Suzanne Seitz

I grew up in rural Lafayette County and still think an open field or a stand of trees is the best place to figure out what you want your life to look like. I played collegiate sports at Central Missouri State and graduated in 2004 with a double major in psychology and criminal justice, then finished my master's in counseling at UMKC in 2011.

I started in this field before the degree was done, providing in-home therapy and case management to children and families across rural Missouri. Fifteen years later I've worked with kids, teens, adults, and families, in homes, schools, Intensive Outpatient and Partial Hospitalization Groups, and offices. I see clients in person in Grain Valley and by video anywhere in Missouri.

Most of my work is with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, low self-esteem, burn-out and the stretches where life stops feeling like yours. I have a particular interest in ADHD and autism, and most of the reading I do on my own time goes there. I also pay attention to the physical side of mental health: chronic pain, autoimmune disease, sleep, movement, time outside, and what your nervous system is doing when stress hits.

I start with your story and what you want to be different, then build the work around that rather than running you through a protocol. Most of what I use is CBT and solution-focused work on a person-centered foundation. I completed EMDRIA-approved EMDR training and use it when past experiences keep pulling at the present. When stress is showing up in your body more than in your thoughts, we work on regulation directly.

I'm warm, and I'll also push you. Sitting with the hard parts is where change happens, and I won't let you circle them alone. Clients tell me I challenge them in a way that feels loving rather than critical.

You are a whole person, and my job is helping you through the parts of life that feel heavy right now. That belief matters most with ADHD and autistic clients. Your brain works differently, and different isn't deficient. We build tools that fit how you actually operate instead of trying to make you "normal."

The first session is mostly me listening and gathering your story. What brought you in now, what you've already tried, what's working and what isn't, and enough history that I understand the context. I'll ask about sleep, work, relationships, and physical health, because those shape how you feel more than most people expect.

Before we finish, we'll name one or two things you want to be different and talk about what a realistic path toward that looks like, including how often we should meet. You'll usually leave with something small to try before the next session.

You don't need to arrive with your thoughts organized or know what to call the problem. Bring it however it is.