Suzanne Retzinger, MFT, Counselor

Suzanne has been a bereavement counselor and education specialist here at HSB since 2002. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from UCSB, and later received a master’s in marriage and family counseling from California State University Northridge. She was certified in end-of-life care with the Metta Institute, and worked there for 10 years following her certification. She also holds a two-year certificate in the Sacred Art of Living and Dying. Her earlier life involved being a research sociologist at UCSB, as well as being as a child custody mediator and evaluator in the superior courts of California for 10 years. She has extensive experience in the Santa Barbara community as an educator, psychotherapist, and author of professional books and articles, including a five-part series on end-of-lLife in Therapy News. She has developed and taught courses with the Osher Institute at UCSB, Antioch University (being with grief), and SBCC extension programs (awakening kindness), as well as the psychology conference Courageous Conversations about being with end-of-life issues. She feels fortunate to be of service to the many people coming to HSB who suffer from loss. Her goal is to help relieve suffering and reduce the fear that people have around these issues. In her spare time she loves traveling in her camper van with her husband, Tom.