Suzy Halpin

Hi there! My name is Suzy. I am a Licensed Clinical Therapist with a master's degree in social work. I live in the Chicago area and work with clients statewide via telehealth. Working with adults 18 years old and above, my practice is focused on helping individuals manage life transitions. Change is often difficult and can result in disruption in many areas of our lives. It is not unusual to experience anxiety, uncertainty, and even self-doubt in times of change. In working with clients, my goal will always be to help them understand their feelings of anxiety and fear. Together, we will work to find the most positive approach to managing through change.

My approach

I offer client-centered services, and therefore, I use a variety of evidence-based theories in my practice. Some approaches that have worked well in the past include cognitive behavioral, acceptance, and solution-focused therapies. I also enjoy psycho-educational therapy, as this approach offers clients an understanding of how the mind-body connections work to help or hinder growth. In turn, this understanding empowers the client with the opportunity to reframe a scary situation into one that is less so. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is widely used and can be very effective when working to change unwanted behaviors with clients. Other highly effective therapies include solution-focused therapy, acceptance therapy, and cognitive processing therapy, specifically for clients who have been exposed to a singular traumatic event, such as a personal violation or witness to a traumatic event.

My focus

I work with clients 18 and above. Most people find their way into therapy with some form of anxiety-related disorder. However, not all anxiety is pathological in nature. Sometimes, anxiety is useful as we navigate transitional changes in life. I enjoy helping individuals discern between anxiety that can cause us to become stuck and anxiety that wants to propel us to a better path on our journey. Divorce, leaving for college, empty nesting, career changes; these are all big life transitions and, therefore, likely to bring up anxiety. I help clients sift through these feelings to stay focused on reaching the best outcomes that align with their goals and ambitions.

My communication style

I like to meet my clients where they are at. Some people know exactly what they want from therapy; others are just starting to figure it out. Wherever you are, that’s okay. I believe that validation, acceptance, and empathy help to establish the trust necessary to build a healthy rapport between a therapist and a client. Once trust and rapport have been established, I find that posing questions, summarizing, and reframing offers the most effective approach for challenging a client’s current patterns and helping the client consider alternative approaches to dealing with a familiar problem.

My journey to mental healthcare

As I was facing my own major life transition from a married, stay-at-home mom of two children to a divorced working parent, I wanted to choose a career that utilized my previous education and experience. Additionally, I find providing support and information to others to be a rewarding opportunity at this unique time in our world. When more and more people seem to be trying to make sense of our rapidly changing world, I hope to offer a space to process these changes in a safe and validating way.

My goals for you

Early on in therapy, I tend to use a lot of Socratic questioning to learn about my client and understand their goals for therapy. Based on these early sessions, our work may shift to more solution-focused therapy to help address some acute concerns with some short-term goals. Alternatively, our early sessions may reveal more chronic concerns that may require a more psychoanalytic approach, with acceptance-based therapy and psycho/educational supportive sessions to work towards longer-term healing. In all cases, it’s important that the client determines the goals of therapy. The most successful clients will set goals that align with their core values. I will spend my time working with my client to ensure this alignment is present, and if not, we will work to understand why a client's core values do not align with the goals being set.

My first session with you

Our first session should be relaxed. This session is about building rapport and trust between the therapist and the client. First sessions are not a good time for working through a crisis. Initial assessments should include personal, medical, and family history, establishing therapeutic boundaries, and determining goals for future work together.