Penelope Surber , LMHC

Penelope Surber is a Florida-licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with eight years of clinical experience who focuses on helping adults navigate stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and depression. She spent six years working as an adult trauma therapist at a recovery center, supporting people through childhood trauma, all forms of abuse, addiction recovery, grief, relationship difficulties, and life transitions such as midlife challenges and empty nest adjustment. Her practice also addresses abandonment and attachment issues, codependency, caregiver stress, first responder concerns, and family of origin and family problems.

Her therapeutic style is warm, person-centered, and interactive. She approaches each person with sensitivity, empathy, and respect, and avoids stigmatizing labels. Penelope integrates several evidence-informed methods to tailor care to each individual, drawing on cognitive-behavioral and dialectical strategies as well as humanistic and psychodynamic ideas when appropriate. She collaborates with clients to shape dialogue and treatment plans that match their goals, strengths, and life circumstances.

Penelope works in English and is accepting new clients, including international clients. She emphasizes that seeking help is a courageous first step toward growth and greater well-being, and she offers steady support and practical tools to empower people through the changes they want to make.

Clinical Approaches and Online Care

Penelope commonly uses client-centered therapy to build a respectful, accepting therapeutic relationship that helps people feel heard and understood; this approach is useful for issues rooted in self-esteem, attachment, and interpersonal concerns. She also integrates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and is practical for treating anxiety, depression, and stress. In addition, Penelope draws on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) techniques to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills that can be especially helpful for managing intense emotions and patterns like codependency.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work itself. Penelope collaborates with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan over time so therapy stays relevant and effective.

Online therapy offers flexibility that complements this collaborative process. Through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, clients can access licensed professionals from home, during breaks, or while traveling. These options make it easier to maintain consistency in care, fit sessions into busy schedules, and continue progress even when in-person visits are impractical.