What Our Clients Are Saying

At Inspired Consulting Group, we are profoundly grateful for the support our partners have shown us and the trust placed in us over the years. Each testimonial we receive is a reflection of the meaningful connections we’ve built and the positive impact we’ve achieved in our work together. Our partners’ words inspire us daily to continue our mission of promoting mental health, wellness, and inclusivity in every space we enter. It is a privilege to work alongside so many incredible individuals and organizations committed to fostering growth, empathy, and understanding. To these partners, we say this: Thank you for your willingness to share your experiences with others and for allowing us to play just a small role in your professional journey!

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,
and Belonging (DEI&B)

“Chris has been a true gift and guide to my Maine Savings team and me as we began our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) journey in 2023. He has been with us every step of the way from our first DEI&B Committee meeting, planning and facilitating our first annual DEI&B committee retreat, and most recently educating our employees through a customized DEI&B Introduction 101 course. Chris facilitates our monthly DEI&B committee meetings and develops and leads custom curriculum, whether foundational or advanced electives. He supports our three sub-committees that focus on communication, education and events. His compassionate and professional approach are an ideal fit for any organization or business beginning their DEI&B journey. His expertise and experience make him the perfect collaborative partner for a developing and maturing DEI&B culture. We continue to work with Chris and look forward to his ongoing support in the months and years ahead.”

Vanessa Madore, CEO & President
Maine Savings FCU

“Chris helped navigate open and honest conversations to provide context and perspective for our team to understand the differences that can exist interpersonally inside and outside of the workplace.  Our goal working with Chris was to educate our employees to improve their satisfaction and ability to work collaboratively recognizing the differences we all bring to the office.  He did this in a welcoming and respectful way that elicited input across a range of opinions and backgrounds to our employees that work in five different states.”

Travis Noyes, PE
COO, Executive Vice President
Haley Ward

“Like many school systems, we had done a lot of work since 2020 around tolerance and diversity at a time when many students were feeling vulnerable. As time passed it became more and more difficult to maintain our momentum with so many different needs and priorities tugging at everyone’s professional sleeves. Then we connected with Chris, and he entered the conversation and helped us to breathe new life into this important work. He helped us to see what was always there — a drive to make sure all students feel as if they belong and are important. With Chris’s help, we are back on track and ready to continue the important job of making sure no student is forgotten or goes unseen.“

Gregg Palmer, Superintendent of Schools
Brewer School Department

Professional Development

Working with Inspired Consulting Group to plan a mental wellness session for our annual Safety Training Days event for staff was a pleasure! We had a few planning sessions with Chris to determine the approach and relevant messaging to our team members. Because we are comprised of field and office workers, he was able to design a program that spoke to all attendees. The week that was scheduled for Chris to join us in person, a hurricane swept through our service territory and we needed to reschedule. Although, he wasn’t available for the new dates, Chris quickly created a video including an interactive portion to engage the audience. Throughout the process, he kept our audience and needs at the forefront of his work.

Tina Morrill
Versant Power

It was our absolute delight to have Chris McLaughlin, LCSW from Inspired Consulting Group, LLC deliver the keynote address on “Collecting Joy” at our annual Consortium.  Chris’ presentation was not only insightful, but profoundly impactful, resonating deeply with our behavioral health professionals and administrative employees alike, many who stated it was the best keynote we have ever had at this annual event.  Chris’ humble approach in delivery of practical methods for infusing joy into our daily practices sparked several discussions amongst members of our team, a theme we will revisit in our future supervisions and staff meetings.  Chris’ authenticity and genuineness resulted in full engagement of our attendees, and the feedback from our team has been overwhelmingly positive.  We all felt connected to Chris during the keynote, the highlight of our event.  Chris’ talk was a true catalyst for change, offering lasting benefits to our organization.  We are immensely grateful for the perspective and tools he has provided us to enhance our work in behavioral health.

Andrea Conley, LCSW
Executive Director
Health Affiliates Maine

“Chris has played a vital role in training all our staff throughout the Bangor Region YMCA and our Camps to ensure we create a safe environment for the LGBTQ community.

