Peggy O'Neill, Ph.D., LCSW
Office: Lilly Hall
Phone: 413-585-7977
Email: sswdean@smith.edu
Pronouns:she/her
B.A., Boston College
M.S.W., Columbia University School of Social Work
Ph.D., New York University
Deepening Clinical Practice Session Title: Political content and processes in clinical practice: Collaborative exploration of sociopolitical dynamics in clinical practice in disruptive times
Peggy O’Neill, Ph.D., is the interim dean and an associate professor at the Smith College School for Social Work (SSW). A dedicated educator, administrator, and clinical practitioner, O’Neill has spent 14 years at Smith College contributing to the School’s mission of preparing clinical social workers to provide high-quality care for a wide range of people in need. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to shared governance, collaborative stewardship, and the core values of the social work profession.
Her scholarship and leadership focus on dialogic practices as a means of enhancing critical consciousness and navigating power dynamics across personal, interpersonal, and institutional systems. In 2015, she co-developed the Critical Conversations (CC) Model, a framework designed to build the capacity of faculty and students to address challenging sociopolitical issues within the classroom and beyond. This model has since been integrated into clinical practice and supervision to address the sociopolitical realities impacting both individual lives and the therapeutic process.
O’Neill’s clinical practice is primarily relationally based, rooted in contemporary psychodynamic theory. She employs an integrative approach that draws from multiple theoretical frameworks, including psychodynamic, attachment, humanist/existential, CBT, and somatic perspectives, to address complex areas of concern. Central to her work is the application of an anti-oppressive lens, ensuring that the realities of the world and the complex forces individuals navigate are integrated into a shared understanding of their experiences.
Before entering academia, O’Neill held senior management roles in complex health and mental health care settings in New York City. She served as the director of social work in psychiatry at Bronx Municipal Hospital Center and as the director of the Bridges Employee Assistance Program. Her extensive administrative background includes expertise in budget management, personnel development, legal risk management, and organizational change. Following the events of September 11, 2001, she co-founded and directed HOPE-NY, a seven-year initiative co-developing and providing psychoeducation and outreach with immigrant communities.
As interim dean, O’Neill is committed to navigating this period of transition with thoughtful, attuned leadership. She will engage with the National Association of Deans and Directors (NADD) and the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) to support the profession and ensure a successful transition for the school's future leadership in 2027.
O’Neill, P., Cycon, A., Friedman, L. (in press). Social support and postpartum depression: A pilot retrospective study of perceived changes, Midwifery
O’Neill, P. & Fariña, MdM (2018). Constructing critical conversations in social work supervision: Creating change. Clinical Social Work Journal, DOI: 10.1007/s10615-018-0681-6. Kang, HK. & O’Neill, P. (2018). Constructing critical conversations: Building the scaffold for reflection and action. Journal of Social Work Education.
O’Neill, P. (2015). Applying critical consciousness and evidence based practice: A framework for clinical social work practice. Journal of Social Work Education, 51(4), 624-637. DOI: 10.1080/10437797.2015.1076285
O’Neill, P. & Miller, J. L. (2015). Hand and Glove: How the Curriculum Promotes an Antiracism Commitment in a School for Social Work, Smith College Studies in Social Work, 85:2, 159-175, DOI: 10.1080/00377317.2015.1021222
Lukens, E., O’Neill, M., Thorning, H., Waterman-Cecutti, J., Gubiseh-Ayala, D., Batiste, M., Chen, T. (2004). Cultural collaboration post September 11th: A model of brief integrative psychoeducation for diverse communities. Traumatology, 10(2), 103-123
Kang, H.K., O’Neill, M. (2018). Teaching Note—Constructing Critical Conversations: A Model for Facilitating Classroom Dialogue for Critical Learning. Journal of Social Work Education.
Lukens, E., O’Neill, P., Thorning, H., Kapadia, A, Gheith, A. (2007). Enhancing communication & coping capacities: The power of care, emotional knowledge and communication networks for community and spiritual leaders. New York, NY: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Selected Presentations
Inter-professional lenses magnify structural oppressive forces: Creating change through an innovative fellowship in a school for social work. Council for Social Work Education, November 11, 2018. (Co-developed with Mamta Dadlani, Ph.D., Enroue Halfkenny, M.S.W., & Davey Shlasko, M.Ed.)
Difficult Conversations in Social Work Field Education: The Structurally Informed Clinical Field Education Model & The Critical Conversations Model. University of Connecticut School for Social Work, April 20, 2018. (Co-developed with Maria del Mar Fariña, Ph.D). Hartford, CT.
Constructing Critical Conversations in the Classroom: Creating Change. Smith College Teaching Arts Luncheon, October 6, 2017. Constructing critical conversations about race and racism for effective teaching and learning. Council for Social Work Education, October 21, 2017. (Co-developed with Hye-Kyung Kang, Ph.D). Dallas, TX.
Constructing critical conversations about race and racism for effective teaching and learning. Council for Social Work Education, October 17, 2015. (Co-developed with Hye-Kyung Kang, Ph.D). Denver, CO.
Walking the walk: A national dialogue on Ferguson and social work. Council for Social Work Education, October 18, 2015. (Co-presenters: Samuel Aymer, Ph.D., Steve Burghardt, Ph.D., Rebecca Matthew, Ph.D., David Pollio, Ph.D., Organizer, Jennifer Elkins, Ph.D.) Denver, CO.
A promising community-based model to localize delivery of comprehensive perinatal mental health care: Utilizing the community readiness model to evaluate community progress and implementation. Perinatal Mental Health Conference, November 5, 2015. (Co-authors: Annette Cycon, LICSW, Liz Friedman, MFA, Shelly Smith, MPH, Avery Henniger, BA, BS, Pratik Patel, MPH) Chicago, IL
“Innovative Teaching Technique” The Work of School, University, Agency Leaders: A Global Perspective on Working with Multicultural Populations. At Leadership Conference, Montclair State University, April 2010.
Constructing Critical Conversations in a Justice Paradigm as Action for Social Work Practice. At Peace and Justice Conference, Teachers College, New York, NY, April 2010.
Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue, & Burnout: Prevention, Healing & Life Enhancement. Invited Speaker at Bellevue Hospital Center Social Work Grand Rounds, New York, NY, March 2009.
Enhancing Communication & Coping Capacities: The Power of Care, Emotional Knowledge and Community Networks. Evaluation of Trainings Designed with & for City, Community & Spiritual Leaders Active during Crisis at Society for Social Work Research (SSWR), New Orleans, LA, January 2009.
