We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sue Carter Collins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sue thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
My mission is to help high-performing women entrepreneurs and professionals recognize and overcome the sabotaging beliefs, habits, and behaviors that stop them from pursuing their goals and reaching their highest potential. I am passionate about this because that was my story. Even though I earned five academic degrees (BS, MS, JD, PhD & BMsc) and held multiple high-level positions as a lawyer, professor, and criminal justice professional, for years I felt like an impostor and lived in fear of being found out.
To the outside world, it may have looked like I had it all together but inside I didn’t believe I was smart enough or good enough! I was so afraid that everyone would find out I didn’t know as much as they thought I did. I worried about this daily and often was anxious and depressed because of it. It was a closely guarded secret that I couldn’t share with anyone. After all, how would I look?
It wasn’t until I got a coach and began to do some deep healing work that I realized I had become my own worst enemy. I discovered I had made up many negative stories about who I was and what my abilities were. I had failed to give myself full credit for being intelligent or for my accomplishments. Sadly, I couldn’t see this until I had the nourishing support of a coach and spiritual teacher to help me through it.
Today, I am committed to helping high-performing women entrepreneurs and professionals avoid the pitfalls that the impostor syndrome brings and develop the confidence they need to conquer their inner critic, rewire their brains for success, and evolve spiritually so they can embrace their authentic selves and confidently achieve their next-level goals.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I have always been someone who other women turned to for encouragement and guidance so it was no surprise to me when, in 2014, I found myself attending the LifeWorks School of Coaching and becoming a Certified Life Coach. During this time I also discovered the world of energy healing and began to seriously study spiritual metaphysics. I obtained certifications as a Reiki Master Teacher, Advanced Pranic Healer, Akashic Records Reader, and Crystal Healer. Subsequently, I completed a degree in Metaphysics and became a certified practitioner and ordained metaphysical minister.
The more I learned about spiritual metaphysics, the more I wanted to know. Soon I realized that my intuitive abilities were becoming stronger and I was discovering that I had other gifts as well. In addition to being intuitive, I am a medium, I channel divine wisdom from the Council of 21, and I work with angels, guides, and ancestors. Initially, I was not sure what to make of this and hesitated to tell anyone because I didn’t want to be different. Today I know this is what makes me unique so I am unapologetic about who I am and my coaching methods.
Typically, my clients come to me because they are in deep spiritual pain. They are high-performing entrepreneurs and professional women who often are not happy with their lives or themselves. Sometimes they are trying to recover after the breakup or loss of an intimate relationship. Sometimes they feel stuck in their personal lives or professional careers and want to reconnect with their true self and discover their purpose. Sometimes they have been dealing with the physical and mental effects of an illness and need energetic healing. Always they know that they are not reaching their highest potential and are looking for spiritual guidance and support to help them achieve it.
The name of my company is the Synergistic Healing Center of Atlanta. It is so named because whether I am coaching one woman or many I use all of my knowledge and gifts in the process. When two or more healing techniques are used, the healing that takes place synergistically is compounded. Admittedly, the services I provide are not for everyone; however, the women who are my potential clients will intuitively know it.
I am proud to say that I am living my passion and my purpose by helping high-performing women entrepreneurs and professionals rebuild their lives and achieve their greatness goals. I am an Amazon Best-Selling Author, Spiritual Teacher, Psychic Energy Healer, Mental Fitness Coach (Positive Intelligence®), and Certified Life Coach.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I have built my life around not being afraid to pivot when conditions or positions are no longer aligned with my goals. When I was growing up I thought I would finish high school, go to college, and get a job where I would work for 20+ years and retire. Fortunately, that has not been the case. In fact, I have pivoted more times than I can remember.
For instance, immediately after completing my undergraduate degree, I took a job as a correctional officer. It didn’t take long before I decided that wasn’t for me. I didn’t like being locked up so I decided to get a job on the law enforcement side. I became a deputy sheriff at a time when there were very few women and even fewer African Americans. It was tough. Although I hung in there for a couple of years, I soon realized that career wasn’t for me either.
Over the years I have held multiple positions in the criminal justice, legal, and academic fields including becoming an attorney, police legal trainer, and university professor. Each pivot required me to uplevel my knowledge, skills, and credentials. As a matter of fact, I am currently pivoting as I redefine the nature and scope of my business to include Mental Fitness as a core component of my coaching practice.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Immediately after I completed my life coaching certification I began to work with clients as a coach and Reiki practitioner. I wasn’t comfortable asking for money so I greatly undercharged for my services. Although my business is virtual now at the time I was still seeing clients in person. They would come for a Reiki session and stay for hours. They loved the peaceful energy in my space and the coaching they got for free. I, too, enjoyed the coaching conversations. It took me a while to get there but I finally realized I was providing a ton of value for free. I never blamed the clients. I could only blame myself. The turning point came when I accepted that the women I was serving were not my ideal clients since they could not afford the reasonable cost of my services. Gradually I released ALL of my clients and started over. There was a time when I didn’t think I would ever connect with the right clients but thankfully I can say that period is over. I bounced back and I survived. Now I am working with my ideal clients and my business is thriving.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.synergistichealingcenter.com
- Instagram: @drsuecartercollins
- Facebook: @drsuecartercollins
- Linkedin: @drsuecartercollins
- Other: The Red Diamond Women’s Network https://www.facebook.com/groups/thereddiamond1
Image Credits
Victoria Burden