Susan Howard-Perry Consulting Services, LLC

04/12/2026

Spring is a natural reset point, whether you feel ready for it or not.

If your energy has been low, your motivation has been inconsistent, or your routines have fallen apart over the winter—this is not a failure. It’s human physiology and psychology responding to stress, reduced daylight, and cumulative fatigue.

A “spring reset” does not mean reinventing your entire life. That’s where most people go wrong. Big overhauls are not sustainable and usually lead to burnout and disappointment.

Instead, focus on three basic areas:

1. Simplify, don’t expand.
Pick one or two habits to stabilize. Not ten. Not a complete lifestyle change.

2. Reset your baseline routines.
Sleep, hydration, movement, and food structure matter more than motivation. Motivation follows behavior—not the other way around.

3. Reduce mental clutter.
You don’t need to solve every problem this month. Choose what actually needs attention and let the rest sit.

If you feel behind, you’re not. You’re just being pulled back toward a more realistic pace after a demanding season.

A reset is not about doing more. It’s about doing what is necessary and letting the rest go.

03/31/2026

Stress has a way of quietly building beneath the surface—until one day, it feels overwhelming. It can show up in our bodies as tension, fatigue, irritability, or even disconnection from the things we once enjoyed.

In these moments, self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s essential.

Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as stepping outside for fresh air, taking a few slow, intentional breaths, setting boundaries, or allowing yourself time to rest without guilt. Small, consistent acts of care help regulate the nervous system and restore a sense of balance.

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, consider this your reminder: it’s okay to pause. It’s okay to take care of yourself.

You deserve the same compassion and attention that you so often give to others.

01/15/2026

Sorry for all the grammatical and spelling errors on the last post. I’m rushing in between patients to be sure I get the information out to everyone😁!

01/15/2026

PSA - If you are experiencing any symptoms of illness or anyone you live with is sick or experiencing symptoms to include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or cough -PLEASE cancel your appointment or move it to Teletherapy. Thank you!

11/07/2025

07/22/2025

There are no coincidences, only connections...

04/23/2025

What has happened to the concept of accountability in our society? It is the harmful and intentional actions by neighbors, friends, family, co-workers, etc. that clearly have a negative impact on others, yet there is no accountability. It is as if there is a lack of conscious, care, or understanding of how a person's actions deeply affect others. This is a reminder that to be considered or seen as accountable for your actions it takes character, ownership, ethics, courage, responsibility and host of other positive attributes that people who refuse to take accountability do not have, but think they do. All I can say is, I always encourage my patients to watch what a person does not what they say. Actions speak far louder than words.

02/21/2025

If you are looking to start your mental health journey, now is a great time. Spring is typically very busy for mental health providers and if you can make your appointment now then you won’t have to wait later. Please send an email to [email protected] or call the office at 816-268-0777 to schedule your new patient appointment.

11/21/2024

What helps improve mental health in a short period of time? The answer is, doing the basics. Make sleep a priority. While you sleep your body is being repaired at the cellular level and your mind is processing and desensitizing all the information it was subjected to during the day. Sleep is essential to overall good mental health. Eat healthy, unprocessed foods. The research indicates that approximately 90% of the neurotransmitters your brain needs to support mental health are created in the gut. Therefore, if you are eating processed foods that provide no nutritional value, your brain is operating at a deficit. Move your body, get some exercise. Our bodies were not made to be sedentary. When you exercise, chemicals are released in the brain which provide a similar affect as if taking an anti-depressant. Move daily and often. Finally, spend time outside. The Biophilia Hypothesis states that nature has a calming affect on us humans.

08/18/2024

Estrangement has become pervasive in our culture. In every individual story that's told during session, there is at least one account of a family member or friend who is no longer responding or being responded to. My take on this may not be very popular, but it is realistic. If someone is not willing or able to verbalize their hurt, recognize the pain they caused, apologize, listen, forgive, move on, etc., then LET THEM GO. Quit wasting time, effort, and energy on people who don't want a relationship with you and focus on the ones who do. Find peace and resolution within yourself and love and support in the relationships that matter.

08/10/2024

There isn't a day that goes by when a patient doesn't report experiencing fear. Fear of failure, fear of making the wrong decision, fear of eating at a restaurant alone, fear of being alone, fear of ending a toxic relationship, fear of reaching out to someone, fear of the future, fear how they are perceived by others...fear, fear, fear. Other than anger, fear has become the go to emotion for many people. It is overused and holds individuals in place. Eleanor Roosevelt said it best, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”