Susan Pollard LCPC

Growing up, I was the person others turned to with their problems, finding their lives and struggles both fascinating and meaningful. I realized by listening with empathy and without judgment allowed people to drop their guard and be authentic, which deepened my love for connecting with others and guided me towards a career in therapy. My own experiences with self-criticism, trauma, and setbacks taught me to give myself the grace and forgiveness I had always accorded to others. I try to help my clients understand that challenges are valuable teachers, leading us to resilience and wiser choices in the future. Embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth has reinforced my belief that even the smallest shifts can lead to life-changing transformations. Witnessing someone open up, feel truly seen, and begin to heal is profoundly moving. My passion for therapy comes from the joy of walking alongside others on their journey, celebrating their resilience and growth, and rejoicing with them when they are able to become their true, genuine self. It is an honor to guide and support others, witnessing the incredible power of connection unfold.

Susan Pollard, LCPC, is a dedicated mental health professional who combines traditional talk therapy with advanced brain training treatments such as Low Energy Neurofeedback Systems (LENS), Transcranial Photobiomodulation (tPBM) cognitive red light technology, and other holistic wellness practices to help her clients reach their fullest potential.

With over 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist and certified brain health specialist, Susan believes that mental illness arises from various sources that affect both the mind and body, impacting cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical well-being. She uses her comprehensive knowledge to create a “whole person” approach to therapy, tailoring her treatment to each individual’s needs using one or multiple modalities, which has proven highly effective.

Since she specializes in brain-based treatments and technology, Susan works with clients of all ages and disabilities, including ADHD, addictions, aging, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, “chemo brain,” eating disorders, HIV, migraines, OCD, pain, PTSD, sleep disorders, stuttering, Tourette’s syndrome, traumatic brain injury, weight loss, and peak performance training.

She has worked with families, couples, individuals, and groups, employing therapeutic techniques such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), among others.
Susan grew up near Clemson, SC, at a time when health-conscious options were limited. Her family pioneered the first organic food co-op and established mental health facilities for foreign students and community members in physical or emotional need. She helped facilitate Special Olympics in that area and worked with children with disabilities.

She later traveled the world extensively, eventually living a year in Athens, Greece. She also worked as a flight attendant for Pan American World Airways and was awarded the Desert Shield and Desert Storm Medal of Honor by President George Bush for transporting troops during war time. She was with Pan Am until the airline’s demise, mostly due to a terrorist attack and subsequent plane crash in Lockerbie, Scotland, where she lost several coworkers. All of her early experiences taught her a great sense of empathy and the value of cultural diversity and individual differences.

In 1999, Susan began her master’s degree in clinical counseling at The Citadel in Charleston, SC. As a mother of three children with ADHD, she sought treatments that could complement or serve as alternatives to medication. This led her to neurofeedback, a program designed to balance the brain and optimize cognitive ability, behavior, and mood. During her master’s program internship, she worked at a facility that used both therapy and neurofeedback, witnessing remarkable transformations, such as a non-verbal autistic boy speaking for the first time and a woman achieving restful sleep after 30 years. Her own children also became calmer and more confident through this approach.

In 2005, Susan founded Mindset Neurofeedback Center in Summerville, SC, combining wellness, counseling, and neurofeedback to help clients lead healthier, more satisfying lives.

Now practicing in Naperville, Illinois, Susan is an Illinois licensed clinical professional counselor and a certified brain health specialist from Amen Clinics. She continues to integrate innovative clinical psychotherapy with neurofeedback and wellness. She believes this approach represents the future of mental health care and is dedicated to helping clients and their families understand the science behind mental illness rather than simply blaming behavior. Her greatest reward is seeing her clients achieve or regain mental and physical well-being in all aspects of their lives.