Sue received a B. A. degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida. She also met the requirements for a B.A. in
Sociology, studying group and organizational behavior. She was granted the Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Tennessee.
She completed an Internship in Clinical Psychology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her dissertation
studied performance differences among people based on their comfort with success and achievement.
She has more than 20 years of postdoctoral clinical experience both in independent practice and as an active participant
in the training of medical students, interns, residents, psychology graduate students and psychology interns at the VA Medical
Center in Tampa, Florida, which is a training facility for the University of South Florida Medical School. During most of
the 20 years she was affiliated there, she was a Staff Psychologist at the VAMC in Tampa, and an Instructor in the Department
of Psychiatry. She also had a courtesy appointment to the Counseling Center for Human Development at the University of South
Florida. During that time, she served on countless committees and belonged to many organizations, often as a officer.
In her psychology practice, she has worked with a variety of clients, including those with work, health, family, marital,
and communication problems, as well as those needing more traditional psychotherapeutic intervention for problems such as
depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Her experience both with women's issues and with working with a primarily
male population at the VA helped her learn ways to bridge the communication gap between men and women. For two years, she
volunteered as an Ombudsman for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
She was President of the Bay Chapter of the Florida Psychological Association in 1988, and served on the Board of Directors
of the Florida Psychological Association for four years. In 1995, she was presented with the "What a Woman" Award
by the Florida Psychological Association.
An endlessly curious person, she has studied topics ranging from comparative religion, spirituality, meditation, yoga,
guided imagery, relaxation and hypnosis techniques, energy medicine, many psychological orientations, just about every weight
loss program ever devised, and even a smattering of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. In 2003, she was ordained as an Interfaith
Minister by the Universal Brotherhood Movement. She is proud of the wisdom that has come with age and experience.
During a time of prolonged illness, she developed a knowledge base and skills in Alternative/Complementary approaches
to psychological and physical healing. In addition to her own illness, she has been a caretaker for family members with chronic
disability or illness. This has given the gift of practicing patience and acceptance. More recently, she has developed an
interest in how people deal with life transitions, and in the use of uniquely designed ceremonies and rituals as part of the
observance of family and personal passages. A book on this topic is planned for the near future.
She lives on Lookout Mountain with her husband, where they serve as slaves for three demanding cats and occasional dogs.
When the pets allow it, she travels as much as possible.
Sue.Gridley@gmail.com
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