About Sue Stevenson
Who is
SUE STEVENSON
After having a rewarding career in teaching, educational leadership, student management and wellbeing, raising a family of my own and having 6 grand children, there’s nothing that shocks me when it comes to behavior in kids.
The trouble is that most adults don’t realize why kids behave in undesirable ways and even if they do, they don’t know how to change the child’s behavior without some degree of control, threat or punishment.
Yet, anxiety is fear playing out and the last thing someone experiencing anxiety needs is to be controlled by fear tactics. Trust me, it may seem to work in the short term, but it backfires eventually.
After my own personal experience living with anxiety and seeing rapidly rising rates of anxiety in kids in schools, I decided to go on a mission to learn how we can do better and actually reduce anxiety suffering in kids.
I have now discovered the formula that completely Transforms kids lives and I want to share it with the world.
You can turn anxiety around when you know how!
Hi, I'm Sue. 🤗
I'm an Anxiety Support Specialist for Parents & Kids who enjoyed an extremely rewarding 36-year career in Classroom Teaching, Educational Leadership, Wellbeing, and Anxiety Support Coaching.
Being a mother of 3 and a grandparent of 6, I am passionate about Empowering Parents, Educators, and Kids with the skills they need to reduce anxiety so they get to thrive with Courage and Calm Confidence.
Hi, I'm Sue. 🤗
After having a rewarding career in teaching, educational leadership, student management and wellbeing, raising a family of my own and having 6 grand children, there’s nothing that shocks me when it comes to behavior in kids.
The trouble is that most adults don’t realize why kids behave in undesirable ways and even if they do, they don’t know how to change the child’s behavior without some degree of control, threat or punishment.
Yet, anxiety is fear playing out and the last thing someone experiencing anxiety needs is to be controlled by fear tactics. Trust me, it may seem to work in the short term, but it backfires eventually.
After my own personal experience living with anxiety and seeing rapidly rising rates of anxiety in kids in schools, I decided to go on a mission to learn how we can do better and actually reduce anxiety suffering in kids.
I have now discovered the formula that completely Transforms kids lives and I want to share it with the world.
You can turn anxiety around when you know how!
Expertise and Experience
With over 34 years of experience in teaching and educational leadership, Sue is uniquely qualified to help parents and educators navigate the challenges of childhood anxiety. Here are a few of her key qualifications and achievements:
Educational Background
- Bachelor of Education, Major in Psychology
- Training in Adolescent Counselling – Monash University
- Specialization in Child Development, Science, and Nutrition
- Postgraduate in Student Well-being
Professional Experience
- Over 34 years of teaching experience
- Led the Parent's Program at The Centre for Adolescent Health with Michael Carr-Greg
Awards & Recognitions
- Coaching Ambassador of the Year – 2019
- 2022 Aus Mumpreneur Awards Finalist (3 Categories)
- 2023 Aus Mumpreneur 3rd Place Award Winner – Wellness Category, Business of the Year
- 2024 Global Women of Influence Award Winner
Certifications
- Certified Life Coach – International Coaching Institute & Authentic Education
- Qualified Tuning into Kids & Tuning into Teens Facilitator
- Emotional Intimacy Training
- Timeline Therapy
- Deep State Repatterning
- Meta Dynamics
- Conscious Parenting Training – Dr. Shefali
- Fearless Living Training – Rhonda Britten
Publications & Media Features
- Amazon Best-Selling Author: Contributed chapters to Women Leading the Way
- Amazon Best-Selling Author: Contributed chapters to #SheSpeaks: Volume 1
- Featured in the Herald Sun
- Interviewed on multiple podcasts worldwide
Anxiety and My Childhood
As a big feeling kid in a large family I know I was a handful for my parents, especially my mum. Whenever I felt unseen, unheard or unfairly treated I’d often react in unresourceful ways and get myself into trouble. 🤷♀️
Like many parents back then, my parents disciplined me when they thought I was being too difficult or outspoken which usually resulted in tears, further arguments and me feeling controlled and powerless.
