximize your deductions.  Keep accurate logs and books throughout the year for