Meet Sue
Sue brings professionalism and experience to the counseling setting, and understands that counseling can be intimidating or invoke fear for some, especially if you’ve never been to a counselor before. She places a high priority on helping her clients feel safe. In addition, she is encouraging and nonjudgmental in her approach. Clients generally find her easy to talk to.
Sue has former experience as a preschool and elementary school teacher, and for many years, was on a church staff as the director of their children’s program and later the director of women’s ministries. She also has many years of experience doing pastoral counseling. Her years of pastoral work and her seminary training contribute to her ability to integrate Christianity and clinical Psychology. Sue believes truth is truth, wherever you find it. In her experience, she finds that the principles in clinical psychology that effectively bring health and healing to individuals and relationships are the same as the Christian principles which are found in the Bible.
Sue is a wife, mother and grandmother. When she is not counseling clients, Sue enjoys spending time with her family and friends. In addition, she likes to travel and experience new cultures. She also loves hiking, the beach, reading, and a good cup of coffee.
Sue’s Approach to Therapy
Every individual is unique, and a single approach to therapy is not appropriate for all. Sue offers a safe and compassionate environment where clients can work confidentially toward their desired therapeutic goals. Because she believes therapy must be practical, Sue works to equip her clients with tools and coping skills to help them more effectively in their growth and healing.
Sue believes people’s thoughts and behaviors are largely influenced by their core beliefs. She works from a Christian perspective to help clients define and reconsider their core beliefs when those beliefs lead them to experience unhealthy or disruptive thought or behavior patterns. She believes it is helpful to trace the origins of unhealthy beliefs and to sort through their significance only insofar as it helps clients to move forward in meeting their therapeutic goals. Sue also believes it is important to the healing process for clients to actively participate in their own therapy. Most of Sue's clients are Christians, but her therapeutic approach works well for non-Christians as well. She lets clients determine whether they want their therapy to include spiritual growth or only focus on clinical work.
Groups Sue has led
Education
Affiliations
Sue has former experience as a preschool and elementary school teacher, and for many years, was on a church staff as the director of their children’s program and later the director of women’s ministries. She also has many years of experience doing pastoral counseling. Her years of pastoral work and her seminary training contribute to her ability to integrate Christianity and clinical Psychology. Sue believes truth is truth, wherever you find it. In her experience, she finds that the principles in clinical psychology that effectively bring health and healing to individuals and relationships are the same as the Christian principles which are found in the Bible.
Sue is a wife, mother and grandmother. When she is not counseling clients, Sue enjoys spending time with her family and friends. In addition, she likes to travel and experience new cultures. She also loves hiking, the beach, reading, and a good cup of coffee.
Sue’s Approach to Therapy
Every individual is unique, and a single approach to therapy is not appropriate for all. Sue offers a safe and compassionate environment where clients can work confidentially toward their desired therapeutic goals. Because she believes therapy must be practical, Sue works to equip her clients with tools and coping skills to help them more effectively in their growth and healing.
Sue believes people’s thoughts and behaviors are largely influenced by their core beliefs. She works from a Christian perspective to help clients define and reconsider their core beliefs when those beliefs lead them to experience unhealthy or disruptive thought or behavior patterns. She believes it is helpful to trace the origins of unhealthy beliefs and to sort through their significance only insofar as it helps clients to move forward in meeting their therapeutic goals. Sue also believes it is important to the healing process for clients to actively participate in their own therapy. Most of Sue's clients are Christians, but her therapeutic approach works well for non-Christians as well. She lets clients determine whether they want their therapy to include spiritual growth or only focus on clinical work.
Groups Sue has led
- Wounded Heart Therapy Group – resourcing Dan Allender’s book, The Wounded Heart,
for women who were sexually abused as children - Healing Connections Therapy Group – helping women explore unhealthy or codependent
relationships - Grief Share – for those grieving the loss of a friend or relative
- Support for women whose husbands are addicted to sex
Education
- Master’s degree in Marital and Family Therapy from Western Seminary
- Certified facilitator for the Prepare/Enrich Couples’ Inventory
Affiliations
- California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
- American Association of Christian Counselors