Pink Light, LLC, Verona, NJ (2026)

03/26/2026

Not the Rearview Mirror

There was a moment
that could have stayed
misunderstood.

A raised voice.
A surge of feeling
too alive for the room.

The kind of moment
that, in other chapters of my life,
would have followed me
misnamed,
misheld,
misremembered.

But this time…

someone met me
in the present.

Not with judgment.
Not with distance.
Not with a story about who I was.

But with clarity.

“You don’t need to apologize.”
“You are the kind of person we want here.”
“Let’s not look through the rearview mirror.”

And something in me
that had been bracing
for rejection
softened.

Because this is what repair feels like
when it is real:

✨ Being seen without distortion
✨ Being received without punishment
✨ Being allowed to remain whole

I had walked in already feeling it…

the signs.

Stella behind the bar,
the name of the beer my mother loved.

Tennis playing on the screen,
echoing a lineage of women
my mother,
my Nancy,
Aunt Nezi,
her dearest friends
all bound by the rhythm of the court.

Carol mentioning her favorite mechanic…
the same one I trust with my car for the past 20 years…
as if even the practical threads of life
were quietly aligning.

And then,
a man entered.

Warm. Familiar. Funny.
Carrying something timeless in his presence…

and for a moment
I felt as though
Saint Nick himself
had passed through the room.

Not to announce anything
just to remind me…

✨ you are not alone here

And when I spoke…
when I tried to explain the feeling of it all…
he didn’t dismiss me.

He held it.

He held me.

And when I said
his father’s name was Jimmy,
the name of my brother
I have not seen
since 2007…

something deeper opened.

Not grief.

Not longing.

But recognition.

“I look forward to meeting you.”

And just like that…
a place that could have closed
became a doorway.

Not behind me.

Ahead.

Because for the first time
in a long time…

my apology
was not something I had to earn back from.

It was something
that was simply
received.

And I realized…

I am no longer living
in rooms
that require me
to explain my light.

I am entering spaces
that recognize it.

Without fear.
Without shrinking.
Without the rearview mirror.

I feel profound gratitude to the owner’s son.
He not only knows how to run an elite restaurant,
but he values family, friends and community.

Thank you very much.

~ Sue Waldman

Sacred Rising Wisdom™
© 2026 Pink Light, LLC

03/25/2026

🕊️ In Loving Memory of Nancy Carlson 🕊️

Nancy (my God Mother) crossed over peacefully on March 19, 2026 at 11:50 AM.

She was not alone. She was accompanied by someone who had been part of her life for over 50 years~ her beloved hairdresser and companion, Sandy…a quiet, steady presence at her side in her final moments.

That matters. Presence matters. Love, in its consistent and devoted form, matters.

She was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, and later grew up in Iselin and Metuchen, New Jersey.

Nancy was a graduate of Dickinson College, where she began forming the foundation of a life marked by intelligence, connection, and presence.

Professionally, she worked in the financial sector, where she was known not only for her competence, but for her warmth and interpersonal skill~ the kind of person people trusted and felt at ease with.

She is remembered for:
• Her kindness and relational depth
• Her ability to connect with others
• A life lived with street smart, strength and intelligence.

Nancy was a woman of intelligence, adventure, generosity and deep relational presence. She lived a full life and those of us who knew her felt the imprint of that.

Our connection was meaningful, profoundly meaningful and real.

And, I will be honoring that connection in a way that reflects the truth of what was shared.

There was a time when Nancy, my mother and Dr. Inez P. Durham moved together through the world of competitive tennis~ three women of strength, discipline and grace…each carrying a presence that would leave its mark, with Inez’s legacy now honored in history, her name etched into the courts that once held their shared rhythm.

And in a way that has always felt quietly meaningful to me…
I entered this world on a day when Nancy was on the tennis court with my mother!

As if, from the very beginning, our lives were already intersecting in motion, rhythm and connection.

🌿 I will be conducting a Celebration of Life for Nancy Carlson at our Pink Light Sanctuary later this Spring/Summer 2026.

A space where remembrance is held with beauty, dignity, integrity and truth.

If you knew Nancy or feel called to honor her life, you are welcome.

More details will follow.

With love,

~ Sue Waldman
Sacred Rising Wisdom™
© 2026 Pink Light, LLC

03/24/2026

✨ Relax & Restore ✨

There are moments when your body quietly asks you to slow down…
to soften…
to come back to yourself.

I created this experience for exactly that.

A gentle, nurturing hour in nature…
where your breath can deepen,
your nervous system can settle,
and your body can remember what calm truly feels like.

This is not just a class.
It is a space to be held,
to reconnect,
and to restore.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stretched, or simply in need of peace…
this is for you.

📞 Register:
Call Sue Waldman (973) 857-9090

I would love to welcome you into the Pink Light Sanctuary.

