New to Grow
Hi, I’m Susan, a California-licensed therapist providing virtual therapy for adults seeking support for anxiety, stress, overwhelm, and life transitions. I specialize in postpartum and perinatal mental health, work-life stress, burnout, and anxiety management, helping clients navigate identity changes, emotional overwhelm, and the pressure of balancing multiple roles. My clinical approach is evidence-based, warm, and collaborative. I integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based therapy to help clients reduce anxiety symptoms, build practical coping skills, improve emotional regulation, and create sustainable, meaningful change in daily life. I offer culturally responsive, client-centered telehealth therapy across California.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
During your first therapy session, we’ll focus on getting to know you and what brings you to therapy. I’ll ask questions about your current concerns, personal history, and therapy goals, while also making space for you to share what feels most important. This session is paced thoughtfully and designed to feel supportive, not overwhelming. We’ll discuss how therapy can support your needs, begin identifying patterns related to anxiety or stress, and explore initial coping strategies when appropriate. You’ll also have time to ask questions about my approach, next steps, and what ongoing therapy may look like. My goal is for you to leave the first session feeling heard, informed, and hopeful about the process.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
My greatest strengths as a therapist are my ability to build a warm, supportive therapeutic relationship while providing structured, evidence-based care. My style is firm yet gentle, helping clients feel both supported and appropriately challenged as they work through anxiety, stress, and life transitions in a safe, nonjudgmental space. I integrate CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based strategies to help clients gain insight, reduce anxiety symptoms, and develop practical coping skills they can apply outside of therapy. My approach is collaborative, culturally responsive, and goal-oriented, supporting clients in making meaningful, sustainable changes in their daily lives.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
My ideal clients are adults experiencing anxiety, chronic stress, overwhelm, and life transitions who want practical, evidence-based support. I work especially well with postpartum clients, working parents, and professionals navigating burnout, identity shifts, perfectionism, and the pressure to manage multiple roles. Many of my clients are thoughtful, self-aware, and motivated for change, but feel stuck in anxious thought patterns or emotionally exhausted. They are looking for a supportive, collaborative therapy experience that offers both insight and concrete coping skills to improve emotional regulation, reduce anxiety, and build a more balanced, fulfilling life.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. CBT offers practical tools for managing anxiety, overwhelm, and life transitions, helping clients feel more grounded and in control. My approach is collaborative and tailored to each client’s lived experience, with mindfulness strategies integrated to support stress management and coping outside of sessions.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
I integrate mindfulness-based approaches to help clients build awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and body responses in the present moment. This method supports clients in managing anxiety, stress, and overwhelm by learning how to respond to challenges with greater calm, clarity, and self-compassion. Mindfulness practices are introduced in a practical and flexible way so clients can use them both in and outside of sessions.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients develop a more flexible and compassionate relationship with their thoughts and emotions. Rather than trying to eliminate anxiety or stress, ACT focuses on building skills to tolerate discomfort while staying connected to personal values. In my practice, I incorporate ACT techniques such as mindfulness, values clarification, and acceptance strategies to help clients navigate anxiety, overwhelm, and life transitions. This approach supports clients in taking meaningful steps forward even when difficult thoughts or emotions are present.