Dr. Heather Sheets is the Chicago Campus Director of Training for The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the Director of Training for the TCSPP Training Consortia. As part of her full time job, she coordinates the practicum and internship placement for the six on ground programs housed at the Chicago campus. Additionally, Dr. Sheets is the Director of Training for The Chicago School’s pre-doctoral internship, post-doctoral fellowship, and practicum program.
Dr. Sheets is also an associate adjunct professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has taught in both on ground and online programs including the APA accredited Clinical PsyD program, the Master’s in Counseling Psychology program and the Masters in Applied Psychology program. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialized interest in working with emerging adult issues and alcohol and substance assessment and treatment. Dr. Sheets graduated from The Chicago School in 2006 after completing her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Notre Dame where she received a specialty in alcohol and substance assessment and treatment. Following internship, Dr. Sheets completed her post-doctoral training at Northwestern University’s counseling center. She then worked as the substance abuse coordinator at Northwestern University for two years prior to returning to The Chicago School as the Chicago Campus Director for Applied Professional Practice.

• B.A., Psychology, James Madison University
• M.A. Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
• Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

• Licensed Clinical Psychologist, IL

Community Involvement

Dr. Sheets has served on various grant governance boards and advisory boards. Currently, she is serving on the Illinois Psychological Association’s Internship Advisory Board. She also is the immediate past president of the largest regionally based practicum consortium, ACEPT. She has worked on bylaw revision, member recruitment and fundraising and advancement issues.

Select Presentations

Sheets, H.D, Ruhnke, E., & Meyers, M. (2013, January). Supervision and Clinical Training:
How Many People are in the Room?. Poster presentation at NCSPP 2013Mid-Winter Conference, Nassau, Bahamas.

Sheets, H.D. and Kim, E. (2012, April). Evaluating the quality of practicum training: A proposed Site Visit Rubric Poster Presentation at APPIC 2012 Conference and Membership Meeting, Tempe, AZ.

Sheets, H.D. (2011, October). How Do We Know What Our Students Know? Presentation at Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL.

Sheets, H.D. (2011, September). State of Illinois Budget Cuts Impact on Mental Health Radio Interview on WGN-Radio, Chicago, IL.

Sheets, H.D. (2009, July). Psychological Implications for Advertising. Presentation at JWT, New York, NY.

Sheets, H.D (2008, October). Alcohol and Its Impact on a Campus.  Presentation at Big 10 Counseling Center Conferende, Evanston, IL.

Sheets, H.D. (2007, April). Alcohol, Students, and Behavioral Consequences. Presentation at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Sheets, H.D. (2007, January). Alcohol, Students, and Behavioral Consequences. Presentation at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.

Sheets, H. D.& Dunkle, J.D. (2007, December). Alcohol, Students, and Behavioral Consequences. Presentation at DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois.

Professional Memberships

• American Psychological Association (APA) 
• American Psychological Association, Division 7 Member 
• Delegate, National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology

Q&A

Q: Please describe your teaching philosophy.

A. Personally, I view learning as a lifelong endeavor, as an instructor I have learned many, many things from my students that have informed my understanding of how they experience my delivery format, corrective feedback, and their integration of theory to practice. I have also been exposed to divergent thinking and worldviews of my students, which has greatly enhanced my own understanding of difference and privilege. In the classroom environment, I view learning as an extension of a practitioner scholar method. I feel it is essential to increase my students’ understanding of the field of psychology by using scholarship and theory to inform their practice of the science of psychology. I attempt to blend theory and practice in her lectures, discussion posts, and corrective feedback provided to students in both on ground and online formats. 

Q: What advice would you give a student entering The Chicago School of Professional Psychology?

A: Take advantage of every opportunity you get! There is a learning moment in every situation we have, even if it’s a difficult one.