Counseling - Life's Learning

Counselors

Counselor Support Services

Services provided to counselors, include consultation, supervision towards licensure in Washington State, training both independently or to groups, co-sponsorship of trainers and/or CE’s, etc.

Clinical Experience

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Washington. I have been licensed since 2004 and have provided counseling services since 1994. I have worked with kids as young as 3 and adults up into their elderly years, providing individual, family, couples and group services. I have a passion for peoples stories and to walk alongside them in their journeys to improve or cope better with their life circumstances. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), utilizing this with healing or trauma needs. Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT) with counselors and I have a rich history providing experiential therapies (art, play, sandplay, music therapies, etc.). I draw from a variety of other modalities, including behavioral interventions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Parenting support, Gestalt, Mindfulness and Humanistic theories. I believe that to be the best therapist possible, we must do our own work and continuously strive to grow personally alongside my personal growth.

Within an agency environment, Children’s Home Society of Washington (1993-2012). I was involved with adoption specific services (e.g., groups, counseling, search and reunion, adoption placement and home studies, etc.) for 9 years and provided counseling for 18 years to kids, adults and family’s. I was involved on the leadership team and developed a curriculum to teach and supervise graduate level counselors how to become counselors. Some of the courses within this curriculum included: introduction to art, play and sandplay therapies, crisis response, the use of guided imagery and story, family therapy, general documentation and diagnoses, etc. I wrote a handbook for the agency around this program and clinical supervision.

I also work part-time with Partner’s with Families and Children (since July of 2016) as the Clinical Supervisor to the agency Internship Program, where I provide counseling and lead a similar curriculum based supervision and training model to the one developed with Children’s Home Society of Washington (listed earlier). I also provide clinical supervision to counselors working towards licensure in this agency setting.

I worked for a year at Hospice of Calvert Couunty in Maryland, providing sandplay therapy and developing an art therapy bereavement group entitled, “The Art of Mourning.”

I have a specialty also in working with Military, Veteran’s and their families. I am a military wife (34 years) and mother (16 years). In this role, I understand the numerous joys and challenges of a military career and its impact on the soldier and their family’s. I have sought specialized training within this, including being certified as Caregiver coach with Blue Star Families. I also have independently started military spouse groups and created a space for informal connections and support. Through my work, I spent a year providing assessments with military and Veteran’s applying for disability through the Veteran’s Administration.

I am Certified as a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC) and provide online telehealth counseling services to adults 18 and over.

I have been thankful for the opportunities to teach on numerous levels. I have taught at Eastern Washington University as an adjunct instructor, teaching group process and graduate level practicum. Additionally, I taught experiential therapies for a weekend course at Whitworth University. Finally, I taught independent studies for Gonzaga University on Sandplay Therapy and Law & Ethics and co-taught a course on Bibliotherapy.

Clinical Supervision

I have been in private practice since 2002 and have been honored to provide clinical supervision to counselors seeking licensure since 2004. I meet all of the requirements as a supervisor for Washington State. Clinical supervision is tailored to each counselors specific individual and practice needs. I provide support through a clinical process that is both clinical and structured, yet at its foundation is based on the supervisor/supervised relationship.

Authored

I wrote a reference guide, “Changes with DSM-5: A Reference Guide for Clinicians,” which outlined the changes with DSM-5. I trained providers on these changes in 2014 and was able to offer NBCC CE Clock hours through a single program approval.

In 2012, I wrote a guide book around clinical supervision as I parted Children’s Home Society of Washington.

I summarized statistics and needs in the form of a handbook around adoption survey and needs identified with adoption in the early 2000’s.

Clinical Specialties

Area’s of specialty include, life transition, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, impulse control, anger management, relationships, conflict management, self-esteem, childhood of origin healing, adoption, workplace bullying, etc. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), an evidenced based therapy with trauma and emotional healing. I am also trained with Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) in my work with counselors. I am also a Sandplay Therapist Practitioner.

Training

I am approved as a continuing education provider with the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). This allows me to offer trainings independently and offer NBCC CE’s or to Co-sponsor other providers to offer CE’s. For my latest offerings, please see my training page, follow my Life’s Learning for Counselors Facebook page or email me at sapelskog@msn.com

Suzanne Apelskog of Life’s Learning has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6786. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Suzanne Apelskog of Life’s Learning is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

Services provided to counselors, include consultation, supervision towards licensure in Washington State, training both independently or to groups, etc. For more information, please contact us.