About Susanne


​I am licensed as a Clinical Social Worker through the state of Washington (DOH Licensing # LW60188361), and have been practicing individual and family mental health and wellness counseling with both youth and adults in the Seattle area since 2004.  I have worked extensively with both youth and adults struggling with concerns ranging from low self worth, depression or anxiety, histories of trauma, to relationship problems. I also have spent a good deal of my career supporting adolescents and their parents or caregivers in navigating the difficulties that can arise in a young persons transition towards adulthood.  I am trained in the use of a variety of mindfulness-based interventions. Mindfulness forms the foundation of my practice in supporting clients to be more present in their day to day lives, and to relate more effectively to difficult thoughts and feelings, which otherwise might create barriers to their fulfillment.  I have received training as a Holistic Health Coach as well, and I use my knowledge of dietary theories and nutrition to support clients with making changes in their health and wellness as it relates to their overall well being.  

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Susanne's Philosophy

I believe in the importance of looking at the whole person (mind and body) including one's relationships with family, friends, and community.  I incorporate an understanding of the effects of how we take care of ourselves and nurture our relationships, our careers or schooling, and our spirituality on our over all well being.  My therapy practice pulls from a combination of treatment models with a basis in attachment theory as it explains how we come to understand ourselves, and our relationships, and learn to interact in the world based on the experiences we have in our earliest relationships. I also rely on the principles of Buddhist Psychology as they identify the primary cause of suffering being resistance to pain, and the freedom from suffering lying in moving towards acceptance based practices. I have been trained in a variety of related therapeutic interventions, and I most often incorporate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness Based Self Compassion (MSC), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) in to my work with clients, depending on the need of the individual client.  My goal is to provide a safe and supportive space for you as my client, and to support you in recognizing and making use of your own inherent wisdom and strengths in an effort to to identify and overcome any barriers preventing you from living a more balanced and fulfilling life.  The specifics of the work we do together will depend on your individual needs and concerns.  We will work together to establish treatment goals.  

​Susanne's Training

 I earned my Masters degree in Social Work from The State University of New York at Buffalo with a concentration in Health, Mental Health, and Disability in 2004.  I received my training as a Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2012 and received a certificate through the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy in 2013.  I also have had extensive training in a number of evidenced based interventions over the years and am always seeking out learning opportunities to further support my clients.

Susanne's Area of Focus 

~ Anxiety and Depression
~ Attention Deficit Disorders
~ Relationship struggles
~ Life transitions
~ Problems with sleep
~ Impacts of trauma
~ Anger management and emotional expression
~ Conflict resolution and Mindful Communication
~ Stress management
~ Adolescent behavioral struggles and academic underachievement
~ Parenting support for troubled youth
~ Impacts of family transitions such divorce or adoption
~ Health and Wellness
~ Diet and Nutrition
~ Food-Mood Connection

Payment and Insurance

Cash, check, and all major credit cards accepted.  Payment is due at the time of service.
 
Sliding Scale Rates are available for those in need.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions about your ability to afford services. I do maintain a limited number of slots for sliding scale and will do my best to work with you on finding an affordable rate if one of these slots is available.

Insurance is accepted and I am currently an in-network provider for the following insurance companies:
-Premera
-United Health Insurance (UBH and Optum plans)
-Regence
-Blue Cross Blue Shield plans
-Humana
-First Choice Health
-Kaiser Permanente Access PPO plans (Formerly Group Health)

If using insurance, you are responsible for asking your insurance company ahead of time about payment amount due at time of service (co-pay) as well as any additional expenses including your deductibile and session limits.  Payment for your portion of the fee is due at time of service.  I will bill your insurance for the session.  You are responsible for submitting the balance of any fees due following my receipt of insurance reimbursement if your initial amount owed was paid incorrectly.

We can discuss any questions you have about this process in our initial sessions as well as the pros and cons of using insurance versus paying out of pocket.

I also provide out of network services for clients whose insurance companies do out of network reimbursement.