Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzanne Walker.
Hi Suzanne, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Suzie, and I’m the founder of Warm Milk and Honey Healing Psychotherapy Services, a beautiful, feminine, private-pay psychotherapy practice in Gilbert, Arizona.
I’ve always been drawn to understanding the human experience and the remarkable resilience of the nervous system. That curiosity led me through years of advanced education at the University of Arizona, the University of Cambridge, and Boston University School of Social Work, where I have also had the privilege of teaching clinical skills to graduate social work students. Along the way, I invested wholeheartedly in advanced training—not because I was chasing credentials, but because I wanted to become the kind of therapist I would hope to find if I were ever sitting in the client’s chair.
Rather than building a high-volume practice, I envisioned something different: a warm, beautiful, intentional space where people could exhale, allow their truths to be tenderly witnessed, and do the courageous work of healing. I believe healing happens when people feel deeply seen, understood, and accepted, and that philosophy continues to shape every aspect of Warm Milk and Honey Healing.
The name *Warm Milk and Honey* was chosen intentionally. It was inspired by Rupi Kaur’s first collection of poetry, *milk and honey*, which explores themes of trauma, identity, survival, and healing. (If you don’t think you’re a poetry person, I’d gently challenge you to read hers.) To me, healing isn’t something that happens through force. It happens in spaces that feel nourishing, safe, restorative, and deeply human. I wanted the name of my practice, the physical environment, and the therapeutic relationship itself to all communicate that same sense of refuge.
Today, I am independently licensed in Arizona, Ohio, and Minnesota, and I primarily work with adults healing from and evolving through experiences of trauma, grief, and narcissistic abuse. Many of my clients arrive after a significant life event—a point of reckoning when they realize they don’t want to navigate the next chapter of their lives alone.
Those catalysts come in many forms. Sometimes it’s a betrayal, a divorce, a medical diagnosis, the birth of a child, the death of someone they love, or the first genuine experience of safety after years of surviving. Sometimes it’s the quiet realization that they can no longer abandon themselves to preserve a relationship, a belief system, or an identity that no longer fits. These moments often spark deeper questions: *Who have I been? Who am I now? Who do I want to become?* The work often involves untangling long-held social, patriarchal, or religious narratives while finding the courage to build a life that feels more authentic and aligned.
I am an affirming clinician who believes there are countless ways to be human. It is a tremendous privilege to walk alongside people as they reclaim their voice, reconnect with themselves, and begin creating lives that feel intentional, meaningful, and free.
The relationship between therapist and client is one of the strongest predictors of successful therapy. We all do our best work when there is genuine trust, collaboration, and goodness of fit. But relationship alone isn’t enough—we also need effective tools to help people heal.
That belief is what led me to pursue extensive training in trauma treatment. I became EMDRIA-certified in EMDR and completed advanced training in Deep Brain Reorienting, EEG/qEEG brain mapping, neurofeedback, and other evidence-based approaches. Since 2019, I have facilitated more than 6,000 EMDR sessions and developed a deep passion for Intensive EMDR, where we dedicate six to twelve hours over one or two weeks to focused healing. I often describe EMDR as a software update for the nervous system—helping the brain and body finally process experiences that have remained “stuck.”
Building a private-pay practice from the ground up has been one of the greatest challenges—and greatest joys—of my career. It has required perseverance, creativity, and a great deal of faith that there were people searching for exactly this kind of care.
There were.
Along the way, Warm Milk and Honey has been recognized as Best of Gilbert in Clinical Social Work for three consecutive years, inducted into the Gilbert Business Hall of Fame, and most recently named Best Therapist in Arizona by the Aurit Center. Those honors are deeply meaningful, but the greatest privilege has always been earning the trust of people during some of the most tender seasons of their lives.
Alongside my clinical work, I’ve always been drawn to the mystery and meaning that exist beyond what we can easily measure. While my psychotherapy practice is firmly grounded in evidence-based trauma treatment, I also believe healing can be enriched by curiosity, intuition, ritual, and connection. I’m a Reiki practitioner, a student of the Akashic Records, and I enjoy exploring complementary healing modalities that invite people to reconnect with themselves in meaningful ways. I also facilitate women’s intuitive Moon Circles, creating spaces for reflection, community, and the reminder that healing is not only psychological—it can also be deeply spiritual.
Today, my work is expanding beyond the therapy room through Nourished Noodle Education & Consulting, where I provide consultation and develop educational resources for trauma-curious community members, clinicians, and other healthcare professionals.
Whether I’m sitting with a trauma survivor during an EMDR Intensive, teaching graduate social work students, developing continuing education for clinicians, or holding space in a women’s circle, my mission remains the same: to help people move beyond survival and toward lives that feel authentic, connected, and deeply their own.
Looking back, I’m grateful that what began as a dream to create a different kind of therapy practice has grown into a life and career that honors both science and soul. Every step of the journey has reinforced what I believe most deeply: people are far more resilient than they know, and healing is always possible.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I formed Warm Milk and Honey Healing in November of 2019, I was still working full-time at a community mental health clinic. A few months later, in the midst of COVID, the clinic began consolidating locations. Rather than continue with an even longer commute as a single parent with two children at two different schools, I decided it was time to take the leap and build the private practice I had been dreaming about. My last day at the clinic was in June of 2020. Within eight weeks, Warm Milk and Honey Healing was completely full. I never expected the practice to grow so quickly, and I’m incredibly grateful that it did.
