About

 

Susan E. Casey, MSW, MFA, is an author, a licensed mental health clinician, a certified bereavement group facilitator, a certified life coach, and a podcaster. Throughout the past 29 years, Susan has worked in hospice, in-patient, and home-based settings with teens and adults, and taught numerous courses to executive leaders and clinicians. Currently, Susan works for a measurement-based care organization, providing clinical coaching to therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists countrywide to improve mental health outcomes for youth and adults. Susan also teaches L.E.A.P, an 8-week online grief and loss course for those who are ready to take the next tangible steps on their grief and loss journey. In July 2021, Susan launched her L.E.A.P podcast as a way to share expansive and transformational stories of all aspects of grief and loss.

Susan’s blog chronicles her grieving process following the death of her younger 43-year-old brother, Rocky, who died unexpectedly on February 14, 2014. Her fiction has won numerous awards and Rock On: Mining for Joy in the Deep River of Sibling Grief is her first work of nonfiction published on February 14, 2020 by Library Tales Publishing. Rock On won 1st place in general nonfiction in the Royal Dragonfly book contest and was a finalist in the Best 2020 Books American Fest national book contest, the Book Excellence national book contest, and the International Chanticleer Book Reviews. Both Susan’s professional and creative work have been guided by her deep belief that every individual has a purpose and inherent strengths and deserves the opportunity to reach their own unique potential. Susan lives in Maine with her husband Steve and mini aussiedoodle Rocky.

Excerpts from her unpublished YA novel, Here’s the Truth, have won awards in the following contests: Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance Literary Contest: Honorable mention in Novel Excerpt category; Green Rivers Writers National Literary Contest: First Place in Novel Excerpt category; PEN/Nob Hill Soul-Making Literary Contest: First Place in the Novel Excerpt category.

Publications:

• Rock On: Mining for Joy in the Deep River of Sibling Grief
• 2010: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Special Issue: Developing Effective Research-Practice Partnerships for Creating a Culture of Evidence-based Decision Making
• Monthly online blog: Susanecasey.com
• When It’s Grief, Not Depression published on https://www.opentohope.com
• What No One Ever Told Me About Grief published on https://www.opentohope.com
• Open the Door, Welcome Joy published on https://www.opentohope.com
• A Conversation With Grief published on http://thegrieftoolbox.com

Education/Certifications:

• BA English
• Master of Social Work
• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Fiction
• Certified Bereavement Group Facilitator – Center for Grieving Children
• National Certified Passion Test Facilitator for adults, teens, and kids
• Certified Team Advantage Coach
• Completed MentorCoach Coaching course with Dr. Ben Dean
• Completed Authentic Happiness Coaching course with Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman