About Susan
Susan Garner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship pain, trauma, and grief. She works with clients on intimacy and communication struggles, career pressures, ADHD, and other life transitions. Susan draws on two decades of clinical experience and her real-world perspective to guide sessions in clear, practical ways.
Her style is straightforward and compassionate. She listens first, then helps clients name the core issues.
Background and approach
Conversations often move between talking, body awareness, and practical exercises that build coping skills. Sessions aim to reduce overwhelm and improve daily functioning. Susan blends approaches to match each person’s needs.
That can include somatic work that links body sensations to emotions, attachment-focused work to repair relational patterns, and cognitive strategies to shift unhelpful thoughts. She adapts methods based on what helps each person make steady progress. Over twenty years in practice have given Susan experience with a wide range of concerns.
She helps people facing abandonment wounds, family-of-origin problems, codependency, infidelity, blended family issues, and midlife transitions. She also supports those coping with bipolar mood challenges and persistent shame or emptiness. Therapy with Susan moves at a practical pace.
Together the therapist and client set clear goals, try concrete tools between sessions, and track what changes. The emphasis is on building skills, strengthening relationships, and finding more calm in everyday life.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Somatic work pays attention to body sensations alongside thoughts and feelings. Online sessions can include guided body awareness exercises, breath work, and noticing physical responses to help process stress, trauma, and anxiety. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationship patterns shape current connections; it helps people identify safety and trust issues and try new ways of relating within the therapy conversation.Client-Centered Therapy centers the person’s own goals and pace. The therapist offers empathy, reflective listening, and support while clients lead the work. Susan will collaborate with each person to find which approach or blend fits best based on their needs and preferences, and she adjusts as therapy unfolds.
Online formats make it easier to get consistent care. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction for relational and somatic work, while phone, live chat, or text-based messaging provide flexible options for check-ins, short coaching, or when schedules are tight. These choices let people use the mix of contact that feels most practical and comfortable for their healing journey.
Frequently asked questions
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What background and experience does she bring?
What credentials and where is she licensed?
Which languages are used in sessions and are international clients supported?
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How is cost handled for therapy sessions?
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also works with
- Abandonment
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Jealousy
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 20 years
- Licensed
- California, Oregon
- Languages
- English