Kayleigh Lynch, LMSW, is a dedicated Forensic Therapist Licensed by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. She has over nine years of experience with providing behavioral health treatment in various clinical settings and with clients of all ages and backgrounds. Kayleigh is originally from North Carolina and graduated from East Carolina University in 2014 and received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Applied Sociology with a Concentration in Child Development. Kayleigh continued her education and received her Master’s Degree in Advanced Clinical Social Work with a Concentration in Contemporary Social Issues from Columbia University in 2016.

While obtaining her Master’s degree at Columbia University, Kayleigh completed her clinical internship at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, where she focused on providing group, individual, and case management treatment services to adult males housed on maximum security units and deemed severely mentally ill (SMI). Upon completion of her clinical internship, Kayleigh was offered the opportunity to return to Rikers Island as an employee, where she held the title of Mental Health Clinician. Kayleigh returned to the same facility and units that she was previously assigned to at Rikers as an intern, and had the opportunity to successfully build programs on two maximum security units focusing on providing patients with intensive individual and group psychotherapy treatment services.
Kayleigh was recruited by the Department of Correction (DOC) to participate in the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Program at Rikers Island which is designed to train Correctional Officers and Mental Health Clinicians to respond to detainees in crisis. Kayleigh successfully completed the program and participated in 40+ hours of CIT training in which a large portion of her training included working with actors from the Screen Actors Guild who played inmates in mental health crises which were based upon real-life events. Her participation and successful completion of the CIT Program allowed Kayleigh to learn and practice effective de-escalation and crisis intervention strategies in a real-life setting which further enhanced her crisis intervention skills.

In addition to her clinical work at Rikers Island, Kayleigh has experiences working in various other clinical settings, including juvenile detention centers, juvenile probation residential group homes, alternative NYC high schools, private practices, in-home, and community-based mental health agencies. Kayleigh’s diverse clinical background has equipped her with a well-rounded understanding of the intricacies of forensic mental health, allowing her to tailor therapeutic approaches to the specific needs of each individual. Kayleigh is keenly passionate about working with clients seeking forensic based services by guiding patients on the path toward living life in harmony with the self as well as with others.

Kayleigh has extensive training and experience using evidence-based practices such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT),
Radically-Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) and various other modalities to help clients develop coping skills, manage
stress, and address underlying issues. In addition to her direct clinical work, Kayleigh is
committed to staying up-to-date with the latest research and advancements in the mental health field. Kayleigh regularly attends professional development trainings, workshops, and conferences to expand her clinical knowledge and skills. Kayleigh joined PCS as a Therapist with the mission of providing ethical and evidenced-based clinical care where she can utilize her expertise and experiences to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals engaging in mental health treatment services.