Meet Suzi Halajyan of Sessions With Suzi in Glendale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzi Halajyan.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Suzi. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I never imagined I’d be a therapist, actually. In undergrad, I went to Woodbury University and studied Political Science hoping to continue into law school after graduation. All of my friends, family, and myself included thought I would be a lawyer. The semester before graduation, right as I was about to take my LSAT, I thought: “What are you doing? Are you really going to be happy if you wake up every day and be a lawyer?”

I knew in my gut that the answer was no, I was just too terrified to let my family ‘down’ and not pursue a sought-out career. I took a small break after graduation and spent time figuring myself out and letting my personality grow unconditionally and shamelessly. I knew I loved psychology. I had an incredible AP Psych teacher in high school and had minored in Psychology at Woodbury. It was always a part of me but hidden in the shadows.

Growing up in the Armenian culture, I was always taught the value of inner strength and resilience. A small downfall of this was that I wasn’t accustomed to reflecting on my life, my thoughts, or my feelings. They eventually bubbled up and blew up in my face. The quarter-life crisis is real, and I was swimming in it daily. It felt like I didn’t know who I was, what I wanted my future to look like, who to surround myself by, or how to value myself.

Throughout most of my friendships, I’ve loved hearing people out and trying to help them come up with solutions. This led me to get my masters in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. It definitely didn’t hurt that the campus is beautiful and our view to and from the class was the Pacific Ocean!

This program pushed me to my limits and forced me to challenge myself to even bigger ones. I stepped out of my comfort zone to reach out to someone I looked up to, Adrine Avetyan Benlian, a licensed therapist whose name holds high standard because her clients can’t stop raving about her. Luckily, I now work in her private practice in Glendale. She not only helped me believe in myself as a capable, independent woman but also to establish myself in my community and create a positive dialogue about the benefits of therapy.

Seeing my clients trust me with their stories is one of the most rewarding experiences I could imagine. I can’t wait to push the boundaries of therapy into the modern world of social media influence, interactive opportunities between consumers and providers, and continued education of the importance of self-care and self-love.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Becoming a licensed therapist is no joke! It’s a long process, and it makes you reexamine the type of therapist you want to be. I also have to make sure I’m in a good mindset in order to be present and valuable to my client. It challenges me every day, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I definitely wish I would have taken more time off. I wish I took breaks along the way and really allowed myself to slow down. I treated education and careers like a race. I would’ve loved to utilize my breaks to travel, meet new people, and find rare passions. Granted, I don’t look at it with regret, I look at it as new goals to set for my upcoming years. It’s never too late to get it!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Sessions With Suzi – what should we know?
My private practice has become a passion project. I get to funnel in creativity and youthfulness into an established field. I typically get to work with individuals looking to live a fulfilled life and have seen varying topics including anxiety, self-esteem, family dynamics and communication, relationship struggles, and depression.

As I mentioned earlier, I struggled in finding myself as easily as I assumed others around me were doing it. I felt like a “typical millennial” who couldn’t decide what she wanted and how to get it. Sometimes it feels like you’re doing everything but getting zero rewards or satisfaction. Similar clients have a soft spot in the heart of my practice.

Whether clients need help navigating and organizing a path to reach their goals or they need help finding those goals, I enjoy helping them see the possibilities. They can be transitioning between school, relationships, friendships, etc. everyone benefits from learning new strategies and effective communication techniques.

Additionally, coming from a private and family-oriented culture, I noticed a lack of encouragement to be open about internal and external struggles. This meant that you don’t discuss your problems with others or let them know you were struggling. Well, then how do you ever receive help? Therapy can get so much negativity from traditional cultures, the entertainment industry, or people with singular bad experiences.

I want to break those stereotypes and normalize therapy. We’re often quick to run to the doctor for a physical issue but rarely do the same for mental health. I want to make “taking care of yourself” a habit to be proud of.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Aside from always keeping my goals in mind as motivators, I have great people in my support system. Whenever I’m feeling defeated or unsure of where I’m going, they never fail to remind me. They serve as the boost I need to keep pushing myself and striving for more because they remind me that I can do it.

As long as you surround yourself with people who are interested in watching you grow instead of bringing you down, you feel invincible enough to conquer anything.

Pricing:

• Individuals: $100
• Couples: $140

Contact Info:

• Address: 230 N. Maryland Ave. Suite 303 Glendale, CA 91206
• Website: www.suzihalajyan.com
• Phone: (323) 609-5997
• Email: sessionswithsuzi@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sessionswithsuzi/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/sessionswithsuzi/

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