Suzanna (Suzy) Blalock, (Intern Therapist)

Suzanna (Suzy) Blalock (she/her) is an intern therapist at the Center for Growth. Her internship at the Center for Growth runs from June 8, 2022 - June 5, 2023. Suzy brings a feminist, sex-positive, and queer and gender-expansive celebratory approach into the counseling space. Her non-judgmental and collaborative counseling environment seeks to empower clients to explore their narrative. By unpacking and focusing on goals, strengths, and patterns, she hopes to guide clients to see their resilience and capabilities. Suzy’s lived experiences inform her counseling practice to empathize with clients, build trust, and freely explore a variety of topics in the counseling space.

Coming to counseling is the first step a person can make towards growth and validates that you have the capacity to drive change in your life. Suzy realizes how important this first step is and is ready to tailor your counseling experience to what you are seeking. No matter what you want to bring to our therapy space, she is ready to listen and gently guide you on your journey inward. Through exploration of topics, healing can begin to occur in the individual and/or the couple.

Suzy has an interest in working with adolescents, adults, and couples on issues such as depression, trauma, eating-disorders, anxiety, adjustment difficulties, relationship concerns, and identity exploration. She has a special interest in working with clients who are from rural areas, queer and gender-expansive individuals and couples, individuals who work in the service industry, and individuals who have experienced interpersonal violence.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), person-centered therapy, and relational-cultural therapy form Suzy’s theoretical base as a counselor. She also draws on narrative, exposure, and family-systems techniques to create a comprehensive approach in the counseling space. Suzy’s osteopathic background also emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to counseling, where the entire person is treated when life disruptions arise. The mind does not exist independent of the body. Therefore, Suzy believes all therapeutic problems should be approached with regard for the entire person.

Suzy’s relational-cultural lens is an integral part of her identity as a counselor. She is an anti-racist and BIPOC allied counselor. She also is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and stands as an ally to all identities within the community. She encourages her clients to explore their identities in the counseling space if they are interested. Likewise, she invites prospective clients to ask her about her training and experience with different identities.

Her year-long internship at the Center for Growth will start June 6, 2022 and will end June 4, 2023. She is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She currently attends Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in their Mental Health Counseling program, where she is a second-year student working towards her LPC licensure. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas in 2020. She is originally from Alabama but has lived in multiple states across the country.

Throughout her undergraduate education, Suzy worked in eating-disorder research. She assisted Dr. Carolyn Becker on her Food Matters research project to explore the relationship between eating disorders and food insecurity in the San Antonio area. In her junior year of her undergraduate education, Suzy went on to lead an extension of the Food Matters research project in Appalachia. The project was eventually indefinitely postponed due to COVID-19. Suzy has also worked on research projects regarding celebratory care in the counseling environment for queer and gender-expansive individuals, the presentation of shape and weight concerns in queer and gender-expansive people, approaching topics surrounding faith when working with LGBTQ+ clients in the counseling space, and barriers to care for mental health care in southeastern rural communities.

When not counseling, Suzy enjoys completing cross-stitch designs, exploring the Philadelphia music scene, working in the service industry, redecorating her living and working spaces, and going to the art museum.

Suzanna (Suzy) Blalock, (Intern Therapist)'s Resume

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