- Years in practice
- 15
- Credentials
- LCMHC, LPC
- Licensed in
- North Carolina, New Jersey
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
- Focus
- Anger management
About Susan
Susan Shafer is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor with 15 years of practice. She works with people facing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, ADHD, parenting stress, and life transitions. Susan writes simply and directly, offering a calm, steady presence for parents who are worried and need practical strategies.
Her approach centers on the person in front of her. She draws on client-centered methods to listen first and build trust.
Background and approach
Then she blends cognitive behavioral techniques and mindfulness skills to help people notice thoughts and try new responses. Susan often pairs talk-based work with practical exercises. That can include breath awareness, movement practices, and short behavioral experiments to change daily patterns.
Sessions focus on small, doable steps that fit into busy family life. She has worked across settings with a range of people over her career. That experience informs how she helps clients find realistic solutions for parenting strain, relationship patterns, sleep problems, and mood challenges.
Goals are set together and adjusted as progress unfolds. Susan invites a collaborative, down-to-earth process. She helps people connect to their strengths, manage difficult feelings, and build routines that reduce stress.
When parents want clear tools and steady support, she offers practical guidance and steady encouragement.
What Susan works with
Everything Susan lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Susan helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Life purpose
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Susan lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How Susan’s Approaches Work Online
Client-centered therapy begins by focusing on the person and their goals. It asks questions, listens closely, and shapes sessions around what matters most to the client. This approach helps parents feel heard and involved in planning change.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect. It breaks problems into manageable pieces and uses experiments or practice tasks to change patterns that cause stress or anxiety. CBT is useful for mood issues, sleep problems, and parenting-related worries.
Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing exercises to reduce reactivity. Those practices help with stress, impulsivity, and emotional overwhelm by strengthening the ability to pause and choose a response.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each client about goals and preferences, then try methods that fit day-to-day life. Changes are made together as progress is seen and needs evolve.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to work. Video calls let the therapist and client use face-to-face conversation and screen-shared worksheets. Phone sessions can be a good fit when bandwidth or camera use is difficult. Live chat and text-based messaging support shorter check-ins, coaching-style exchanges, and step-by-step skill practice between sessions. These options make it easier to fit counseling into busy parenting schedules.
Questions people ask about Susan
What concerns does Susan commonly address?
She helps people manage anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, ADHD, parenting stress, sleep problems, and mood disorders. Additional focuses include relationship patterns, codependency, and life transitions.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is person-centered and practical. She listens first, then uses cognitive behavioral and mindfulness techniques to set small, achievable goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 15 years of clinical experience working in varied settings. That background informs how she helps parents and individuals find practical strategies.
What credentials and region are listed for this therapist?
She holds LCMHC and LPC credentials and is listed as practicing from New Jersey with the licensing details NC LCMHC and NJ LPC.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
Which session formats are available?
Work can occur via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to therapist availability.
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