Life Key Counseling and Coaching
Ph 813-951-1055
About Life Key Counseling and Coaching
Susan Wharton-Schmitz, MS, LMHC
(Florida Department of Health License #14005)
I have counseled and coached individuals of all ages from diverse populations. My approach is personal and warm. I strive to create an environment in which clients feel safe to explore the most vulnerable parts of themselves and the events that have shaped their lives. My worldview is holistic-- drawing my approach and techniques from various schools of psychology; humanistic, existential, cognitive-behavioral, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). I want to build upon the strengths of my clients to help them heal and grow. I utilize discussion, writing exercises, reading and role-play approaches to help externalize what is troubling each individual and guide them in creating the life path that is most positive and affirming for them.
In the past, I've created and presented workshops on stress management, coping with anxiety, conflict resolution skills, healthy relationships, assertiveness, career exploration, learning styles, learning disabilities and career success, study skills and organizational skills for academic achievement.
In 1997, I earned a Master’s degree in Counseling and College Student Development from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. For seven years, I worked as a personal counselor, career counselor, academic advisor and teacher in university and community college settings in the state of Massachusetts. I completed addition coursework at the University of South Florida in mental health counseling and have been licensed as a therapist in the state of Florida since 2016.
I hold a certificate in administering the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which is useful in understanding one's approach to personal relationships, learning styles and career selection. For three years, I taught a course in success skills for college and life using the MBTI as a way to understand relationship approaches, learning styles and ideal career "fit".
I completed Level 1 Training in Couples Therapy from the Gottman Relationship Institute. I'm also passionate about helping parents of children with LD and mental health issues and providing the support and information needed to navigate the stresses and challenges associated with these issues. I've completed additional coursework in grief counseling and studied strategies to help guide individuals through life transitions.
In Florida, I have spent the past couple of decades raising two children and navigating the terrain of being both a stay-at-home mother and a
work-outside-the-home mother. My experience has been invaluable in embracing compassion, structure and the stress management skills needed to harmonize family life in a complex twenty-first century world.
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