A woman with short, curly gray hair and a friendly smile, wearing a light blue striped shirt over a white top, standing against a white wall.
Text overlaying a nature scene of pond and grasses: "Getting to know Susan"

In 1998 I woke up to my life as a young lawyer and decided it was not for me. That choice point started me on a learning and growth path and now is a chance for your path and mine to intersect.

I graduated from the Toronto Institute for Relational Psychotherapy (TIRP) in 2003. In over two decades of practice and learning, I obtained a Master’s degree from the University of Toronto (Counselling) and further training in numerous modalities. I always found myself returning to my original training as a Relational Psychotherapist. In 2017 I got the opportunity to return to my home base at TIRP and spend the next 8 years helping to train and launch new Registered Psychotherapists into this beautiful and deeply meaningful work. While TIRP is no longer actively training new therapists, the community and the approach is still thriving.

So, what is it like to work with me? I focus primarily on how your relationships, both past and present, childhood and adult, function. In hearing your story, we look for patterns together. People often relate to others in the same way they have in the past, even though it may not be the best way for the present. Understanding these patterns can lead to breaking out of those that are no longer helpful. If you research Relational Psychotherapy online, you will find many ways to describe it. Fundamentally, the relationship is the therapy. When you can find your way to begin feeling connected, understood, seen and cared for by me, that is step one. When we recognize patterns, either with others or (even better) between us, that is step two. When, in the safer context between us or out in the world, you try something new and feel into how it can be different, that is the magic. This is the base of work in which everything else sits.

Layered into my relational stance is my training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), IFS and Mindfulness. I also have lots of other trainings. If there is something specific you want to know about, just send me a note and ask.

I am a queer white woman with two young adult kids, a dog, a cat and a lots of living on the books. I have experience and training that covers many areas of human interaction. This is a safe environment to explore, sexuality and gender. I understand the broad spectrum of expressions of spirit and self. You can feel confident that your choices and identity, whether based in gender, culture, sexuality or spirituality, will be respected and celebrated when you work with me. I am listed with the NIHB and can offer fully funded therapy for First Nation, Inuit and Métis folks should you choose me.

Illustration of an acorn with a textured cap and a smooth, rounded nut, set against a black background.
Illustration of an acorn with detailed texture and shading.
A detailed, artistic illustration of an acorn, showing the textured cap and smooth nut, with a light-colored background.