About Susan
Susan McGarvie, PhD, is a therapist, mindfulness practitioner, and educator whose work focuses on practitioner well-being and sustainable professional practice. She specializes in mindfulness training and course development that support emotional regulation, resilience, and compassionate care.
Susan completed her PhD in Psychology, exploring how mindfulness programs can support practitioner well-being. She also tutors and supervises postgraduate students in the MSc Neuroscience and Psychology of Mental Health program delivered through iheed in partnership with Warwick Medical School.
In addition to her academic work, Susan runs a mindfulness-based therapeutic coaching practice and develops programs that help therapists, healthcare professionals, and caregivers manage stress, prevent burnout, and cultivate resilience.
Based in South Africa, she works with clients and practitioners internationally through therapy, writing, workshops, and practitioner development programs.
A Message From Susan
I am passionate about supporting practitioners to sustain meaningful and compassionate work without sacrificing their own well-being. My work focuses on helping therapists, healthcare professionals, and helping practitioners cultivate the inner resources they need to navigate stress, uncertainty, and emotional demands.
I believe that self-care and reflective practice are not luxuries for helping professionals, but rather a radical act of professional responsibility.
Qualifications
- 2020: PhD in Psychology, Rhodes University
- 2013: Master’s in Palliative Care, University of Cape Town
- Honors in Psychology
- BCur in Nursing
- MAP in Business Management
Work Experience
- 2025–present: Tutor and Supervisor, iheed
- 2016–present: Private Mindfulness-Based Therapeutic Coaching Practice
- 2021–2023: Project Management Support, Nelson Mandela University
- 2020–2023: Academic Coach, Grad Coach International
- 2008–2016: Palliative Care Development Officer, Hospice
Publications
- McGarvie, S. (2020). Attentive amelioration: Developing and evaluating an applied mindfulness programme for psychologists [Doctoral Thesis, Rhodes University].
- McGarvie, S. (2015). De-stress your dissertation: A mindful approach to mediating the emotional rigours of post-grad research. Independently published.
- McGarvie, S. (2013). Evaluation of the development needs of palliative care programme managers in the context of providing quality palliative care to increasing numbers of patients in Kenya, Malawi and South Africa [Master’s Thesis, University of Cape Town]. Open UCT. https://open.uct.ac.za/items/4b831265-7e6f-4829-8ab7-904838e25c98