With love,

~ Sue Waldman
Sacred Rising Wisdom™
© 2026 Pink Light, LLC

03/18/2026

✨ There is so much noise right now.

War. Immigration. Scandals. Anger. Fear.
Everyone is trying to make sense of it all at once.

After decades of working with people, one thing I know to be true is this:

Not every nervous system experiences the world the same way.

Some people were raised in safety.
Some were raised in survival.
Some learned to trust.
Others learned to stay guarded just to get through the day.

I recently asked someone if they loved nature the way I do.
He said, “No… I grew up where there was violence every day.”

That stayed with me.

Because what looks like difference on the surface
is often adaptation underneath.

This doesn’t mean we ignore harm.
And it doesn’t mean we stop holding boundaries.

But it does mean we pause before we rush to label, judge or divide.

Human behavior is complex.
And right now, many nervous systems are overwhelmed.

Not everything needs to be argued.
Some things need to be understood.

This is a space I created to hold others gently.

✨ Remember, Anything Is Possible …especially when we lead with clarity instead of fear.

~ Sue Waldman

dedicated to one of my former landlords who allowed me to paint my office ‘Pink’ for love & compassion.

03/09/2026

Hi everyone,

Some of you know me personally and some may know me through my work over the years.

For more than 40 years I’ve worked as a psychotherapist and board-certified coach, supporting people through anxiety, grief, trauma, burnout, leadership stress and major life transitions.

Right now I’ve opened a limited number of telehealth and phone appointments.

Sometimes one steady conversation can help restore clarity, regulate the nervous system, and make the next step feel possible again.

If you or someone in your life could benefit from grounded, confidential support, feel free to send me a direct message here on Facebook or call my office.

I am licensed in New Jersey, New York, and Florida.

Warmly,

Sue Waldman
Psychotherapist & Board-Certified Coach
Founder, The Pink Light Sanctuary
Verona, New Jersey

If someone you know may need support right now, you’re welcome to share this with them.

03/06/2026

🌿🦌🐿️
Winter at The Pink Light Sanctuary 🩷

This morning the sanctuary was full of quiet visitors.

A small squirrel, determined and joyful, carrying away a piece of corn nearly bigger than himself.

And a gathering of deer moving softly through the snow, pausing for a moment as if to say hello before continuing on their way.

When land is treated gently, the animals know.

They come without fear.
They linger peacefully.
They trust the quiet.

Nature has a way of returning us to something essential ~
truth, integrity, steadiness, and gentleness.

The very qualities that help both animals and humans feel safe again.

In a world that moves quickly and often loudly, I believe humans also need places where the nervous system can remember calm and safety.

Moments like this remind me why this small acre means so much to me.

It is not only my home for life.

It is a wildlife sanctuary.

~ Sue Waldman
Pink Light Wildlife Sanctuary
Verona, New Jersey

Sacred Rising Wisdom™
© 2026 Pink Light, LLC

03/06/2026

Some People You Know Are Hanging on by a Thread

You may not see it on the surface.

They are still showing up for work.
Still answering messages.
Still smiling when someone asks how they are doing.

But inside they may be carrying grief, exhaustion, fear or the quiet weight of trying to hold their life together.

For more than four decades I have sat with people in those moments.

Sometimes what helps most is not advice. Not solutions. Not problem solving.
Not fixing everything.

Just one grounded conversation with someone who knows how to listen.

Someone who can help you breathe again long enough to see the next step forward.

Over the next two weeks I’m opening a small number of Pink Light Reset Sessions: 45-minute private phone conversations for people navigating stress, grief, burnout or difficult life transitions.

If you feel like you are carrying too much alone right now, you don’t have to.

If this speaks to you, feel free to reach out privately or call:

📞 (973) 857-9090

And if someone in your life may need this kind of steady support, please feel free to share this post.

~ Sue Waldman
Pink Light Sanctuary
Verona, New Jersey

Sacred Rising Wisdom™
© 2026 Pink Light, LLC

03/06/2026

Sometimes One Grounded Conversation Can Change the Direction of a Life

Sometimes one grounded conversation can change the direction of a life.

I knew I wanted to become a psychotherapist at twelve years old.

By seventeen, I was answering calls on a su***de hotline at American University in Washington, DC, after completing formal crisis-intervention training while studying there.

Those early conversations placed me face to face with the depth of human struggle long before I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and later pursued graduate training in counseling at Montclair State University, where I earned a Master of Arts in Counseling.

Over the years I continued expanding my professional training, including certification through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC), where I became a Certified Professional Coach and began working as an Executive Coach with professionals navigating leadership challenges, burnout, and major life transitions.

What I learned very early was simple but profound: being present, listening without judgment, and offering steadiness during moments of crisis can truly change the course of someone’s life.

That experience confirmed the path I had already sensed within myself.

