Penelope Surber, LMHC

Penelope Surber is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Florida with eight years of clinical experience. She previously worked for six years as an adult trauma therapist at a recovery center and now offers therapy focused on helping people move through stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and trauma and abuse.

Her style is warm, interactive, and person-centered. She aims to meet people where they are and talks through what matters most in everyday language. Sessions focus on practical steps and clearer ways to cope with painful feelings and memories.

Penelope blends approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), emotionally-focused therapy (EFT), Jungian ideas, and client-centered work. She uses these methods to help clients address patterns like codependency, attachment and abandonment issues, and problems with self-esteem.

She has helped many women who experienced childhood trauma, including various forms of abuse. She also supports people dealing with caregiver stress, first responder issues, grief, divorce and separation, and recovery from domestic violence or addiction.

Penelope frames therapy as a collaborative process. She works with each person to tailor conversations and practical steps that fit their goals and life circumstances. If someone is ready to make a change, she offers guidance and steady support.

How her approaches work for online therapy

Penelope commonly draws on client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in her work. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening closely and creating a respectful, nonjudgmental space so people can notice their own strengths and choices. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at how thoughts and behaviors interact and teaches concrete skills to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and change unhelpful habits.

She also uses elements of dialectical behavior therapy when clients need tools for emotion regulation and managing intense reactions. DBT techniques include practical skills for tolerating distress, improving relationships, and handling strong feelings without acting on them impulsively.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Penelope works collaboratively with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, needs, and preferences. This means trying techniques, noticing what helps, and adjusting the plan over time.

The biography does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm available formats before booking. Online options can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, shorten travel time, and allow more flexible scheduling. Some formats also let people skip video when bandwidth is limited or choose shorter check-ins between longer sessions.