Diane Dickerson, CEO
Bangor Region YMCA

“Chris led our Spurwink all-management team through an excellent LGBTQIA+ awareness training as part of our ongoing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging work at Spurwink. Chris was insightful, engaging, fun and informative. I highly recommend him for any of your training/consultation needs.

Eric Meyer, LCSW, MBA
President and CEO
Spurwink Services Maine

“I wholeheartedly recommend Chris McLaughlin and Inspired Consulting Group to any organization seeking to enhance its professional development initiatives, particularly in mental health and disability inclusion. Working with Chris is an investment in both the well-being of your employees and the overall success of your organization.

Jodi Fadrigon
Manager, Omnicell

“Our training partnership with Inspired Consulting Group, led by Chris McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW, has proven to be immensely beneficial to our agency staff. In the challenging and high-stress environment of human services and social work, Chris’ deep understanding, valuable perspective, and practical tools have been of tremendous value to our team. Chris’ expertise in navigating the complexities of the field has been critical, providing our staff with insights and strategies to better manage the pressures of their roles. His guidance not only provided immediate support but also opened the door to ongoing conversations and connections that continue to foster growth within our team. Over 100 of our staff members participated in the training sessions, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Chris structured the agenda thoughtfully, balancing the delivery of information with ample time for processing and debriefing, which allowed participants to fully absorb and reflect on the material. His approach fostered an environment of collaboration and learning, and our team truly appreciated the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue throughout the sessions. We are grateful for Chris’ partnership, and we look forward to continued collaboration in the future. His contributions have been instrumental in enhancing the skills and well-being of our staff, and I highly recommend his services to any organization in need of expert guidance and training.

Kristen L. Henderson, MS
Senior Director of Adult Services
Gateways Community Services

“Chris utilizes authentic engagement through the lens of “belonging” to share the latest research, materials, and practical tools that he customizes to the professional development needs of our team. We always enjoy our time with Chris and the value he brings to each training he provides for us.”

Heidi Aakjer, MPA
Executive Director
Maine Children’s Trust

Inspired Allies Certification

“Professional development is integral and especially in areas of opportunity. The methods, consideration, expertise, and pure enjoyment of this work shines brightly as Chris McLaughlin engages, stirs up emotions and thoughts and comforts through his “Inspired Allies” training. The reflections open up thoughts and ideas allowing for unexpected growth. This has been a necessary journey allowing me to grow in enhancing my allyship with the LGBTQIA +community.”

Brooke Goodwin,
Social Work Leader in Healthcare,
Washington, DC

“Chris McLaughlin was a wonderful, candid, vulnerable presenter who tackled the difficult realities of this subject matter with such poise. Each session was informative, thought provoking and will be a game changer to anyone’s future Social Work practice!

This intensive training was wonderful and educational on so many levels. It has allowed for exploration, confrontation and confirmation of my knowledge in this arena. Chris’s passion, knowledge, and patience were integral in my learning.”

Anonymous

The ‘Inspired Allies’ course offered by Inspired Consulting Group, exceeded my expectations! It was a privilege to attend these sessions. As a leader in healthcare, this course helped me reflect on how to be a better ally in this space and influence improvements in the direct care of patients/families and organization service delivery. Chris McLaughlin is not just an expert; his passion and ability to connect with his audience motivates others to learn, embrace self-reflection and lead meaningful change for the LGBTQIA+ community.

JoAnn Duffy
Senior Director of Social Work Services

“Chris gave an amazing presentation on the LGBTQIA+ Affirming Competencies Certificate Course for Behavioral Health Providers. I really appreciated how Chris modeled being open and non-judgmental, as we’re all trying to figure out how to be the most affirming provider as possible for our patients. Some experiences I’ve had in the past with trainings, but also with other clinicians in the field, have involved a lot of “you should’s” so I really value that Chris made the learning environment feel safe to ask questions and comfortable to ask the deeper questions of ourselves about our own biases. I am honored to be working alongside fellow clinicians like Chris who have this level of compassion and expertise. Thank you!”