What no one tells you is that being a great therapist and running a successful business require two completely different skill sets. Graduate school taught me how to sit with grief, trauma, and human suffering. It did not teach me bookkeeping, marketing, website design, branding, taxes, payroll, business law, search engine optimization, or how to make countless decisions that come with entrepreneurship. Much of building my practice has been learned through curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep going.
At the same time, I was building this business as a single mother. My two boys have always been my greatest joy and my greatest responsibility. As their only parent, I have been their financial support, emotional support, academic advocate, chauffeur, cheerleader, and safe place, all while growing a business from the ground up. I was simultaneously supporting clients through some of the hardest moments of their lives while navigating my own. The reality of my situation is that I have been raising children without the kind of support system many people take for granted. So, when I have patients who are also doing this, or who are considering making changes to their lives where this would be their reality, too, I get it. With every cell of my being, I get it.
Looking back, I don’t think those challenges made me successful, but they did make me resilient and self-compassionate. They taught me to trust my intuition, to ask for help when I needed it, to let go of perfectionism, and to believe that meaningful things are almost always built one small, imperfect step at a time. Those lessons have shaped not only the way I run my business, but also the way I sit with the people who trust me with their sacred stories.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At the heart of my practice is a simple belief: healing isn’t just about changing the way we think—it’s about helping the nervous system finally recognize that it’s safe. I specialize in trauma recovery and nervous system regulation, helping people move from survival mode back toward a sense of balance, connection, and homeostasis. So many of the people I work with have spent years carrying the invisible weight of traumatic experiences, chronic stress, grief, or narcissistic abuse. Their minds may understand that they’re safe now, but their bodies are still responding as though the danger is present.
One of the things I’m most known for is Intensive EMDR therapy. While I also offer traditional weekly psychotherapy, EMDR Intensives have become my favorite way to work because they allow us to dedicate six to twelve hours over the course of one or two weeks for focused, uninterrupted healing. Instead of processing trauma in fifty-minute increments, clients have the opportunity to stay with the work long enough for the most accelerated, meaningful shifts to occur. I often describe EMDR as a software update for the nervous system—it helps the brain reprocess experiences that have remained “stuck” so the body no longer has to carry them in the same way. We sort of align the time lines.
I’ve been practicing EMDR since 2019 and have facilitated more than 6,000 EMDR sessions, including four years of providing intensive treatment formats. I also integrate Deep Brain Reorienting, mindfulness, and other evidence-based, empirically-supported approaches, and I collaborate with trusted providers when clients want to complement their therapy with other wellness modalities.
What makes me most proud isn’t simply what I offer—it’s who finds their way to my practice. Some are coming to therapy for the very first time after years of putting everyone else first. Others have spent years in therapy and say, “I understand everything intellectually, but my body still feels stuck.” I work with busy professionals who don’t have the flexibility for months or years of weekly sessions, fellow therapists seeking their own healing, and clients who travel from across the country to participate in EMDR Intensives because they want dedicated, intentional time to focus on their recovery.
More than anything, I want people to know that healing doesn’t have to feel rushed, clinical, or disconnected. I created Warm Milk and Honey to be a place where people feel genuinely cared for, where science and compassion exist side by side, and where every person who walks through my door is met with hope. I believe people are remarkably resilient, and it is an incredible privilege to witness what becomes possible when they finally feel safe.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m someone who believes we’re never finished becoming. One of the values I hold most deeply is that I should never stop doing my own healing, growing, learning, and remaining curious about both myself and the world around me. I want to continue investing in my own personal and professional development so that I can show up as the best therapist, educator, and human being possible.
Professionally, I plan to continue doing the work I love most—walking alongside people as they heal from trauma and reconnect with themselves. I also hope to write my first book, bringing together many of the ideas, stories, and lessons that have shaped both my life and my work.
Another dream of mine is to continue creating spaces where people feel safe enough to gather in authentic community. Healing is certainly possible in the therapy room, but I also believe there is something profoundly restorative about sitting in a circle with others who remind us that we are not alone.
This fall, I’m excited to begin offering several new therapeutic groups that reflect many of the conversations I’m having with clients every day. These include “Dating from the Inside Out,” a group for people who want to build healthier, more intentional relationships; “Who the Heck Am I Now?” an exploration of identity after life-altering experiences; and “Should I Stay Connected?” a thoughtful group for people navigating the complicated and deeply personal decision of whether to create distance from family relationships.
More than anything, I hope Warm Milk and Honey continues to evolve, improve, and refine and to continue to be a place where people feel welcomed, deeply seen, and gently held. I have the best job. I literally cannot believe that I get to do this work everyday.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.warmmilkandhoneyhealing.com
- Instagram: @warmmilkandhoneyhealing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warmmilkandhoneyhealing/