Over time though, I must have unconsciously decided it wasn’t worth speaking up which meant I began to suppress my thoughts and feelings by turning inward, which then developed into significant anxiety and an intense fear of speaking up. I often felt like I needed to prove myself just to be seen and heard. I wore my “good girl, people pleasing” mask on the outside, pretending I was OK, but during my teenage years, especially, I was in turmoil internally. I became incredibly insecure, anxious and full of self doubt, and despite being very capable, I underperformed and was very unhappy in Secondary School.
I don’t blame my parents for not knowing how to best manage my big feeling, sensitive nature. They did the best they could with the tools they had at the time. It’s also important to note that my childhood was also filled with many happy memories too, but sadly my overthinking and anxious thoughts often overrode that.
My anxiety levels in childhood certainly had a significant impact on me, which has meant I’ve needed to unlearn my less desirable childhood programming in my later years.
My Teaching Years
Ironically I enrolled in a Teaching degree when I finished school, knowing I had an intense fear of public speaking. What the??? 😅
And the day I heard I was to start my practical teacher training in a matter of weeks, I had the choice to drop out or somehow find a way through this.
Terrified of disappointing my highly academic father and shaming the family, I decided dropping out was not an option so I went to the library and studied how to overcome my fear of public speaking.
Although it was a very shaky beginning, I did manage teach myself some CBT skills and with the support of an incredibly kind supervising teacher I managed to eventually pluck up the courage to teach the class. Interestingly, I had never been brave enough to admit I had this problem to anyone so she was the only person who knew. It was too obvious to hide and avoid this time.
I will always be incredibly grateful that I was assigned to such a wonderful human being. Particularly, because teaching and empowering young people turned out to be a very strong passion of mine.
Facing and moving through this fear was a big turning point for me because it helped me realize what is possible and it meant I was able to enjoy a 32 year career in teaching.
Why I left the school system: The Final Straw
I said I loved teaching so why would I leave a career I enjoyed?
Here’s the thing. One significant day in the year 2000 when my 16 year old daughter was in her own turmoil and rebellion, and after yet another extremely heated argument, she yelled that she hated me and wanted to kill me. And after me reacting and telling her to get out, in that moment, I realized that not only was my relationship with her in tatters, but I was failing as a parent.
So, there began a journey of personal development and learning about the anxiety I now realized my daughter had been battling with since her primary years. Until then I had blamed her and had concluded that her behavior had just become more demanding, extremely difficult and rebellious because she was a teenager.
I soon learned this was not the case at all. Deep down she was hurting and had been suffering, just as I had as a teenager as are many kids worldwide.
I later began to understand what was behind anxiety and I started noticing it in kids and adults all around me. I could see how many kids were experiencing anxiety but were not getting the right help.
I had been on a steep learning curve and I could now easily see what was needed. I was becoming well aware that the school and health systems were struggling to provide “helpful help” for kids and their families.
I found myself supporting families outside school hours because they were despairing, having tried everything available to them, with minimal or no success.
I knew things were getting worse. More students were presenting with anxiety every day and the school and health system didn’t seem to have the resources to address this.
Then the final straw was when I heard that a third student in our school community over a period of two years had taken their life.
That was it for me. I was not prepared to wait until kids and families were at crisis point before they get help or before it’s too late. And I was aware that I had the skills to reduce anxiety, yet, in my role at the time I was extremely limited with who I could support.
So, at the end of 2018 I left to start up my own business and what an incredibly rewarding journey it has been so far.
Since then, along with learning how to start up and run a business, I’ve had the privilege to support hundreds of families with anxious kids and the results have been nothing short of outstanding.
And this is just the beginning. I now have a formula I want to share with the world that transforms lives for kids and adults so that instead of being controlled by anxiety, it puts them back in the driver’s seat, living their best possible life.
Why I Left the School System: The Final Straw
I said I loved teaching so why would I leave a career I enjoyed?
Here’s the thing. One significant day in the year 2000 when my 16 year old daughter was in her own turmoil and rebellion, and after yet another extremely heated argument, she yelled that she hated me and wanted to kill me.
And after me reacting and telling her to get out, in that moment, I realized that not only was my relationship with her in tatters, but I was failing as a parent.
So, there began a journey of personal development and learning about the anxiety I now realized my daughter had been battling with since her primary years. Until then I had blamed her and had concluded that her behavior had just become more demanding, extremely difficult and rebellious because she was a teenager.
