Susana Makintubee

I am Susana Makintubee, MA, LPC, guiding people in the journey of navigating difficult life issues through mental health counseling felt like a calling to me from an early age. I have found that when people feel satisfied with their life and are living in an intentional way there is less opportunity for things like anxiety, relationship issues or negative impact of past trauma to take over. I would be honored by the opportunity to help you along your journey to living the life you want and deserve.

My approach

In my over 10 years of practice I have found that learning and using mindfulness practices, the ability to intentionally be present in the moment, cognitive behavioral therapy, learning how thoughts and feelings drive action, exposure therapy, confronting fears head on that keep people from doing things they want, and written exposure therapy, confronting trauma, to be the most effective ways to treat anxiety, phobia, trauma and increase healthy relationships.

My focus

As a first generation US born Latina, I have developed a passion for helping others navigate the complexity of growing up in a culture different from their parents. I find my experience to make me uniquely qualified to address these issues in addition to all anxiety based disorders including Phobias and OCD as well as trauma based disorders including Adjustment Disorders and PTSD.

My communication style

It is of the upmost importance to me that anyone I work with feels safe enough around me to say things they may have never told anyone else in order to start that healing journey. I strive for all those I work with to feel that I am as invested in getting to their mental health goals as they are and regularly check in to make sure they are getting what they need. I am completely transparent in my therapeutic approach and make sure people I work with understand the reason I ask the things I do and ensure their full consent before teaching any skill or providing direct guidance. While there might be times a session requires we get into a tough emotional space I ensure people I work with have the skills they need ahead of time to enter into that type of work and do not force anyone to speed their process along.

My journey to mental healthcare

Guiding people in the journey of navigating difficult life issues through mental health counseling felt like a calling to me from an early age. I discovered the importance of family and friend in my life feeling safe enough around me to say things they had never told anyone else. The sense of relief and understanding they felt helped them have a greater sense of control in their life. Those moments when someone increases or develops their ability to decide how to respond in situations instead of feeling like their emotions are in control of them is something I and many of the people I have worked with in the past have found to be essential in living a more intentional and satisfying life. Being a part of someone’s journey to that place of fulfillment is something I take as an honor and privilege.

My goals for you

I find a collaborative approach to work the best. Full client engagement in goal setting is essential in building success. If a client is struggling to articulate their goals, I pull from what has been identified at the assessment and help them shape that into a goal that seems both doable and likely to achieve the desired outcome.

My first session with you

My approach to initial sessions is very conversational in that I am actively listening to their reasons for coming into treatment and asking questions to get the detail I need along the way. I want the client to feel empowered from the very first visit that they are in charge of what will be worked on in our time together and my role is to use my expertise to get them there. At the end of the visit I provide a summary of my observations and recommendations for treatment.