Margaret E. “Peg” McCarthy, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
A native Topekan, Dr. Peg McCarthy has worked in private practice at Shadow Wood since 1998. Her love for language and literature led to an undergraduate degree in English from Yale University, and she first took her interest in narratives and story-telling into work in journalism. Ultimately, she felt called to a career in clinical psychology and returned to Kansas for her M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Kansas. She completed an internship at the Colmery-O’Neil VAMC in Topeka.
Dr. McCarthy believes humans have an inborn drive to understand themselves and their experiences and to put meaning to them. Through a trusting, respectful relationship, she collaborates with her patients to accomplish their therapeutic goals and to help them move forward in their lives. She draws upon an eclectic range of approaches, including psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal techniques, to build upon their strengths, to develop new ways of thinking, to construct solutions, and to remove barriers to progress.
Dr. McCarthy works with adolescents and adults in individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapy. She enjoys completing psychological assessments to assist with diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Clients’ presenting concerns often include mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, grief and loss, relationships, personal growth, gender identity, and sexuality.
Specialized training has prepared her to work with people who are transgender. She is a frequent presenter in the community on understanding and meeting the needs of people who are transgender and gender non-conforming. Since 2015 she has facilitated a therapy group for adolescents who are transgender. She is a member of WPATH and APA.
Dr. McCarthy sees clients throughout the week and certain Sundays; appointments can be scheduled through the office manager. She contracts with many insurance plans. Co-payments may be made by check, cash or credit card.
Documents for Peg McCarthy’s Clients
Payment/Insurance Options for Peg McCarthy
- Aetna Commercial
- All Savers
- American Family Insurance
- Amerigroup
- APWU Health Plan
- Bankers Fidelity
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cenpatico Behavioral Health
- Century Health Solutions
- ChampVA
- Cigna Healthcare
- Cigna Behavioral Health
- Cigna Medicare Supplement
- Colonial Penn
- Consolidated Health Plans
- Coresource
- Coventry Healthcare of Kansas
- Equitable National Life
- First Health
- Golden Rule Insurance Company
- Humana
- Individual Assurance Company
- Kansas Medical Assistance
- KanCare – Aetna Better Health of Kansas (Medicaid)
- KanCare – United Healthcare Community Plan (Medicaid)
- KanCare – Sunflower Health Plan (Medicaid)
- Medico
- Medicare
- Meritain
- MH Net
- Native Care Health
- Mutual of Omaha
- Optum
- Preferred Health Professionals
- Railroad Medicare
- Student Resources
- Sunflower
- Trans America
- Tricare for Life
- Tricare West Region
- Triwest
- WPS-VA
- Tyson Foods
- United Behavioral Health
- United Healthcare
- United Healthcare Medicare Advantage
- UMR
- VACCM Optum
- Value Options
Our Mission
The clinicians at Shadow Wood Clinical Associates provide compassionate and competent care in helping individuals, couples, families and special groups cope with the challenges of life. We believe that by working in a therapeutic partnership, clients can improve their lives. They are better able to identify and understand the issues which brought them to treatment, enhance their coping skills, and resolve the complex problems of living that most people face at some time in their lives.
