Penelope Surber, LMHC

Florida | Online sessions in Florida | English | Book with Penelope »

Warm, practical support for trauma and stress recovery

Details

Name	Penelope Surber
Credentials	LMHC
Based in	Florida
Licensed in	Florida
Session format	Online
Languages	English
Years in practice	8

About Penelope

Penelope Surber is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) based in Florida. She brings eight years of experience helping adults manage stress, anxiety, depression, addiction recovery, and trauma. Her tone is warm and direct, and she aims to make first steps feel safe and manageable.

Prior to licensure in Florida she spent years working at a recovery center focused on adult trauma. That work involved helping people who had experienced childhood abuse, domestic violence, and other forms of trauma.

Background and approach

She has substantial experience supporting people coping with grief, abandonment and attachment struggles, and challenges that follow separation or divorce. Her approach is collaborative and person-centered. She listens closely, then helps people set small, practical goals.

Sessions may include exploring personal stories, identifying unhelpful thinking, and practicing skills for managing strong emotions and urges. Penelope uses methods drawn from Narrative Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior approaches, and emotionally-focused work. She adapts the conversation and plan to each person's situation rather than using a single template.

She also works with concerns like codependency, caregiver stress, first responder stress, dissociation, and issues with control and communication. Penelope emphasizes respect, empathy, and helping people reclaim agency in their lives. Her practice supports work on long-standing patterns and on immediate coping skills.

She encourages steady, achievable change and partners with people who are ready to try different ways to feel better.

What this therapist works with

Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse among the things Penelope works with, alongside the areas below.

Approaches listed

Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Jungian Therapy: Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Psychodynamic Therapy: Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Penelope among the ways she works.
Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Penelope directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.

Narrative Therapy in this listing

Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.

If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Penelope directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.

Online session options

How her approaches adapt to online therapy

Penelope often blends Narrative Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in her online work. Narrative Therapy helps people separate themselves from troubling stories and rewrite those stories with more agency and choice. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening with empathy and building a trusting, respectful relationship so people can lead the pace of change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy offers practical steps for noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing new ways of thinking and acting.

Choosing the best approach is a collaborative process. She will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels useful, then try methods that fit. Adjustments can be made as therapy progresses so the work stays relevant and realistic for everyday life.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation for deeper emotional work. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat or text-based messaging can suit people who want ongoing written exchanges or brief skill practice between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or recovery routines.

Common questions about this listing

What kinds of concerns does she help with?

She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem struggles. Additional areas include abandonment, attachment issues, codependency, caregiver stress, and relationship problems.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her style is warm, person-centered, and interactive. She listens first and then tailors practical goals and exercises to fit each person's needs.

What background does she bring to sessions?

She has eight years of clinical experience, including work at a recovery center focused on adult trauma. That background informs her trauma-informed and skills-based work.

What credentials and location should I know?

She holds the LMHC credential and is licensed in Florida. Her professional credential is FL LMHC.

Which languages and international clients are supported?

Sessions are offered in English. She accepts international clients.

What session formats are available?

Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to match different schedules and needs.

How does cost work for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What is the first step to begin therapy?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. After that you can schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Contacting this therapist

Sessions with Penelope are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Penelope where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.

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