Susan
Tavener Waugh, RN., B.Th. M., M.A., CM., PACFA Assoc - Counselor
Sue specializes in counseling for:
Anxiety Disorder
Depression
Grief /Loss
Drug and alcohol abuse/Addictions
Sexual Abuse
Stress Management
Sue experienced the following symptoms:
Back Pain
Depression
Electrical current in back and neck
Falling Sensation
Fatigue
Fear of having MS
Fear of Impending Doom
Fear of Losing Control
Food Allergies
GAD, PTSD
Hypervigilence
Insomnia
Living in a Fog
Muscle Tension
Nausea
Night Sweats
OCD
Skin Problem
Social Phobia
Startle Easily
Suicidal Thoughts
Tension Headaches
Biography:
Sue Tavener Waugh knows the pain
associated with living with anxiety and depression. At an early
age, she was abused and neglected. As a result, she learned to
experience great fear whenever she felt out of control or vulnerable.
Consequently, every moment of her life was filled with anxiety
and worry.
While working as a nurse in a Locked Psychiatric unit, a client
physically assaulted her. This attack further reinforced her
fears of being out of control and vulnerable, and consequently,
she became even more hyper vigilant, worried, and fearful.
Overtime, her worry
and fear became unbearable. In addition to the many physical
symptoms of anxiety, such as the persistent feelings of impending
doom, inability to relax, insomnia, agitation, and panic attacks
and an unfounded fear of having a serious physical illness. She
became despondent and depressed.
To try and ease her fears, and gain control of her life she
developed a number of unhealthy obsessions and compulsions,
including becoming rigid in her patterns of living. For example,
she allowed herself to only shop on certain days of the week
and pay bills on others. Everything she did became organized
and habituated.
She also became hyper vigilant about her personal safety.
For example, she always checked for exits when in new places,
and then developed escape plans in case she felt threatened.
While this seemed to lessen her fears somewhat in the short-term,
over time she became increasingly despondent and cynical about
all areas of her life. Eventually, Sue realised this was not
healthy. In an attempt to regain her health, she entered therapy.
Therapy helped Sue understand and successfully address the
underlying factors associated with her anxiety and depression.
After two years of therapy, she was able to overcome her anxiety
and depression and completely eliminate her symptoms. Sue has
been symptom-free for over six years.
In addition to Sue’s personal experience and victory
over anxiety and depression, she brings with her a wealth of
professional abilities and experience. For example, Sue worked
as a Registered Nurse within public and private health services
for over 25 years. Particularly in the area of mental health
and dual diagnosis. Sue is compassionate, kind, recognizes
the value of every human being, and strives for excellence
with a generosity of spirit, openness of dialogue, and a refusal
to allow prejudice or ignorance to isolate.
Sue’s personal and professional experience encompasses
all areas of mental health, including drug and alcohol abuse,
and addictions . From individuals to large groups, she has
facilitated many sessions that deal with anxiety, grief and
loss, suicide, self-harm, depression, and the effects of physical/psychological/sexual
abuse. She also has facilitated Stress Management, Anger Management/Assertiveness
Skills, and Relaxation Programs.
In 2005, Sue was awarded a Bachelor of Ministry through the
Baptist Theological College, in Sydney, Australia. In 2007,
she completed a Masters of Counselling degree with a major
study in Psychotherapy through the Wesley Institute for Ministry
and the Arts.
Sue resides in Sydney, Australia, with her three adult children
living nearby. She currently attends Concord Baptist Church.
Susan lives in Australia, and therefore her counselling hours
are 2 PM – 9 PM, Sunday to Thursday for those in North
America (in the Western Hemisphere), and 10 AM – 8 PM,
Monday to Friday for those living in Australia (in the Eastern
Hemisphere).
Dear Sue
I have such great appreciation for our weekly counselling
sessions. Without these I would not have been able to overcome
my panic attacks, dizziness and so many other symptoms. I
had tried a couple of psychologists and they were of no help.
Your patience with my symptoms and listening to what I had
to say weekly were the things that have gotten me on the
road to recovery.. Then providing with my homework to support
our session and move forward with healing..
I do not know what led me to the
anxietycentre.com website – probably
God. . I believe I was searching for help for my panic attacks,
my life and came upon the wonderful website. The discussion
forum has been a godsend. I have used it extensively to help
with my healing along with the counselling.
I have been able to heal weekly and
rather quickly due to your great advice and listening ear.
I can’t thank you enough for your help, pointing me
to tools like books, tasks and the anietycentre.com to help
with my recovery. I was crippled with anxiety for many years
and Extensively this last year.
I am healing daily after I became a member of your website
and started our counselling.
Thanks again,. May God continue to bless you, all the others
at anxietycentre.com, and the work that you do. It has truly
changed my life.
With great respect and wishes,
D.B., USA
I love this website and my coach, Susan W. I have struggled
with panic attacks all my life. I have tried everything to
stop them. I've tried medication that helped for a little
while, but then the anxiety came back. I have been in three
mental hospitals for anxiety. I have also seen several therapists.
Nothing has stopped my anxiety until now.
I highly recommend the coaching on this website. Its worth
every penny and all you have to do is be willing to do the
work.
The tools taught through coaching will
help keep your anxiety away. Its the best thing that has
ever happened to me.
Thank You, Anxietycentre.
C.C., USA
I want you to know I appreciate your help and I will never
forget you and what you did for me. I am free and I am healthy.
