Suzanne Fischer Comelo

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

Providing a Safe, Non-Judgmental Space for Healing

Are you struggling with the impact of trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties or major life changes? We all can use support to navigate life at times. I’m employed as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at Mindset Counseling Group in Fremont, California.  I’d love to help you on your journey toward healing and self-discovery. I have experience working individually and in groups with people of varied ages (children ages 6 +), pre-teens/teens, adults, older adults/seniors and from diverse cultural backgrounds.  I have supported clients with a wide range of issues and my focus areas include: anxiety, trauma, depression, grief and loss, work stress and burnout, life transitions, and Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs).  

Life can be overwhelming and sometimes exhausting. My goal is to help you understand yourself and your relationships more deeply and find more effective ways to cope with life and relationship changes, whether planned or unexpected.

Services Offered

I have experience providing clients in the East Bay with a wide range of psychological and counseling services to suit their needs. Whether you’re seeking help for yourself, your child, or an older relative and whether you are looking for individual, couple or family support - my therapy sessions are designed to increase awareness, strengthen your confidence, and support your healing process and improved relationships. Take a look at the services I offer, and reach out for a free phone consultation today.

Individual Therapy

A Healthier, Confident You

In our therapy sessions, we’ll work to solve current problems and improve positive thinking and behavior. I can help you explore coping skills you've developed to navigate life and help you decide which ones are of benefit, can be modified, or no longer serve you.  We can find valuable tools to give you more choice in how you cope with life’s obstacles. Get in touch to book an appointment.

Group Therapy

Grief, Anxiety, HSP & Older Adult Groups Offered

Sharing a part of our healing journey with others who may have some common experiences can help us know we are not alone and offer another avenue for healing through connection.

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CURRENT GROUP OFFERINGS:

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HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON (HSP) GROUPS:

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Online HSP Skills Group (Level I)(6-wks)  

Starts: August 7th  [IN PROGRESS] [FULL]

Meets: Fridays @ 10am - 11:30am

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Online HSP Skills Group (Level I)(6-wks)

Starts: October 7, 2020 (Sign ups Open)

Meets: Wednesdays (6:00pm-7:30pm) 

Duration: 6 weeks 

Cost:  $240 (deposit $40; balance due 50% at start & 50% at end) 

RSVP:  by September 23, 2020

Ages: 18 and over

Size: small (max 5-6 members)

Location: California, state-wide, online/video

About: This is a closed group, facilitated by an Associate MFT (HST), providing a structured agenda to incorporate education, self-exploration and group sharing.  Living and working in a non-HSP world can impact an HSP’s sense of self, well-being, physical health, boundaries, and tolerance for social, family and work activities. HSPs are often the default caretakers and confidants. Some feel out of place in their own families, relationships and jobs, often comparing themselves to others, not realizing they may just have different strengths and capacities. Many go through life with their filters wide open, pushing and enduring, until they burn out from trying to conform. Join fellow HSPs for safe, mutual support & skills-building to learn how to better navigate your non-HSP world.

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Online HSP Support Group (Level II) (6 wks)

Starts: Fall 2020 (TBD)

Meets: TBD

Duration: 6 weeks

Cost:  $225 (deposit $40; balance due 50% at start & 50% at end)

Ages: 18 and over

Size: small (max 5-6 members)

Location: California, state-wide, online/video

About: This support group is facilitated by an Associate MFT (HSP), providing a semi-structured agenda to incorporate some education, while fostering self-exploration and group sharing and support. This group is for HSPs who have completed an HSP Skills Group or have a base level of understanding of the HSP trait, how it manifests for themselves, and some coping skills in managing overstimulation. Come join fellow HSPs in supporting one another and discovering new ways to navigate life more successfully in this non-HSP world.

(*If you only recently learned you are/might be an HSP or are fairly new to trying to adapt your life to capitalize on your HSP trait while minimizing overwhelm, please register for the HSP Skills Group first.)

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Future HSP Groups ( Oct & Nov 2020 - TBD)

Feel free to email your interest in being added to a list for notifications of future HSP Group offerings.

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ANXIETY GROUPS: 

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Teen (14-17) Anxiety Groups

NEXT Online Teen Group (Starts Oct 1st)

Therapist-facilitated support group for teens with anxiety from various stressors (ex: school, online learning, peers, social media, grades, online school, COVID-19, family). This group offers a safe, supportive space to learn how thoughts, feelings and behaviors can impact our mood, energy, sleep, confidence, focus, health, relationships, etc. You're not alone. Together, we'll learn tools to better manage anxiety, fears and stressful situations so we can enjoy our lives more.  (THURSDAYS @ 4pm-5:15pm; 6 wks; max 6 teens; cost: $210 (Deposit $40; 50% due at start 50% due at end).  

RSVP by 9/17/20 to Suzanne at

Tween (Adolescent)(10-13) Anxiety Groups (Fall 2020 - Date TBD)

Feel free to email your interest in being added to a list for notifications of future Adolescent/Tween Anxiety Group offerings.

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Adult (18+) Anxiety Groups (Fall 2020 - Date TBD)

Feel free to email your interest in being added to a list for notifications of future Adult Anxiety Group offerings.

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​(**Feel free to email your interest in being added to a list for notifications of future Teen Anxiety Group offerings.)

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GRIEF GROUPS: 

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Future Grief Groups (TBD)

Feel free to email your interest in being added to a list for notifications of future Grief Group offerings.

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SUPPORT GROUPS FOR OLDER ADULTS (60+): 

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Online OA Groups Forming (Fall 2020)

In-Person OA Groups (Resume after COVID)

Couples Therapy

Support for Your Relationship

I support couples in improving their communication and understanding of each other and the strengths and needs of their relationship. With the help of various therapeutic methods, you can develop new understandings, new attitudes, and new hopes for your relationship. Developing knowledge and skills to navigate complex relationship topics in respectful, loving ways can be of great benefit.  Schedule an appointment today to begin your journey toward stronger connection.

Family Therapy

Strengthening Your Family Connection

Family Therapy can be an invaluable way to increase awareness and understanding of your particular family system and the subsystems and individual roles that sustain it.  It can help you learn to better communicate, connect and support one another and your family unit. Contact me today to learn more about how family therapy can help you and your loved ones thrive.

Children and Adolescents

Creative Art, Play & Narrative Therapy

Children and teens face multiple changes and challenges at these key developmental stages, which can result in increased anxiety (social and general), depressed feelings, decreased self esteem, and peer rejection that may negatively impact their lives at home and in school.  I use a variety of creative, play, narrative and mindfulness-based therapeutic techniques to connect with kids and teens, to meet them where they are at, and to help them reconnect with their sense of worth, build confidence, and learn new skills to better express their feelings and needs so they can more capably navigate change, relationships, school, and life.

Helpful Information and Resources

Fees

Session Length: 50-minutes

Fee: $120 per session

(sliding scale available based on financial need)

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Payment: check, cash, credit card (Square), PayPal accepted

Insurance:  CIGNA only.  

(As of May, 2020, CIGNA has started reimbursing services provided by Associate MFTs, who are supervised by Licensed MFTs who are members of CIGNA.  Thus, my services can now be billed to CIGNA through our Director, Simi Markar, LMFT.)