Hello, I'm Suzanne, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Pennsylvania with 30 years experience. My goal in therapy is to help you find your strengths, creatively map the best way to get to your goals, and support you in developing skills to improve your wellbeing. My approach is fostered in Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT). I am certified in EMDR and Cognitive Processing therapy for treating trauma. I specialize in grief counseling and have experience working in hospice settings. I include a variety of trauma informed, somatic and holistic approaches in my work.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

In your first session we'll explore what you hope to gain in therapy. I'll ask questions about your life experiences to better understand your needs and strengths. I'll explain my treatment approaches and you'll be able to ask questions to help you understand what to expect in follow up sessions. Together we'll select initial treatment goals and I may make recommendations supporting those goals. Our initial conversations will be focused on gaining an understanding of what's happened to bring you to this point in your life, but it won't be necessary for you to share deeply about hurts and trauma until you feel safe and ready.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I utilize skills tailored to your individual needs that are practical for your real-life situations. I use metaphors, stories, and psychoeducation to integrate humor and relatable situations into our work. And I love teaching clients how our brains and nervous system function to help them begin to understand and manage experiences such as anxiety, panic, trauma or grief more effectively.

About Suzanne Rutkowski, LCSW, EMDR Certified