Email Susan for registration information, or with any questions, at susanmickel2@me.com

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Susan Mickel, M.D., Ph.D.  Susan has been meditating for over 25 years, initially in the Christian tradition, later in the Burmese mindfulness tradition, and, since 2003, in the Tibetan Mahamudra and Dzogchen traditions. She was authorized to teach Theravada vipassana meditation by Mary Jo Meadow, PhD with Resources for Ecumenical Spirituality, which offers Christian-Buddhist retreats. In 2001 she completed a certificate in ecumenically oriented Christian spiritual guidance from Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.  In 2005 she was authorized by Daniel Brown, PhD of Pointing Out the Great Way (POGW), and by Rahob Rinpoche Thubten Kalsang, to teach practices based on the Indo-Tibetan essence traditions, Mahamudra and Dzogchen. She taught meditation retreats with POGW for ten years.  Susan considers Rahob Rinpoche to be her root teacher. Currently, Susan’s main teachers are Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.  Other teachers who have influenced her are Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, Ayang Rinpoche, and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche.

Interested in the mind since she can remember, Susan’s college major was comparative religions. After medical school at Emory University, she worked as a behavioral neurologist and directed a memory disorders clinic for 22 years at a large nonprofit multispecialty clinic. In 2004 she returned to school for a clinical psychology Ph.D. and in 2013 became a licensed psychologist. She has wide interests in psychology including attachment, geriatrics, trauma, and integrative assessment of persons with potentially neurologically-based cognition and behavior problems. Her guiding interest in all her activity is how one can influence people to help them decrease their suffering and increase happiness.

In 2018 year Susan completed three years of intensive home meditation practice, following a curriculum traditional for a Nyingma 3-year retreat. She continues to practice intensively at home, participating in long-term practice commitments with her teachers.  In the last few years, she has deepened a long-term interest in exploring personally and acting on issues related to ending racism, facilitating groups in such explorations.  She is retired from work as a neurologist and psychologist, enjoying time with meditation practice, family and friends, nature, and gardening.