We had the good fortune of connecting with Suzanne Carter and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Suzanne, what is the most important factor behind your success?
As a psychotherapist of 40 years, and an ordained minister of 38 years and an author and workshop presenter, the most important factor behind my success is my continued willingness to work on myself. I have been working on myself since my high School Psychology class. Since, then I have wanted to understand relationships on all levels. The best way to do that is certainly with study and education and then the willingness to keep applying what I learn and to seek more deeply and more broadly as I learn and apply. Whenever I have faced an issue in my own life that caused challenge, I sought how to heal that so I could also help my clients and all of the people I work with in churches and other groups. For example, when my sister died at the age of 45, I was floored by the grief. So, I sought grief support and added specialties in grief. When my former husband and I needed support as we worked together, I sought numerous relationship experts so we could utilize what we learned and I am now known as the Relationship and communication expert.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I believe that wholeness is like a circle, without beginning and without end. When we have the goal to be whole and well, we become willing, eager, and enthusiastic to work on all aspects of our being. Over the years I have come to recognize how empowering it can be for us when we deepen our respect for the sacred nature of our unique selves and when we learn to listen carefully and holistically to the inherent wisdom that resides in and unfolds deep within.
I blend both psychological and spiritual perspectives so that my clients and their issues can be addressed holistically. I provide a safe and supportive environment for exploring and resolving obstacles to growth and wellbeing.
I put my self through 8 years of college by first working in restaurants and then in residential child care. It was not easy.
I also had to continually work on myself and heal because I lived through a very traumatic childhood. I was the oldest between my sister and I and I became the family hero. However I had to be the best family hero that ever existed. My motto could be taken from that popular cartoon, Mighty Mouse, when I was young : “Here I come to save the day”. I was the supreme over-achiever, the supreme over-functioner and over-giver. This stance in life can kill someone slowly. I have been in recovery from this stance for a very long time. The answer to healing is that we must realize that we are all in this together and we are all “equal to”. Thus, each person must step in as equal and bring their own individual gifts, perceptions and awarnesses to the circle. I have learned this and my program is called HEAL YOUR LIFE AND LIVE YORU DREAMS.
In my journey to wholeness I have been able to achieve many specialties. I acquired them by often knowing where I needed extra help; then I would get the help I needed, then get education or training in that area so I could use it to help my clients. here are some of my specialties and certifications
• Individual and Group Psychotherapy for adults, adolescents, children, and families.
• Grief Recovery
• Equine and Canine Assisted Psychotherapy
• Couples Therapy including pre-marital counseling.
• Abuse/Trauma
• EMDR
• Codependency
• Parenting, Grief, healing blocks to wholeness
• Psychodrama Groups
• Coaching
Workshops on Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, codependency, overcoming phobias, relationship issues, parenting, women’s issues, death and dying, grief and loss and couple’s workshops
Credentials:
• 40 years experience as a therapist
• Ordained Unity Minister ( 1986)
• Certified grief recovery specialist
• Certified EMDR Therapist
• Certified Equine Assisted psychotherapist
• Certified Spiritual Intelligence Coach with Deep Change.com (using the SQ21 assessment tool to create a map for your growth in all areas)
• Author of book, “All Children Are Gifted: Raising Spiritually Aware Children.”
• Master of Arts, Psychology
• Licensed in CO
Completed Experiential and Psychodrama training, Onsite Training and Consulting, INC.
I will never retire because I want to continue to use my experience, expertise and gifts to help more and more people heal and be the ONE they have come here to be, thereby healing the world.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take my friend to Glenwood Springs. I have been swimming there since I was 2. We would spend time swimming in the famous Hot Springs, have dinner at the Colorado hotel, breakfast at THE DAILY BREAD restaurant. We would rent bikes and bike along the river in Glenwood Canyon and then hike up the trail by Grizzly Creek. On our way home, we would stop at Frisco and eat at one of the great restaurants in that darling city. On one of the days they were here, we would get back packs with a picnic in them and hike one of the many hiking trails in Colorado. My favorite is hiking to Blue Lake at the Brainard Lakes trail head.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First my son, Christopher James Addison Carter. I knew that if I ever had a child, I would have a boy named Christopher even though, I did not think I would have a child. However, in 1988, when Alan Cohen asked me “what would I do if nothing were standing in my way”, I knew immediately : “Have Christopher.” And that was that. First this experience taught me that we need to listen to our own inner self in order to see our authentic path.
When we connect to our own path, we hear the dreams that are supposed to manifest through us and we discover the gifts necessary to make them come true. Fulfilling our dreams also helps heal the world.
And Christopher is such an amazing soul and so I always sought to be the best mother I could be by tuning into him and listening to what his soul needed. I wrote my book, ALL CHILDREN ARE GIFTED: Raising Confident and Aware children, as a result of parenting him and teaching him to listen to his own deepest inner knowing. And, he did just that, getting a degree in Psychology and Sociology but is now the leader of his band, Venture Still.
Also,, I have had so many teachers that have helped me connect to my own authentic path.
Mark Nepo is my favorite however. I began reading his THE BOOK OF AWAKENING, 12 years ago, and have all of his books on my shelf. If I could I would give everyone a copy of this book.
Website: www.SuzanneCarter.net
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-carter-6341755/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzannecoralcarter/
Youtube: Follow Your Heart, Sunday March 13, Nat & Suzanne Carter
Other: www.TheHarmonyRelationshipCenter.com