2010
Anxiety and my childhood.
As a big feeling kid in a large family I know I was a handful for my parents, especially my mum. Whenever I felt unseen, unheard or unfairly treated I’d often react in unresourceful ways and get myself into trouble.
Like many parents back then, my parents disciplined me when they thought I was being too difficult or outspoken which usually resulted in tears, further arguments and me feeling controlled and powerless.
Over time though, I must have unconsciously decided it wasn’t worth speaking up which meant I began to suppress my thoughts and feelings by turning inward, which then developed into significant anxiety and an intense fear of speaking up. I often felt like I needed to prove myself just to be seen and heard. I wore my “good girl, people pleasing” mask on the outside, pretending I was OK, but during my teenage years, especially, I was in turmoil internally. I became incredibly insecure, anxious and full of self doubt, and despite being very capable, I underperformed and was very unhappy in Secondary School.
I don’t blame my parents for not knowing how to best manage my big feeling, sensitive nature. They did the best they could with the tools they had at the time. It’s also important to note that my childhood was also filled with many happy memories too, but sadly my overthinking and anxious thoughts often overrode that.
My anxiety levels in childhood certainly had a significant impact on me, which has meant I’ve needed to unlearn my less desirable childhood programming in my later years.
My teaching years
Ironically I enrolled in a Teaching degree when I finished school, knowing I had an intense fear of public speaking. What the???
And the day I heard I was to start my practical teacher training in a matter of weeks, I had the choice to drop out or somehow find a way through this.
Terrified of disappointing my highly academic father and shaming the family, I decided dropping out was not an option so I went to the library and studied how to overcome my fear of public speaking.
Although it was a very shaky beginning, I did manage teach myself some CBT skills and with the support of an incredibly kind supervising teacher I managed to eventually pluck up the courage to teach the class. Interestingly, I had never been brave enough to admit I had this problem to anyone so she was the only person who knew. It was too obvious to hide and avoid this time.
I will always be incredibly grateful that I was assigned to such a wonderful human being. Particularly, because teaching and empowering young people turned out to be a very strong passion of mine.
Facing and moving through this fear was a big turning point for me because it helped me realize what is possible and it meant I was able to enjoy a 32 year career in teaching.
2018
What I believe
Anxiety does not have to hold you back from living a fulfilling life.
Too many people are unnecessarily suffering because they have not learned the game changing tools that significantly reduce anxiety.
Too many people are missing the point when it comes to addressing anxiety.
Far too much time and energy is put into addressing the anxiety related behaviours instead of going deep and addressing the cause.
To reduce anxiety in kids we must start with and include the parents. When I start coach the parents first, the results are phenomenally better and the whole family becomes empowered with the lifelong tools they all needed.
It’s time to share the responsibility and stop expecting anxious kids to carry the burden.
Taking kids to see therapists and somehow change their patterns of thinking and behaving when the parents don’t have to, is simply setting kids up for failure. Unless the parents’ awareness and belief systems are challenged, the unconscious family patterns of functioning will remain the same which does not support change in the child.
Increasing Emotional competence is essential when it comes to reducing anxiety. When adults have limited emotional competence they are limiting their kids.
Anxiety is passed from one generation to the next. If we want to reduce anxiety, we must equip the adults who are raising or educating kids, with the tools they need to build trust, self love, courage and confidence in kids which then reduces anxiety .
LOVE is the ANTIDOTE to fear
Did you know?
It may feel like you’ve tried everything and nothing works for your child or your family.
If you feel this way, I’m so sorry that you’ve been mucked around and haven’t received helpful help
If that has been your experience, then I’m sure you realise there are some serious gaps in our current mental health system. Not only are there long wait lists because more people need help than the system can cope with, but we also have very few professionals trained and experienced as anxiety specialists.
Shortly after my clients come to me, they are amazed at the early results they start seeing and then it just continues on an upward trajectory. I’m about empowering every client I support, with the tools they need to create transformation in their lives.
I will not settle for mediocre outcomes.
I want to my clients to feel that weight lifted and I want to see smiles on their faces as soon as possible.
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