Suzy Oswald, MA, LADC
SUZY OSWALD (SHE, HER )
Psychotherapist
Location: Telehealth
Email: suzyo@intentionalselfcounseling.org
Phone: 612-440-1805
Specialties:
Who I help:
The right therapist is the one who works alongside you, meshes with your personality, makes you feel comfortable, and ultimately knows what tools to put into practice to help you achieve your new life. And believe me, that life is out there. If you've been-there-done-that with therapy, maybe you just weren't with the right therapist. It's OK to keep searching until you find the right one. (We're not offended if you want to change therapists!).
I have a distinct set of strengths and philosophies that I bring to my practice. I'm doing my job if I'm transparent with you up front, so you know what you're in for. I don't want to waste your time; your time needs to be spent on YOU, without worry that your therapist is listening, understanding, and giving you actionable plans that work. So, here's what you're getting when you hire me:
We start like most therapists generally do - by encouraging you to confront fears, break through barriers, and embrace personal growth. I understand that change can be hard, but I provide unwavering support and guidance throughout the process that empowers my clients to discover their own inner resilience. My stance is pretty holistic in its approach. Mindfulness, nutrition, exercise, DBT/CBT/REBT, and Brief Solution-Focused therapies are all in my tool belt. Always at the center, is YOU!
I'm known for being authentic and empathic, but also for bringing some tough love. I firmly believe that we all have the innate strength to overcome life's obstacles. Sometimes that strength just needs a little guidance to be teased out. It may be lurking just beneath the surface, but you're unsure how to actually harness it and put it into action.
Well, it takes patience and perseverance, along with the knowledge of how to effect change, to reveal the authentic self. Many people know where they want to go, and who they'd like to be, if only they could overcome certain obstacles. But they lack the training to know how to break down barriers with actionable steps and to create new, healthy, lifelong habits.
I specialize in understanding what may be the issue. What caused the inner turmoil. Who invited it in? Is it my fault? Why didn't I kick it to the curb when the red flags were waving in my face? Why do I blame myself? My inner critic is so hard on me! What if I have more than one diagnosed issue, where do I start?
This journey is about YOU - confronting and coming to terms with the past, and letting it be part of your growth. And then - moving forward, towards a better, healthier, happier life. Your first homework with me will be to think about how you want to show up in life - "Who am I?" and am I living up to those ideals, or falling flat? The dissonance between how you want to be, and how you are, is the grey area we explore to get you closer to who you are truly meant to be.
Folks, change is hard, and it takes effort. Life is not all rainbows and butterflies. Everyone you know has challenges, even if they are presenting the Perfect Family image on social media. Nobody teaches us how to avoid some of the challenges life handles us - it's not in the school curriculum. Somehow we're all supposed to figure it out as we go! Adding to all this mayhem is the fact that we all - our entire planet - just went through a pretty tough few years. Unprecedented events that handed out some nasty setbacks, and robbed us of our mojo. It happened, and it's done. Now it's time to recover and move forward.
Do you like analogies? In the land of luxury car therapists, I am the Jeep 4x4 with a ski rack. Down to earth, functional, authentic and unapologetic with the ability to get through anything. We have a job to do, and we're going to get there without a bunch of fluff. If that sounds like a plan, and if I sound like the kind of therapist that's not cut from the same mold as what you've experienced, then let's give it a whirl.
I receive clinical supervision from a qualified, licensed supervisor until completion of full licensure.
