About Susan
Susan Sparks is a warm and insightful Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) at Dr. Messina & Associates in Southlake, TX. Susan brings a holistic, trauma-informed lens to therapy, grounded in the transformative power of the therapeutic relationship. With a deep commitment to relational healing, Susan integrates interpersonal psychology, mindfulness, ecopsychology, mind-body practices, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to support clients in accessing their innate capacity for growth and resilience.
At the core of Susan’s approach is the belief that the therapeutic relationship itself is a vital agent of change— a space built on trust, understanding, and emotional support where new patterns of connection and self-understanding can emerge. Rooted in interpersonal and attachment-based theory, she works collaboratively with clients to explore how early relational experiences shape present-day challenges and to foster new, healing relational experiences in the here and now.
Susan works with adults and adolescents, addressing concerns such as Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Grief, Stress Management, and Relationship Concerns. In addition to her work as a counselor, Susan has a 200-hour yoga teacher certification from the Mount Madonna Institute in Watsonville, CA. She has found Yoga practices to enhance an individual’s ability to regulate their nervous system, heighten personal awareness, and enrich self-compassion, leading to more satisfaction in one’s relationships with self and others.
Susan received her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Kinesiology and Psychology from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Science in Counseling and Development from Texas Woman’s University. Susan is the Director of Calm Convos at Texas Christian University, a mindfulness-based program that offers students one-on-one conversations focused on emotional well-being, personal growth, and compassionate self-awareness in a supportive, non-clinical setting.