Surinder Bal Counseling
1866 Independence Square, Dunwoody, GA 30338
Email: counselorsurinder@gmail.com
Phone: 404 662 6077
Meet Surinder Bal, PhD, LPC | Depth-Oriented Therapist in Atlanta
Understanding the Complexity Beneath the Surface
"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."
Carl Gustav Jung
Surinder Bal, PhD, LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor in Atlanta, Georgia
Therapeutic space for building trusting relationships
I have been practicing since 2011 and I have observed that many of the adults who seek therapy are not falling apart. In fact, they are often the people others rely upon.
They are responsible, capable, resourceful individuals who have learned how to meet expectations, solve problems, care for others, and keep moving forward through life's challenges. From the outside, they may appear successful, accomplished, and in control.
Yet, beneath that competence, they may feel anxious, exhausted, disconnected, dissatisfied, or uncertain about the direction their lives are taking.
As a licensed professional counselor serving adults throughout Atlanta and Georgia, I have found they often arrive with questions that cannot be answered through achievement, willpower, or practical problem-solving alone.
-
Why do I keep repeating the same patterns?
-
Why doesn't success feel as fulfilling as expected?
-
Why do I feel disconnected from myself?
-
What comes next?
These are the questions that have always interested me, both personally and professionally.
I believe meaningful change begins with understanding. My role is not to tell you who you should become, but to help you better understand yourself so that lasting change becomes possible.
My Journey
I was born in India and moved to England at the age of six, growing up between two very different cultures.
Living between cultures taught me early that identity, belonging, family expectations, achievement, and personal values are rarely straightforward. Over the years, I have lived and worked in England, Hong Kong, and the United States, experiences that deepened my appreciation for the many influences that shape who we become.
Before becoming a counselor, I worked in business, management, human resources, and entrepreneurship. These roles gave me firsthand insight into leadership, workplace dynamics, professional responsibility, and the pressures that often accompany achievement and success.
During my years in private practice in Hong Kong, I worked extensively with professionals from finance, business, education, healthcare, and corporate leadership. This experience strengthened my understanding of the challenges often faced by people who appear successful on the outside while quietly struggling on the inside.
Perhaps most importantly, my personal and professional experiences have taught me that every person's story is unique. While labels and diagnoses can sometimes be helpful, they rarely capture the complexity and individuality of a human life.
These experiences continue to shape my work today with professionals, business owners, healthcare providers, educators, and others navigating demanding careers and complex lives; helping them achieve greater understanding, balance, and fulfillment in their lives.
My Approach to Therapy
At the heart of my work is a simple belief:
People need more than solutions. They need understanding.
Therapy is not simply about reducing symptoms of anxiety, burnout, depression, or relationship distress. It is about understanding the patterns, experiences, relationships, and beliefs that shape your life.
I view therapy as a collaborative process of exploration and reflection. Together, we work to understand not only what is happening in your life today, but also the deeper influences that may be contributing to your current struggles.
My work is informed by psychodynamic, Jungian, existential, trauma-informed, and wellness-based perspectives.
I am particularly interested in the ways people lose touch with important parts of themselves while adapting to life's demands, relationships, responsibilities, and expectations. Therapy can provide an opportunity to reconnect with those neglected parts and develop a fuller understanding of who you are and who you are becoming.
Experience and Training
Education
I am a mental health counselor, and I have been practicing since 2011.
-
B.S. in Chemistry - University of London, United Kingdom
-
M.S. in Mental Health Counseling - Walden University, United States
-
Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision - Walden University, United States
In addition to private practice, I served as adjunct faculty in Lamar University's Master's in Mental Health Counseling Program, helping to train future counselors and contribute to the development of the profession.
Over the years, I have worked with clients from a wide range of cultural, racial, religious, socioeconomic, and professional backgrounds. My experience includes helping individuals navigate anxiety, burnout, trauma, addiction issues, relationship difficulties, life transitions, identity concerns, and questions of meaning and purpose.
Additional Areas of Training
-
Enneagram Personality System
-
Dream Work
-
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
-
Hypnotherapy
These approaches are not used as techniques for their own sake, but as tools that can deepen understanding, support healing, and encourage personal growth when appropriate.
Professional License
Licensed in Georgia
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
License Number: LPC009342
Professional Memberships
American Counseling Association (ACA)
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
International Enneagram Association (IEA)
Jung Society of Atlanta (JSA)
Finding the Right Fit
Choosing a therapist is an important decision.
Research consistently shows that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of meaningful change. Feeling understood, respected, and emotionally safe matters.
If you're looking for a therapist in Atlanta or throughout Georgia who values depth, curiosity, authenticity, and meaningful self-understanding - and who recognizes that many struggles cannot be resolved simply by working harder or coping better - I would be honored to speak with you.
Together, we can explore not only what is troubling you, but also what may be asking for attention, healing, and growth within your life.