Meet Dr. Susan Giurleo
Psychologist and career development coach helping smart women reclaim healthier, more sustainable ways to work and live.
A different way to live and work
For 30 years, I’ve helped women navigate burnout, toxic workplaces, anxiety, and life transitions with practical guidance grounded in psychology, research, and my own experience building a life that actually works.
This isn’t about learning to cope better with a system that was never built for you.
It’s about helping you get clear on what’s actually not working, and find your way to work that fits who you are — whether that’s freelancing, consulting, a company that actually values you, or something entirely your own.
You don’t have to make peace with a structure that doesn’t have your back. You have more choices than you’ve been told.
Helping you reclaim choice
I believe that making choices from a place of personal power is the key to living a centered life.
My work shows you that the structures you live within—at home, at work and in the community—are just that: structures, but not absolutes.
You have choices.
And knowing you have choices is what makes it possible to move toward a life you actually choose, instead of one you settled into.
Practical support rooted in clinical psychology
I’m a psychologist with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where my research focused on women’s career development in nontraditional fields.
For 30 years, I’ve worked with people that, at first glance, would appear to have nothing in common—young people in the justice system, veterans, neurodivergent individuals, and those navigating trauma, burnout, and the pressures of modern life.
On the surface, these groups are widely different. But underneath, we all want the same things: to be seen, understood, loved, and valued.
We are all people who have the capacity to create, discover, and thrive—and who have been told, in one way or another, that we can’t.
The women I work with experience this every day, and maybe you can relate. You’ve been carrying too much, for too long, and are ready for things to feel lighter—without the pressure to constantly do more.
My goal:
wider impact
While one-to-one clinical work is powerful, it’s also, by definition, limited. One person at a time, one hour at a time, and the need is far larger than that model can reach.
That’s what brought me here: the desire to take decades of clinical insight and put it in the hands of more Women.
Starting with my weekly newsletter, with more ways to work together on the way, I can support many of you in ways my one-to-one work could not. Together, we’ll explore the family, workplace, and community structures that shape how we live, work, and see ourselves.
Credentials & press
Education
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
M.Ed., Counseling — Boston University
B.A., Psychology & English — Connecticut College
Selected Speaking & Teaching
SXSW, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), APA, NASW and many public/private school systems, mental health organizations
Quoted In
The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Parents Magazine
Outside of work
I’m a proud Bostonian (Go Red Sox!), living in the diverse community of East Boston. I’m an empty nester and a mother to a Gen Z son, which means I get a front-row seat to how different the world looks for the next generation. I’m also a doting cat mom, and you’ll often see my cat Micha make cameo appearances wherever I go.
A few of my favorites
Near and dear to my heart
I volunteer for Lasagna Love and financially support the WishProject, CARE, the ACLU, and the Greater Boston Food Bank.
I believe in the rights of all people—to safety, dignity, and freedom. I am pro-democracy and anti-fascism. I will only work with individuals and organizations that share this stance.
If that clarity is what you’re looking for, you’re in the right place.
We all have the capacity to change, choose, and evolve
You don’t have to figure it out or keep pushing through on your own. Let’s talk about what a healthier, more sustainable path could look like for you.
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