Dr. Susan Wenze is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania and an Associate Professor of Psychology at Lafayette College. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from American University, after completing her predoctoral internship at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She then completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Brown, and she served on the faculty for several years, prior to moving to Pennsylvania to teach and conduct research at Lafayette.
Dr. Wenze has clinical expertise working with adults who struggle with mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder) and perinatal mental health concerns (mood, stress, adjustment, and anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum). She has received focused training in a range of therapeutic styles and finds herself drawn to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – a mindfulness-based, values-driven behavioral therapy – and its components. She also integrates elements of Interpersonal Psychotherapy and lifestyle management into her work with clients. Dr. Wenze believes that identifying and pursuing value-consistent goals, making healthy life choices, and fostering productive interpersonal relations is fundamental to leading a fulfilling and rewarding life. In the therapy room, Dr. Wenze seeks to support and empower her clients by creating a warm, welcoming, and collaborative atmosphere.
Research is at the foundation of Dr. Wenze’s therapeutic approach. For example, she is interested in understanding how people struggling with mood disorders experience and engage with their thoughts and emotions, as well as using this kind of information to inform the development of effective psychosocial therapies. She is particularly interested in the use of mobile technology to assess clients and provide support. She has more than 30 scientific publications on these topics, she regularly presents at professional psychology conferences, and her work has been funded by agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Association of University Women.