About Me
3 Decades Teaching Youth
From Canadian classrooms to the American International School in Jordan
Groundbreaking Doctoral Research
First-of-its-kind study in a psychiatric unit, giving voice to teens in crisis
Global and Alternate Education Expertise
Developing practices that connect with even the hardest-to-reach kids
Leader in Connection-Centered Parenting
Equipping parents and educators to build trust, resilience, and emotional safety
You are probably here because you want to reconnect with your teenager and the parent-child relationship is more challenging than ever before. I have been there as a mom of two and teacher for three decades; know that my perspective has come from years of building trust and connection.
I have wanted to teach since kindergarten. When I was five, I dragged my brother to play “school” with me in front of my little blackboard and chalk set. That spark led to twenty years in French immersion classrooms across Canada, a few years teaching in Amman, Jordan, and then helping the most vulnerable youth struggling with mental health in our country.
In 2018 I found myself running a small classroom at a psychiatric youth unit, working with teens in crisis who were diagnosed with both mental health and substance use challenges. Here, I undertook my doctoral research about how to support youth mental wellness; I have not found anything like it around the world.
My teaching, mothering, and research taught me one thing with clarity: when teens act out or disconnect, they don’t need another program or behaviour plan… they need you to meet them on their turf. That simple shift becomes a bridge to secure attachment and trust.
I am here to help you reconnect with your children when connection feels impossible. Or maybe just when you want to strengthen emotional safety and closeness. Our kids don’t need, nor expect, us to be perfect. They want us to be present as we support, understand, and care. That’s how we get on their turf.
Suzanne
“Connection is the antidote for loneliness. It bridges the gap between my soul and yours, reminding us that no one is an island in this world. It pulls me away from distraction and into the present, where I can truly look, listen, understand, and engage.”
Dr. Suzanne Simpson
Professional Bio
Dr. Suzanne Simpson is a dedicated teen mental health speaker, presenter, coach, and podcaster specializing in parenting strategies, emotional connection, and supporting adolescent mental wellness in today’s world. She delivers keynote talks, workshops, and coaching sessions designed to help parents and educators build emotional safety, family resilience, and trust with teens.
Grounded in deep knowledge and real-world insight, Suzanne’s sessions, such as Parenting in a Time of Anxiety, Eight Things Teens in Crisis Want Every Parent to Know, and Positive Discipline Strategies, offer clear, practical tools you can apply immediately. Her approach centers on empathy, presence, and understanding over control.
Suzanne’s work equips audiences with the confidence and clarity to connect with teenagers during tough emotional moments. When she’s not speaking or coaching, she’s hosting her podcast, teaching fitness, volunteering, or guiding parents one conversation at a time.
Who I Am (and Who I’m Not)
I hold a PhD in Education, and my work is grounded in research and years of parenting and in the classroom. I’m not a registered counsellor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. I offer speaking and coaching based on research-based insight, space for reflection, and practical strategies that help you understand teen perspective and behaviour, build secure attachment, reduce conflict, and strengthen connection at home and at school.