Ad Astra Per Aspera Counseling, LLC is a locally owned Topeka counseling practice serving children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Owner Susana Ortiz, LPC, NCC, has spent more than 20 years working with children and families and has built a career across education, school counseling, clinical mental health, counselor education, and community leadership. Ad Astra provides personalized therapy for trauma, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, parenting challenges, life transitions, and the patterns that can keep people feeling stuck. Susana has advanced training in EMDR and play therapy and draws from a range of evidence based approaches to meet each client where they are. A longtime advocate for children, families, and the Topeka community, Susana created Ad Astra in 2020 to offer thoughtful, individualized mental health care grounded in strong relationships, professional ethics, and genuine connection.