- Person-centered care
- Skill focused
- Trauma recovery
About Penelope
Penelope Surber is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Florida with eight years of clinical experience supporting adults. She began working extensively in trauma and recovery settings before obtaining her Florida LMHC. Penelope approaches clients with warmth and straightforward care.
Her style is person-centered and interactive. She listens first, then helps people set small, workable goals. Sessions focus on practical steps - naming patterns, trying new responses, and building skills for day-to-day life. She avoids stigmatizing labels and treats people with respect and compassion.
Penelope blends several methods to match each person's needs. She draws on cognitive behavioral tools to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. She also uses dialectical strategies for emotion regulation and person-centered work to keep conversations grounded in your experience.
She has a long history supporting people with trauma, addictions, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem concerns. She also addresses issues such as abandonment, attachment struggles, caregiver stress, and codependency. Many people have come to her after childhood or relationship trauma.
In sessions she aims to be practical and collaborative. You can expect direct conversation, skill practice, and a plan tailored to your goals. Penelope emphasizes steady progress and helping people feel more capable as they make changes.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening without judgment and following the client's lead to build trust and clarity. This approach helps when someone needs a supportive, respectful space to talk through difficult experiences or make sense of feelings.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical tools to change unhelpful patterns. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress by offering concrete exercises to try between sessions.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers specific skills for managing intense emotions and improving coping. It can help people who struggle with overwhelm, strong reactive emotions, or repeated patterns that cause distress.
Penelope treats choosing an approach as a collaborative step. She will work with the client to identify goals, try methods that fit those goals, and adjust the plan as needed. This helps ensure the therapy style matches the person's needs and preferences.
Session formats are not listed in the therapist biography, so confirm current session options before booking. Many people find online sessions helpful for fitting therapy into busy days, reducing travel time, and maintaining consistency during life changes. Online work also makes it easier to schedule shorter check-ins, use phone-only conversations when bandwidth is limited, or meet across time zones when needed.
Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Credentials
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem issues. Additional focuses include codependency, attachment and abandonment concerns, caregiver stress, and family of origin issues.
What is her therapy style and approach?
Her style is warm, person-centered, and interactive. She combines client-centered work with CBT and DBT tools to teach skills and change unhelpful patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has eight years of clinical experience, including several years working as an adult trauma therapist at a recovery center prior to licensure in Florida.
What credentials and location apply to this therapist?
She is a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and practices in Florida.
In which languages can sessions be held?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does accept international clients; confirm any location-specific details before scheduling.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.