Betsy Lehleitner
LCSW / Clinical Social Worker / Maine & Kansas

Clinical Partnerships

“Chris McLaughlin and I have crossed paths in our professional journeys over the past ten years. I have had the pleasure of working with him directly over the past six years as a mental health consultant in the world of early childhood.  His skills and talents in the social work and mental health fields are unprecedented. Chris can draw one in to learn and be vulnerable. He works to challenge you professionally to examine your practice and your thought process and will sit with you to develop strategies to stretch and grow your interpersonal and professional relationships with staff, clients, and the community at large. After working in early childhood for over 30 years, Chris’ knowledge and expertise with the issues children and families face today and his ability to be reflective around implicit biases and how they intersect in our professional roles is welcome, refreshing, and an invaluable resource.”

Mary Lynn G. Hersey
Early Childhood Director
Waldo Community Action Partners

Chris has been providing mental health consultation to our Head Start staff and families for several years. His kindness, compassion and professionalism have been a wonderful addition to our program; filling a much needed service to our clients and staff. We feel very fortunate to be working so closely with Chris!

Mary Kay Hallett, Head Start Director
Penquis Child Development, Penquis Community Action Program

Our partnership with Inspired Consulting Group has been one of the best investments we’ve made in our staff’s health and wellness.

Roland E. Roy, MSN, BSBA, RN
VP of Patient Care Services
St. Joseph Hospital

Chris McLaughlin, Owner and Lead Consultant at Inspired Consulting Group, LLC, has been a seemingly endless resource for us at EqualityMaine, providing realistic and positive support, especially when navigating challenging situations.

Gia Drew (She/Her)
Executive Director, EqualityMaine

I’m humbled and honored for any opportunity to collaborate with Chris. He is an amazing and inspiring force in the field of education and mental health. He brings a deep passion and commitment to supporting everyone he works with in relevant and meaningful ways. Chris’ willingness to pivot and adapt trainings or provide guidance and wisdom to a project are truly remarkable, and a testament to the care and skill he continually brings to his work.

Bethany Cunningham
Education Consultant & Mindfulness Educator

Inspired Coaching

“I went to Chris McLaughlin at Inspired Consulting Group for professional coaching because I was experiencing some relationship challenges in a leadership team I was a part of. Chris quickly got a firm grasp of the situation as well as my profile as a leader, and he helped illuminate for me some of my behaviors that were not productive as a member of this leadership team. Over the course of several sessions, he gave me helpful guidance on what I could do to shift the dynamic as well as how to be less reactive to the personalities that I was struggling with. I learned a lot about myself through this process that I am able to now apply to multiple areas in my life.”

Alex Hildebrand, Principal
Sunburst Strategies, LLC

“I had the privilege of working with Amanda as my career coach and I can confidently say that the experience has been transformative. From the beginning, Amanda took the time to understand my unique skills, values and professional goals, and provided tailored guidance that helped me gain clarity and direction in my career. Amanda is someone who truly cares about the people she works with, seeing them as a whole person which helped me to identify areas in my personal life that were holding back my professional development. Amanda offered the perfect balance of constructive feedback, strategic advice, and motivational support. I wouldn’t have achieved my goals without her support.”

Susan S.
Healthcare Administrator

“I had the pleasure of working with Chris McLaughlin for professional coaching services to help elevate my career in healthcare. Chris’ patience, guidance, and thoughtful insights helped me unlock my hidden potential and was key to my professional development. Chris is able to blend theoretical/textbook knowledge with real world application on a level that allowed me to better grasp and understand myself as a person. His approach was personal and structured to meet my personal needs and goals. As we worked through real world scenarios, he listened with intent and asked thought-provoking questions that allowed me to change my perspectives on the barriers I was facing. Together, we created effective strategies to help me leap over those barriers with confidence and purpose. Thanks to Chris, I have strengthened my skills not just as a leader, but also as a person. With his support, I was able take a professional goal from my vision board and make it a reality! My work with Chris has been instrumental for me both professionally and personally. I highly recommend his services to anyone looking to enhance their leadership abilities and achieve their professional goals. Chris truly is a wonderful coach and advocate.”

Beth Mistretta, MBA, BSN, RN, NE-BC
Nurse Administrator & Leader