Sharry Woods, LCSW, Assistant Vice President of Clinical Operations at Chippenham Hospital, Tucker Pavilion is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of clinical and administrative experience in a variety of behavioral health and educational systems and settings. Including, former Adjunct MSW Professor for Southern CT State University with primary focus on “Essentials of Psychotherapy and Human Behavior and Psychopathology”, Juvenile Justice System ARC Model and DBT Trainer statewide, Child Protective Services Investigator and Supervisor, State Operated Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitals for both Child & Adolescent and Adult populations in a clinical and administrative capacity, Outpatient Community Based Program Director, Respite and Residential Services Manager , Patient Rights and Advocacy Director, Trainer for Crisis Stabilization teams, developing trainings for the development of school based mental health clinics statewide, worked with the CT Office of Commissioner to develop multiple young adult services 16-hour residential skills-based program statewide as well as developed and implemented trauma informed subacute step-down residential programs for children and adolescents with intense trauma based services in State Operated systems.

Ms. Woods has extensive clinical training in various treatment modalities including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Psychoanalytic Therapy, Sensorimotor Trauma & Consultant, (Certified EMDR); (DBT); Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy TF-CBT; Intensive Trauma Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI); Meditation Exercises; Guided Visualization Integrative mind-body practices; Systems Theory; Object Relation Theory; EFT (EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE), Expressive Arts Therapy as well as being a Certified Sex and Couples Therapist. Ms. Woods has created an intensive training series “Healing Center Approaches” for the State of CT staffing development project and trained employees from the state sectors, CT Public School systems and several nonprofit agencies. Since 2010, Ms. Woods owned and operated a Private Practice serving patients with severe and complex PTSD. As well as being a Keynote Speaker at several conferences including the Women’s Consortium addressing Women of Color and Trauma. In 2019, Ms. Woods was appointed to serve as a Commissioner Analyst for the State of CT, MLK project. She has been a consistent Keynote Speaker and representative at the CT State Capitol for BLM initiatives (2020) and sustainability projects. In 2020, Ms. Woods received recognition for her leadership and impact on community and was celebrated for her accomplishments from the State of CT as an honoree of the “100 Women of Color” award.

Prior to her recent transition from CT to VA, she was the Director of Clinical and Recovery Services for Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH). Ms. Woods worked with the Office of Commissioner to develop and integrate the first Recovery Support Specialist program in a state operated inpatient psychiatric hospital setting providing services to maximum security forensics, Young Adults, General Psychiatry, Geriatrics, Withdrawal Management and Substance use disorder units.

Ms. Woods is a leader with integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, empathy, and gratitude. She believes that recovery is possible and is committed to creating pathways to ensure people enter into and navigate systems of care, remove barriers to recovery, stay engaged in the recovery process, and live full lives in communities of their choice. Her values are rooted in a profound belief that by recognizing and honoring our patient’s complex life stories with validation and compassion we lay the foundation to heal the obstacles preventing them from building fulfilling and meaningful lives.