About Us
For more than four decades, we have been transforming lives through Collaborative-Dialogical Practices, offering therapy, education, research, and professional training that place human dignity, dialogue, and connection at the center of healing.
Founder, Now I See A Person Institute
Our Story
Now I See A Person Institute is a nonprofit clinical and educational organization founded by Dr. Susan Swim, PhD, LMFT. For more than 40 years, we have advanced a compassionate alternative to traditional mental health care, one that sees people beyond diagnoses and recognizes healing.
Our work brings together clinical services, professional training, supervision, research, and advocacy to help individuals, families, and mental health professionals build lives rooted in hope, resilience, and meaningful connection.
A Different Way of Seeing People
At the heart of our work are Collaborative-Dialogical Practices; a person-centered approach that values curiosity over assumptions, conversation over coercion, and relationships over labels.
Rather than asking “What’s wrong with you?” we ask “What has happened to you?” and “How can we move forward together?” We believe every person deserves to be heard with dignity, respect, and genuine curiosity.
Voices of Hope
“No one ever talked like this with me before.”
“They listened without forcing me.”
“For the first time, I felt seen as a person instead of a diagnosis.”
“I discovered that healing was possible.”
Healing Through Community
Healing rarely happens in isolation. At Now I See A Person Institute, therapy is more than a clinical intervention—it is a collaborative relationship built on trust, compassion, and mutual respect.
Whether conversations take place in our offices, outdoors, or through our virtual “Out of the Office Conversations,” we strive to create environments where people experience safety, belonging, and renewed hope.
Research That Supports Our Work
Our approach is supported by decades of qualitative research demonstrating positive outcomes for individuals who have experienced trauma, prolonged mental health challenges, and previous treatment that did not meet their needs. Through ongoing research and international collaboration, we continue contributing to the evolution of person-centered mental health care.
Our Mission
We believe every conversation has the potential to change a life.
By replacing labels with curiosity, judgment with compassion, and isolation with genuine human connection, we help create communities where people rediscover hope, reclaim their voice, and envision new possibilities for the future.