Check Out Dr. David McMillan’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. David McMillan. 

Hi Dr. McMillan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
This question has too many parts and goes back to my 4yr old self. It includes my Aunt Jaunita and my family doctor, Dr. Ried, my oldest brother’s death at 19 when I was 14, my stint as a dorm parent in a girl’s dorm, my dislike of law school, my good fortune to get into Peabody grad school with a 2.8 GPA, my getting kicked out of the counseling program and then getting a second chance, my internship at the Palo V.A., my return to Peabody as a Kennedy Center scientist, the end of a grant funding which launched me into private practice and the success of that practice and here I am today. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it was not smooth or straight. The bumps, my brother’s death, my wrong turns in law school, my poor decisions that got me kicked out of the peabody counseling program, my failure as an academic, and more personal tragedies taught me about emotional pain and prepared me to empathize with my clients. Those events were perhaps my best teachers for how to understand what those who come to see me. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love to write. I have published two books, Create Your Own Love Story and Emotion Rituals. I have written other books which I have published on my website. I enjoy exploring the definition and limits of love. As I listen to the people who come to travel with me for a time, I learn more and more about the human condition. I have the privilege of laughing and crying with them and the writing about how we succeed and fail to love each other and cease our cruelty and replace it with kindness and compassion. Every day, I learn something new. I am fascinated by the people I consult. 

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I’m not an internet learner. When I write, my research pulls me to a variety of resources. The Ed Tronick hidden face Experiment is profound. I’m a fan of Joeseph Campbell. I love reading books by Elizabeth Mayes and Barbara Kingsolver. 

Contact Info:

• Website: drdavidmcmillan.com