Over time it led me to pursue licensure and eventually more than four decades of work as a psychotherapist, executive coach, and EAP clinician.

Now, all these years later, the heart of the work has never really changed.

It still comes down to one human being sitting with another in a moment that matters.

And sometimes, one grounded conversation can change everything.

If you’re navigating a difficult transition, burnout, grief, or simply need a steady place to think through next steps, I’m currently opening a limited number of Pink Light Reset Sessions over the next two weeks.

These are 45-minute phone conversations designed to help restore perspective and clarity during moments that feel uncertain.

If this would be helpful to you, feel free to send a direct message or call (973) 857-9090 to inquire.

And if someone in your network may benefit from grounded support right now, please feel free to share this post.

~ Sue Waldman
Pink Light Sanctuary
Verona, New Jersey

Sacred Rising Wisdom™
© 2026 Pink Light, LLC

03/06/2026

Excerpt from my forthcoming memoir, The BabyDoll Chronicles

My father worked sixteen hours a day.

He was an electrical engineer ~ a builder of structures and systems most people would never notice. Quiet work. Precise work. The kind of work that required focus for long stretches of time.

When he finally came home after those long days, he was exhausted.

Sometimes he would sleep.

Sometimes, if he had a rare slow evening or a quiet Saturday or Sunday, he would sit and watch television with me.

Just me.

I remember one of those moments clearly. I was nine years old.

He had once told me, almost casually, that he had helped design parts of the sets for Sesame Street and The Electric Company. To a child, it sounded like magic. Millions of children watched those bright streets and colorful buildings every day, and somehow my father had helped build them.

So one evening, while we were watching together, I asked him the only question that mattered to me.

“Dad, who do you like the most on Sesame Street? Because I love everyone.”

He answered immediately.

“Kid,” he said, “I love Ernie.”

Those evenings were simple. My father would be resting in a a white Hanes cotton T-shirt and underwear ~ the way many men relaxed at home after working long hours.

We would sit quietly together watching Sesame Street, the neighborhood he helped build glowing from the television screen.

For a while the house would feel calm.

Eventually my mother would appear in the doorway in one of her rages, shouting that he was being inappropriate. At nine years old, I had no idea what she meant. The accusation made no sense to me.

My father never touched me in any sexual or improper way. Not once.

What I remember instead is a tired engineer who spent his life building structures, sitting beside his daughter watching a small orange puppet who loved rubber ducks.

And him laughing.

And saying, with complete certainty,

“Kid, I love Ernie.”

~ Sue Waldman
Sacred Rising Wisdom™
© 2026 Pink Light, LLC

03/06/2026

For over three decades I’ve had the honor of supporting individuals through complex life transitions: career changes, leadership stress, grief, burnout, anxiety and moments when clarity simply feels hard to reach.

Over the next two weeks I’m opening a limited number of Pink Light Reset Sessions … 45-minute phone conversations designed to help people regain perspective, stabilize stress and think clearly about next steps.

Sometimes one grounded conversation is all it takes to restore direction.

If someone in your network could benefit from steady professional support during a challenging moment, please feel free to share this with them or message me directly.

Warmly,

Sue Waldman
The Pink Light Sanctuary
Verona, New Jersey

© 2026 Pink Light, LLC | SRW Sovereign Seal — All Rights Reserved

03/05/2026

The Night I Spoke for the Land

The room was full that night.

Neighbors, parents, business owners, longtime residents … many of us had come to speak about the proposed development at the corner of our neighborhood along the county avenue.

A children’s playing field sits directly across from that intersection.

When my turn came, I walked to the microphone wearing a pink skirt and carrying a thick folder of documentation.

Yes, I felt outrage.

But I also came prepared.

Ten years of police accident reports from that intersection.
Historic documentation of the property.
Correspondence with the state historic preservation office.

And I brought a contact from The Star-Ledger, knowing that sometimes the presence of the press is the only thing that slows a machine already in motion.

My father was an electrical engineer ~ one of the top contractors sought out to help build New York City’s great skyscrapers. He believed deeply that structure exists for one reason: to keep people safe.

That belief was in the room with me that night.

The odds of stopping a development once it reaches the planning board are almost zero.

Still, I stood at the microphone and spoke about safety, history, and the responsibility of protecting a place that had stood for more than a century and more importantly, the children who played across the street.

Fourteen years later, the land is still untouched.

Sometimes a single voice does not stop a machine.

But it can slow it long enough
for the earth to breathe again.

And sometimes the earth remembers
who stood for her.

Two years later, I would find the land that became the Pink Light Sanctuary.

That land, the Pink Light Sanctuary, that I now steward is actually closer to that intersection than the clinical office where I practiced for years and even closer than the carriage house I once called home.

The Pink Light Sanctuary would become my home for life.

~ Sue Waldman
Sacred Rising Wisdom™
© 2026 Pink Light, LLC

Pink Light, LLC

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