Anxiety Counseling with Susie McGaughey, Art Therapist in St. Louis.
Here at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, our therapists are amazing! We have a great team dedicated to helping kids, teens, and college students learn more about managing their anxiety and anger. (And one of our therapists has also started offering parent support, it’s like therapy for parents.) We’re committed to tailoring our approach to you!
It can be overwhelming to chose a therapist for your child. To help you in your search, we’re focusing on one of our therapists each week this month, to help you get to know them better. (And if your teen is unsure about meeting with someone, having them read these posts can help them feel more comfortable with their decision.)
This week we’re focusing on St. Louis counseling with Art Therapist Susie McGaughey, MA, ATR, LPC.
What does a first anxiety counseling session with Susie look like?
In a first session, Susie takes time to start getting to know you, tells you a little about herself, goes over some of our policies, and makes sure to end on a positive note. For clients who come with parents, the first 10 minutes is a quick parent check in and then the remaining time is 1:1 with her new client.
She says, “In a typical first session my main goal is to start building a good rapport with my client, to help them to feel relaxed and comfortable in the space and for them to leave the session feeling like they are going to have a strong say in what therapy is going to look like for them. … I typically end with a very simple, low pressure art therapy activity or an interactive art exercise that we do together as a way to start of connecting with the idea of using art to express and to have a visual representation of the start of our connection with each other.”
What approach to anxiety therapy does Susie use?
As specialists in anxiety and anger, all of our therapists incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and teach coping skills. Susie is also a registered art therapist, allowing her to integrate creative expression and address underlying anxiety, self-esteem issues, or depression through art. She says, “I love to help clients to use art and play as a way to connect more deeply with themselves and others and to safely express their thoughts and feelings, especially those that are difficult to put into words.”
Why did Susie decide to become an art therapist who worked with anxiety and anger in kids and teens?
She once saw kids heading into and coming out of art therapy and noticed the difference. It led her to wonder, "What magic is happening in that therapy space? I want to be able to do that for kids too".
If she weren't an anxiety therapist, what would Susie do?
Maybe she would have become a nurse in hospice or oncology. Or maybe a theater teacher. She says, “If I could sing and play guitar, …, I would certainly be a folksy songwriter.” Regardless, here at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we know she would be awesome at it!
What are some of Susie’s favorite things?
The color mustard yellow, live music, being outside with her family and laughing with friends
How do I connect with Susie for child counseling, anxiety counseling, or therapy for teens?
The first step is to schedule a free 15 minute call to learn more about Compassionate Counseling St. Louis. You’ll talk to our intake coordinator briefly about what’s going on, get a chance to ask any questions you may have, and then book an appointment with Susie or one of our other amazing therapists.
Feeling like you could use some extra parent coaching and support?
Check out our Therapeutic Parent Coaching. It’s like therapy for parents and focuses on helping you master the tools you need, so you can help your child navigate their struggles.
Compassionate Counseling St. Louis specializes in anxiety therapy for teens, kids, and college students, along with partnering with parents through parent coaching - basically therapy for parents here in St. Louis. We’re located in Clayton and work with clients throughout the St. Louis region. To schedule a free phone consultation, please use our contact page.