Sydney Stepfamily Counsellor and Psychotherapist, Susan Lancaster

About Susan Lancaster: Sydney Counsellor and Psychotherapist Specialising in Stepfamilies

I am a trained Psychotherapist focusing on stepfamily issues, based in Sydney, Australia. I help families; couples, individuals and children deal with the dynamics involved with stepfamilies.

With personal experience in these areas I feel strongly about the importance of awareness and understanding of the dynamics involved in stepfamilies.

Having been a stepmother for over 38 years I have successfully dealt with the complexities of a stepfamily environment.

My practice specialises in stepfamilies that are struggling with trying to make it work and find they can’t.

I am passionate about helping families relieve stress, anxiety and heartache that can exist and assist with the transitions of bringing together parents, stepparents, extended family members and most importantly the children involved in these transitions.

Becoming a counsellor

I was in my early 20’s when I became a stepmother. For years we all did the best we could to form relationships between each other. This came with a lot of struggle and anxiety for us all.

I was always questioning why there was discord sometimes and harmony other times.

I decided to study psychology to improve my understanding of these issues, as I was committed to making our family relationships work. This knowledge has assisted us in creating what today is a happy and healthy family life.

My counselling training

I attended my undergraduate training at ACAP (Australian College of Applied Psychology) in Sydney in 2003, a three-year course that was confronting and challenging as we were taught to be completely and utterly honest with ourselves. We studied many areas of human behavior and different modalities of counselling, which I now integrate into my work designed with stepfamilies in mind.

I undertook a further Post Graduate Master’s course with Sheffield University in the UK in Psychotherapy Studies, graduating with Merit in 2011. Living overseas 2008 – 2013 I continued to expand on my studies and training into Mediation and Mindfulness based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Further Achievements:

In 2023 I have been invited to be a guest speaker at the Step Family Summit to speak about the topic "Spousal Mindset to Parent Mindset".

In 2022 I completed the Advanced Master Program on the Treatment of Trauma, with the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioural Medicine to further my understanding of the effects of trauma on human behaviour.

In 2017 – I have completed the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy with the Couples Institute in San Francisco under Ellyn Bader PhD to assist and guide couples.

In 2016 I trained with the leading UK specialist in Stepfamilies – Dr Lisa Doodson, “Happy Steps” UK.

In 2015 I became a qualified Stepfamily coach, training with The Stepfamily Foundation Inc. in New York City, USA.

I am committed to caring for my clients to help facilitate meaningful and harmonious relationships in their family lives, advancing on research based new ideas and models for operating a step related system.