Create a Life You Love

Find the Courage to Live It

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Hi I’m Susan.

Hi I’m Susan.

I specialize in helping people who struggle with self-criticism learn to broaden their sense of self and begin thinking of themselves in a new light.

Do you ever feel like you get in your own way and bully yourself into paralysis? Your primary obstacle to healing may be your relationship with yourself. Many of my clients are extremely driven, but struggle to achieve their impossibly high expectations, and often scrutinize themselves due to their critical & perfectionistic standards.

I am committed to helping my clients heal from the past, grow in the present moment, and create a future that enables them to thrive. Making changes in your life takes courage and I am privileged to support my clients through this journey.

The most important ingredient for successful therapy is a comfortable, trusting relationship. My straight-forward, action-oriented approach, coupled with gentle humor and empathy, puts my clients at ease and sets the foundation for a productive partnership.

My mission is to help you build resilience and teach you skills that will allow you to make lasting changes, treat yourself with the same kindness and compassion you show everyone else, and find the courage to live a life you love.

Services

Individual counseling services are available for adolescents and adults in person or via video session.

I handle a variety of psychological issues including:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Stress Management
  • Perfectionism
  • Self Criticism
  • Negative Self Image
  • Life Transitions
  • Grief and Loss
  • Interpersonal Problems
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Communication Issues

When you are ready, schedule a 15-minute complimentary call to see if we are a good fit.

Self-Bullying

Self-Bullying: The Silent Epidemic

Self-bullying starts when we are young and can influence our choices throughout our life. Left unchecked, it can wreak havoc on our emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.

What exactly is self-bullying?  It’s a phenomenon that is often referred to by various names. You may have heard it called the inner critic or inner gremlin, inner mean girl/dude, or internal drill sergeant. Simply put, there is a mechanism that allows us to talk to ourselves. Our mind can ramble on and on all day, often without our full consciousness to what is actually being said.

Being aware and noticing what is occurring inside your head is really important because you are listening. Since humans can understand language we have a vehicle to converse with others as well as ourselves. This evolutionary function of our mind is actually trying to keep us safe. It just has a weird way of expressing itself.

Our minds have a negativity bias, which can sound a lot like criticism and judgment. When this is directed internally, it can result in being really hard on yourself. Chances are, you suffer from self-bullying in more ways than you know, and in more places in your life than you are aware, including your relationships, career, and self-image.

My clients often worry that if they shift out of self-criticism or lower their unrealistically high standards, they will lose their edge and motivation. It is actually the opposite – constantly beating yourself up is exhausting, impacts your confidence, and often leads to depression or anxiety.

Finding an alternative to your inner critic can make a huge difference in moving toward a life that you love.  My clients learn how to recognize negative patterns, identify their beliefs, and explore the dimensions of forgiveness, so they can increase their self-compassionate and identify what’s truly meaningful to them.