Direct Support for Neurodiverse Teens & Adults in Maryland
Courtney Suddes (/suh-dis/) is an adult educator, trainer and tutor who specializes in neurodiversity, brain science, accessibility, trauma education and community-building skills. Courtney is currently providing trauma-trained direct support (tutoring and life skills) to adults and teens with special needs in Maryland. She specializes in working with people on the Autism Spectrum (ASD), who also may have concurrent conditions.
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Skills Focus:
- increasing self-compassion & confidence
- broadening horizons
- exploration of public spaces and human / animal interactions
- advocating for, expressing and honoring self
- creating and maintaining fulfilling, respectful and reciprocal relationships
- working towards personal goals
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Courtney also teaches for the Maryland Department of Health in their Strengthening Families Program - an evidence-based, internationally recognized parenting and youth life- skills training program. She has 8+ years of trauma-informed group facilitation, curriculum & webinar development, instructional design, in-person, virtual, WBT and DEI instruction. Federal, private and non-profit sectors. She has 500+ coaching hours as an ICF-trained coach (International Coaching Federation). Courtney opened her educational consulting firm, Courtney Suddes, LLC, in 2020, which is certified in good standing by the state of Maryland.
What is “trauma-trained”?
Courtney is formally trained in nervous-system–aware practices including embodied healing, Internal Family Systems (IFS) coaching, restorative justice, mediation, and the Relationship Recovery Process (RRP), with applied experience in trauma education, direct service, and group facilitation. Courtney has extensive experience creating safe, compassionate spaces for growth, learning, and resilience, and is committed to not causing additional harm, misunderstanding or confusion.
What is trauma?
Any time circumstances exceed our capacity to cope, trauma can occur. Trauma is not limited to extreme events like disease, disaster or violence.
This may challenge how the world around you, and even you yourself, views trauma. Stay with me here as we expand our definition and understanding of trauma…
Trauma is not just about what happens, but what doesn’t happen — not getting support, not feeling loved, not being known, not being believed. Being left alone to cope with life’s hardships can scar us more than the events themselves. All of this, no matter how long ago, leaves within our bodies a legacy of trauma. While suffering so often happens in isolation, healing happens in safe & slow relationship with others. Trauma conditions us to rush. Healing helps us slow down.
It is with this understanding that I approach our sessions - in community together, with your wellbeing, integrity and inherent worth at the center of the work we do together. These sessions are for you to be seen, heard, validated, believed and understood, and are aimed to increase your sense of purpose, creativity, and excitement for all the opportunities that lie ahead. You are here; you have survived. This work is about bringing you home to yourself. I am here as a guide, a witness and a champion for all that you are.
