David Susman, PhD is a clinical psychologist, blogger, college professor and mental health advocate. Dr. Susman holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Virginia, his Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Marshall University, and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky. Currently, Dr. Susman is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky. He serves as director of the Jesse G. Harris, Jr. Psychological Services Center, which trains doctoral students in clinical psychology in how to provide psychological testing and therapy. He is also the training director of the University of Kentucky Internship Consortium, a pre-doctoral health service psychology internship program. a member of the Association of Psychology Training Clinics, an active nationwide group of training clinic directors. In addition, Dr. Susman is the director of University of Kentucky Internship Consortium and was the founding director of Eastern State Hospital’s Recovery Mall.
Dr. Susman believes strongly in contributing to the larger community. He blogs about mental health, wellness, and recovery through, “Stories of Hope;”* which is a remarkable series of interviews chronicling people's journey with mental health challenges. Dr. Susman was recently named by PsychCentral, as one of the “21 Mental Health Doctors and Therapists You Should Be Following on Twitter.” He also has served as President of the Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA) and is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
In this interview with our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Dr. Susman shares information on the impact of the pandemic on one's mental and physical health, what signs family and friends should look for when noticing mental illness in their loved ones, and the necessity of seeking help when it is needed. Dr. Susman also discusses his primary focus, which is mental health advocacy and destigmatization. Dr. Susman states, “I believe that by getting better informed and more involved in advocacy, we can all help make a difference to reduce stigma and to promote better mental health programs and services.”
*These stories are available at Advocating for Better Mental Health (davidsusman.com)
