Therapists at Common Counsel, located at the Village Commons (Room #113, 1200 W. 11th St.) in Traverse City, use, in addition to traditional therapy techniques, creative approaches - art/creative process (photo, drawing, clay), outdoor experiential (hiking, snowshoe) in therapeutic sessions. Therapeutic areas of focus can include: education and career exploration/mentoring, sexual orientation/ally support, self concept/self esteem, self harm, adolescent individuation, changing family role dynamics, grief and loss, issues of aging, women’s’ issues, divorce, infertility, and adoption.

Initial appointment sessions will be scheduled (#231.883.2738) for the Traverse City location. Through assessment/goal setting, client and helper will determine the appropriate venue for future sessions. A secondary therapeutic studio is located in Leelanau County , north of Suttons Bay . Rather than accept insurance plans, our practice honors a free will offering/sliding scale fee system.

Principle therapist, Susan Kopka (LMSW), has been an Adjunct Instructor at Northwestern Michigan College since 1991, teaching academic courses in Photo/Drawing as well as an Extended Education Instructor for Kids College and Life Learning programs. Ms. Kopka has been a MCA grant funded art instructor for children’s summer classes (Leland Old Art Building/Suttons Bay Friendship Center), Teacher/Curator for the TBAISD Art Truck and served as a Counseling Artist in Munson’s Hospice Children’s Art Bereavement Program.

From 2004 – 2007 Ms. Kopka was a Youth and Family Services Counselor (YFS) for Third Level Crisis Center in Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) West Junior/West Senior High Schools. A trained ally for GLBTQ youths, through Third Level’s Windfire program, Ms. Kopka has also served as lead worker in summer programs, as a clinical counselor on a 24/7 crisis line and provided clinical counseling/case management to youths/ families at Pete’s Place Youth Shelter, collaborating with Catholic Human Service’s (CHS) Host Home program.