Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel McCoy.
Hi Daniel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was living in NYC back in 2015 when someone I used to go to high school with sent me a message saying they were moving to the city and looking for a room. They said they’d accepted a job as a registered nurse on a psychiatric unit. Discovering the intersections between psychiatry and nursing was life-changing. So many things aligned pertaining to my interests, abilities, etc.. I then created a 5-year plan to completely change my career path and pursue becoming a Psych NP. From fall of 2016 to the winter of 2020, I returned to academia and completed my BSN and then an accelerated MSN program. Within a few weeks of completing my graduate degree, I took and passed the board exam to be able to practice as an NP. I’d accomplished my goal. I was then approached by a friend about ways in which I could possibly support the psychiatric needs of their patients at a clinic they were establishing. Ultimately, it made the most sense for me to establish my own PLLC. I started my practice in Iowa and expanded into the state of Minnesota in the fall of 2022.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been challenges to overcome, and there will undoubtedly continue to be more. The impacts of Covid have both helped and also adversely impacted various aspects of my practice. I also run my practice completely on my own, so it has been a huge learning curve, especially as a new provider. Additionally, I’ve maintained separate full time employment as a provider, in addition to the patients I see in my practice. It has mostly been manageable, but I’m at an intersection where I would love to switch to focusing on my practice full time but it just isn’t sustainable yet. Building a full patient load, for a number of reasons, continues to be a challenge. I have financed my practice out of pocket and have not taken out any loans. This, of course, impacts various operations, one of which includes efforts to attract new patients. I’m not nearly as tech and social media savvy as I once was, which I do think has a fairly large impact on my ability to make the availability of my services known.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sunshower Psychiatric Services offers patients all the attention and care they deserve along their journey towards holistic wellness. In collaboration with the patient and those they invite to be part of their care team, we will develop a treatment plan that works for you. Services will strive to demonstrate a level of cultural competence that will make you feel comfortable, accepted, and like the phenomenal human being you are. We want to include you in our goal and mission to address the mental healthcare needs of individuals and families in the Midwest.
We are a telepsychiatry practice started in February 2021 by Daniel McCoy MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC. Currently, Sunshower Psychiatry Services is serving the individuals, families, and communities of Iowa and Minnesota, with plans for expansion into New York. With strong roots in The Midwest, Sunshower Psychiatric Services is determined to integrate within the communities it serves to create healthier families and individuals
“We make the assumption that everyone is doing the best they can and if they knew how to do/be better they would”.
We celebrate little victories here. We embrace diversity. We leave room for grace and understanding as we navigate each of our own lived experiences. We believe in the phenomenal, which means we believe in you.
We are tasked with the ethical treatment of our fellow beings, ensuring human dignity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice. We place importance on the collaborative role we play with both our colleagues and our patients. We are committed to lifelong learning and to fostering the growth of the profession through evidence-based practices, resourcefulness, and drawing upon each of our own unique life experiences.
“A mental health diagnosis by no means defines an individual, it simply helps conceptualize a current level of understanding of the patient’s presenting symptoms and circumstances and is meant to be refined to best attain the supports and services needed for optimal outcomes and long-term success.”
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
My immediate thought is, the greater the risk, the greater the reward”. While the aforementioned may be true in some scenarios, I don’t think it is always the case. Knowing when to take a leap of faith is not easily determined. In the capacities that I operate within, all decisions must be calculated due to the potential for harm and liability if proper considerations aren’t made. So while I am not innately prone to risk taking, I think that every situation and scenario is unique unto itself and no generalized approach is going to yield the level of success that one might hope for. As a general approach, I cannot extend myself further than I am able to sustain myself. Part of being able to operate within such boundaries, I think, has a lot to do with being truly honest with myself about my strengths and weaknesses and having the humility to seek answers/help when needed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sunshowerpsychiatricservices.com
- Instagram: sunshowerpsychiatric