This past year has not been without its challenges. In fact,
it had more stressful events than most years. Many of them
we major life events. But I have to tell you, despite the
challenges, I have had no anxiety. I have no fear. I take
care of myself. I have healthy boundaries. I grow everyday.
I am not afraid of my emotions or expressing them. I find
my life is richer everyday and my relationships are more
genuine. I accept all challenges as new adventures and opportunities
for me to grow. I know how to grieve my losses and I enter
into the process willingly. I know who I am.
I don't know where I would be without you. Everyday I am
grateful for being able to mature with you helping me.
April S., USA
Counselling over the phone has been
great. It doesn't matter where the therapist is - you can
still get help.
S.T., Australia
Dear Sue,
First off, let me say Thank You, Thank You , Thank You.
I know it is only by the grace of God that I found the Anxietycentre
website. I read the information and started implementing
the self help work on my own. After a few weeks it was clear
to me that I needed more help to uncover the underlying factors
that attributed to my anxiety. It was hard to admit and accept
but I knew that I was impeding my own recovery.
Having spoken to a therapist locally with no results but
the continued offer of medication, I was reluctant and unsure
what, if any help counseling would be. I called in and was
set up with my initial appointment with Sue. Sue was exactly
the personality that I needed. It was a relief to know that
she knew exactly what I was experiencing and reassuring to
know that she and all the other counselors at Anxiety Center
had experienced and conquered anxiety. If anyone had the
answers, it had to be her.
It has been several months. I
look back now and don’t
even recognize the person I was. I have grown more in the
last several months than I could ever imagine. My road was
not easy. It was challenging, hard, and sometimes even scary.
For anyone reading this, if you really want to be done with
an anxiety disorder, completely, then please look into counseling
here. If you commit to the work, it will be the best investment
you ever made. You will be free.
Sue… there will always
be a special place in my heart for you. I am forever grateful
for the opportunity to learn and grow with your help.
A.S., USA
Looking back, I believe I have suffered
with anxiety all my life. Over the last 25 years, as an adult,
I have had my share of ups and downs, all which have contributed
to my of varying degrees of anxiety.
Late in 2007, I experienced a full-blown anxiety attack. I
was sitting watching a movie with my husband and my eight-year-old
daughter when it hit me, out of the blue. Panic, vomiting,
churning stomach, sweating, and the feeling I was going insane.
I was terrified. Although I knew what was happening, I didn't
know what had triggered it, and that is what scared me the
most. It felt like I had no control over these feelings!
Two days later I saw my doctor. I was prescribed very mild
anti-depressant medication, which I have never taken. I got
on the computer and searched the web so I could learn about
anxiety and what caused it. Words cannot describe my feelings
when I found your web site. I spent nights reading the information,
this was the beginning of my healing process. I didn't feel
alone.
I needed professional guidance. Deep down I knew I couldn't
unravel all my negative thought patterns I had taught myself
over the years. Medicating myself was definitely out of the
question (I knew it was only going to be a short term fix).
I needed to address the cause, not the symptoms.
For nearly 12 months I have been meeting with Sue weekly. As
part of my healing process, I have opened up and shared very
personal information with Sue. It has been very hard for me
to bring those feelings and (sometimes very scary) thoughts
to the surface and acknowledge, accept, or reject them. Sue's
guidance, patience, and understanding has allowed me to grow
and move forward at a pace I feel comfortable with.
During our sessions, Sue provided me with tools to begin my
healing. Tools to recognize my self worth, tools to acknowledge
my contribution to my family as a mother and wife. But most
importantly, tools to help give meaning to my life on a daily
basis.
I feel a different person today than I was 12 months ago. I
am on the road to recovery. My persistent anxiety symptoms
have diminished.
This may sound strange from an anxiety sufferer, but my aim
is not to eliminate anxiety, my hope is to feel a level of
anxiety that is appropriate to the situation. And I expect
that will happen as my 'tool box' continues to be filled with
the right information and tools to help me build a stronger
and more resilient me.
For me personally, having the sessions over the phone, in my
own environment is great.
Thank you
D.L., Australia
Hi Marilyn,
I don't know if you remember me. I have Sue as my counsellor
and when I started personal counselling you were my counsellor
for a while and Sue was listening in, training I presume.
After a while Sue then became my counsellor.
I am writing
to let you know that Sue is absolutely fantastic. I have
gone from being an absolute wreck who at my lowest thought
quite seriously about suicide. I just couldn't find a way
out of the mess I found myself in. I thought I'd be an anxious
mess for the rest of my life.
I really clicked with Sue. With
her patience and guidance she has pulled me through a very
difficult part of my life. I have been taught skills that
I know will remain with me for the rest of my life. I'm
almost a year into my therapy and I'm doing so well.
My
mum was diagnosed with ALS 18 months ago and has deteriorated
and continues to do so. So many of my friends told me that
I wouldn't recover until my mum passes away. That made
me even more anxious. I felt I had little hope. I'm happy
to say that yes my mum is still around but I'm almost my
normal self. Sue has pulled me through this despite my
life’s challenges. I'm now able to
spend quality time with my mum. I don't feel sick to the
stomach when I see mum or rather her condition. I have been
able to get past mums illness and realise that she is still
my wonderful mum that I love dearly.
Sue has helped me develop
coping skills. She is the voice of reason. I can't thank
her enough for all her help. I just wanted to let you know
what a wonderful counsellor you have as part of your staff.
I now can smile.
Thank you to the Anxiety Centre and especially to Sue.
God Bless
