


As Seen In…
Over thousands of years, philosophers have developed powerful tools to explore the good life—what makes life meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling. You can learn to use these tools to live with greater depth, purpose, and confidence.
Watch my TEDx talk on how to rebuild hope after your worldview falls apart.
Hi, I'm Dr. Danielle LaSusa. I have studied, taught, and coached philosophy for nearly two decades.
Philosophy, which simply means "love of wisdom," is about purpose, identity, and seeing the world clearly. In our sessions, I offer friendly and accessible conversation, compassionate listening, and a healthy dose of humor to help you think through the practical concerns of everyday life.
I talk with clients all over the country, both remotely and in-person in Portland, Oregon, and I specialize in serving new mothers.
I love helping people discover new perspectives and ways of thinking, and I have seen these shifts transform lives. I want to help you transform yours. Let's awaken your inner philosopher.
“In just two sessions, my attitude around my work atmosphere has completely shifted!...I now feel empowered and happy where I had been feeling resentful, downright angry and victimized.
Danielle was compassionately honest and helped me switch my perspective while bringing in great tools from varied philosophical perspectives.”
“I didn’t quite know what to expect, and what I discovered is that I got out of it something I’d always hoped to — but hadn’t — gotten out of traditional talk therapy: someone able to take off the kid gloves and completely follow along as I outlined the shifting existential dilemmas that I often grapple with in my own head, recognize them as commonly occurring problems previously grappled with by many others, and offer angles and insights I had yet to get to on my own....The positive impact on my clarity of thinking about my own behavior has been invaluable.”
“Talking with Danielle about some of my unconscious mind-sets regarding work was really helpful for me. In understanding that my philosophical bias was just one way to see the workplace, I was able to also identify and appreciate the other, equally valid, viewpoints that coworkers and clients might hold. This allowed me to communicate from a place of understanding and acceptance on a deeper level than what I was capable of before.”
What Does It Mean to Make a Person?
What could be more philosophically confounding than creating a human being? How do you wrap your brain around the huge transitions in identity, values, responsibility, relationships that comes with motherhood? What if being a mom isn't all what you thought it would be?
Get help sorting through these changes and claim your own identity as a mother that feels powerful, centered, and whole.
Join Our Mother Den Community
Mother Den is a Free Online Hub to connect with new and expectant moms to share in the existential transformation of motherhood, so we can embrace our messy, beautiful new selves and rewrite the rules of motherhood, together.
Join our den for respite and revolution. Click the button above and get instant access to your free membership.
“I was trying to mentally prepare myself for the arrival of my second child, after really struggling postpartum with my first. After a year in traditional therapy, I still felt frustrated, stuck, and overwhelmed. Danielle cut straight to the heart of the limiting thoughts and stories I was caught in. Through her gentle encouragement, she helped me fully honor my pain while also challenging my negative self-talk. After a lifetime of feeling doomed in motherhood, I am now so much more confident, capable, and patient with myself. I never thought, at six-weeks postpartum, I could feel this good.”
The Meaning of Motherhood Course
The Meaning of Motherhood online course is part philosophy class, part motherhood wisdom circle. Through video lectures, reflection prompts, reading and resource lists, online discussion boards, and live monthly discussion circles, this course provides a place for you to connect with others and brings compassion, philosophical depth, and critical thinking to motherhood.
Making sense of motherhood is hard. Let’s do it together.
““
“It’s hard to put into words how deeply I have been needing these conversations in my life, and how invaluable they are to my own healing and sense of peace.”
”
“How is it that my child takes so long to put on her shoes?!” I waved my fists around dramatically. The women on in the online room with me grinned and nodded. Deep in my bones, I felt the relief of not being alone.