Danielle Seljeskog Carries Forensic Psychology Training Into Her Next Chapter

When Danielle Seljeskog began her undergraduate studies, she did not have a fixed career path in mind. Majoring in criminology with minors in psychology, chemistry, and biology, she considered a future in forensic science while remaining open to where her interests might lead.

Through undergraduate research with a behavior analyst, Seljeskog began studying traumatic brain injuries within the autism spectrum disorder community—and discovered how much she loved working with people. That experience helped her imagine a path that combined criminology, forensics, science and human connection.

As she began looking into graduate programs, Seljeskog came across a TED Talk by Kim Gorgens, a professor at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP), on traumatic brain injuries in the criminal justice system. The crossover between two areas she was already studying felt compelling. “I think that's when I initially really started looking into forensic psychology and [the University of Denver] specifically.”

When Seljeskog later visited GSPP, she found something that set it apart: permission to not have all the answers yet. During a campus visit at another university, she recalled feeling pressure to explain exactly what she planned to do after graduation. At GSPP, however, she felt supported to stay curious and explore different possibilities. 

“It was actually encouraged to keep an open mind,” she says. “I felt comfortable that I didn’t know for the first time, and it was a really good feeling—being okay that I don’t know what I want to do.”

That openness became one of the defining themes of her time in the Master’s in Forensic Psychology program. As she prepares to graduate this June, Seljeskog points to one of the most meaningful experiences of her graduate education: her second-year practicum placement with Denver Forensic Institute for Research, Service and Training (Denver FIRST), particularly the Brain Injury Screening program, which conducts brain injury screenings with justice-involved individuals. 

Given her earlier research background in traumatic brain injury, Seljeskog knew before applying to the program that Denver FIRST was a placement she hoped to pursue. Once there, she found the hands-on experience she had hoped for, along with a deeper understanding of what clinical work can mean for clients.

Conducting screenings, discussing cases in group supervision, and learning from fellow student clinicians all became powerful parts of her training. The most meaningful moments, though, often came when clients received feedback after a screening.

“It’s almost like a light bulb turns on [for them],” she says of the moments when someone finally has language for what they have been experiencing. “Being able to physically see that you're making an impact has been really incredible.”

The placement also deepened a lesson she first encountered during her first-year probation assignment. Forensic settings, she learned quickly, can make it easy to reduce clients to their charges rather than seeing them as full people. “Working with people and just getting to hear their stories, I think it really put the human back in the clients that you work with in forensics,” she says. It is a conviction she intends to carry forward.

Her work at Denver FIRST also opened an unexpected door. The placement led to a teaching assistant role for the program’s neuropsychology screening course—the prerequisite class students complete before joining the practicum. In that role, Seljeskog found herself mentoring first-year students navigating some of the same anxieties she had once felt. 

That instinct for teaching is part of why Seljeskog has decided to pursue her doctorate. After two years in the forensic psychology program, she has a clearer sense of where she is headed: toward assessment, neuropsychology, and eventually, the university classroom. “Teaching is something that I’ve found is a way I could fill my cup while I’m in the field,” she says.

Her graduate experience also extended beyond clinical training. Through a research elective in her first year, Seljeskog collaborated with two cohort-mates and faculty mentor Josh Francis, visiting assistant professor in the forensic psychology program, on a study exploring psychotic disorders within the competency system. Their work was accepted for a poster presentation at the 2025 American Psychological Association conference in Denver.

As much as Seljeskog’s time in the program was marked by growth, it was also marked by learning her limits. Like many graduate students, she wanted to take advantage of every available opportunity.

“I want to take on as many things as possible. I want to learn as much as I can,” she says. But she quickly realized that taking on too much made it difficult to perform at the level she expected of herself. “It's a lot easier to say yes to things than it is to say no.”

That lesson became an important part of her professional development. Growth, she learned, is not only about pursuing opportunities, but also about knowing when to step back. “I’m not going to survive if I keep going this way,” she remembers thinking.

When Seljeskog looks back on her time in the program, one of her proudest accomplishments is being accepted into GSPP’s doctorate in clinical psychology (PsyD) program, which she will begin this fall. She hopes to continue her work with Denver FIRST in some capacity while building on the clinical and research experience she developed in the MA program. She also credits Jennifer McMahon, a research assistant professor in the forensic psychology program and her supervisor at Denver FIRST, as a key figure in her growth: someone who guided her clinically and personally, modeled transparency about the challenges of the training path, and helped her navigate the imposter syndrome that shadows so many students in the field.

For McMahon, Seljeskog’s promise was clear from the beginning. “Dani has been a standout since the day she interviewed for a position with Denver FIRST,” she says. “She is not just a hard worker; she is exceptional—she possesses a genuine kindness and curiosity that shine through in her clinical work.” McMahon adds, “Some students you just know are going to make a difference. Dani is one of them.”

Asked to describe her GSPP experience in a few words, Seljeskog chose “busy, supportive, and impactful.”

Through two years of direct experience, she has also seen the impact students can have before they have even fully entered professional practice. “I know that there are clients that we're impacting in the field, and we're not even in the field necessarily yet.”

To future students, Seljeskog offers the same advice she would give her younger self: trust that it is okay not to know everything at the beginning—and “that it’s all going to work out,” she says. “Every step along the way, I didn’t feel qualified for it. But then you’re in it and you realize you actually know more than you think you do.”

She pauses, then adds: “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”