In this bold and thought-provoking episode of Noggin Notes, Jake speaks with Suzannah Alexander, a writer, reformer, and former counseling student who made waves by stepping away from graduate school after facing ideological coercion in her program.

Suzannah opens up about the emotional and professional toll of navigating a counseling program that conflicted with her values—and how that experience inspired her to take action. Today, she collaborates with lawmakers, policy organizations, and advocacy groups to reform counseling education and licensure. Her mission: to restore integrity, transparency, and true academic freedom in a profession that is increasingly shaped by political ideology.

They explore:

Why Suzannah left her graduate counseling program
How accreditation bodies and training institutions shape what future therapists are taught
The risks of compelled speech and ideological conformity in mental health education
What real reform could look like—and how we can get there

Suzannah’s work has been featured in Minding the Campus, cited in policy reforms, and is gaining momentum among those concerned about the direction of mental health education.

Whether you’re a student, therapist, educator, or simply curious about the future of mental health care, this episode is a must-listen.

👉 Find Suzannah’s writing and advocacy at diogenesinexile.com and follow her on X https://walkthetalkamerica.org/ or click the following link.

TAKE A MENTAL HEALTH TEST

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Courage Over Conformity: Suzannah Alexander on Reforming Counseling Education and Reclaiming Integrity