Susan P. Richardson, MS, LPC, NCC
Associate of Arbor Cove Therapy, LLC and Owner of Susan P. Richardson, LLC
Specialties:
- Adoption and foster care
- Parent training and coaching
- Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI)
- Transcultural/transracial families and diversity issues
- Mood and anxiety disorders
- Trauma related difficulties
Susan has a deep passion for the well-being, healing, resilience, and growth of children and families. She approaches complex developmental trauma from both attachment and neurobiological theories and her treatment approach will be individualized according to a client’s needs and experiences. She has received additional training in Internal Family Systems theory, Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and is versed in attachment as well as neurobiological models from predominant adoption and trauma experts such as Karyn Purvis and David Cross, Deborah Gray, Jayne Schooler, Daniel Hughes, as well as the neurobiology research of Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.
Susan has been working with adoptive families for fourteen years. She received her Master’s Degree in Community Counseling in 1994 from Georgia State University and was licensed as a Professional Counselor in 1997 (#LPC002578). In addition to working in a child welfare setting, she provided counseling services to college students at Mercer University, Kennesaw State University, and GA Tech Counseling Centers. She enjoys helping teens and young adults experience growth and greater fulfillment.
Working with adoptive families and all those within the adoption constellation has given Susan in-depth understanding and empathy with the unique challenges and stressors parents and children face. She sees clients primarily through an attachment theory lens, and is a Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) practitioner. Susan strives to work with families in a collaborative and supportive way, and wants to help parents find joy, connection, and compassion in their parenting. Diversity issues are an important interest of Susan’s, both as they relate to transcultural adoptive families, as well as the ways they can impact stress and anxiety levels and the innate need to feel welcomed and connected to others in the community. She will work to listen and affirm her clients’ experiences and help them to find means of empowerment and healing.