Psychologist, R.N., Author, Educator, Speaker
Dr. Zonnebelt-Smeenge, R.N., Ed.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in both Michigan and Georgia. After graduating from college, she worked as an R.N. and later taught nursing at St. Mary's and Butterworth Hospitals in Grand Rapids, MI. Shortly after her first husband was diagnosed at the age of 27 with a brain tumor, she returned to graduate school to obtain a doctorate in psychology. While she still maintains her credentials as a registered nurse, she has worked for the past 30 years as a clinical psychologist, treating clients with a wide variety of anxiety, depression, relationship, and work issues, but has primarily developed a specialty in the area of death and bereavement. She was employed by Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in Grand Rapids, MI for 24 years and now continues in a private practice in Marietta, GA where she resides for 7 to 8 months of the year. She has also experienced bereavement first-hand which has been a harsh teacher, but so valuable. She experienced the tragic death of her brother, a vascular surgeon, in a plane crash, the death of her first husband after four years of marriage, and, more recently, both her parents, one of whom lived with Susan and her second husband Bob for 11 years and died at 92 years of age while her mom has died several years before that by a sudden stroke at age 86.