Susan Guerra , LCSW

Susan Guerra is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Louisiana. She brings 28 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, low self-esteem, depression, and a wide range of life challenges. She also supports people facing trauma, intimacy concerns, eating and sleeping problems, parenting stress, and issues related to LGBT identity.

Her approach is warm and nonjudgmental. Sessions focus on practical steps that fit each person's life. She uses listening, gentle coaching, and evidence-informed methods to help people build coping skills and clearer goals.

Susan draws on several psychotherapy approaches to match a person's needs. She combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools to reduce unhelpful thinking and increase valued action. She also uses elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Emotionally-Focused Therapy when emotion regulation or connection work is central.

Her background includes work in hospice, home health, psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics, residential substance-abuse programs, and women's shelters. That variety informs her work with chronic illness, caregiver stress, substance-related concerns, and complex mental health challenges.

Sessions are offered in English and can be scheduled online in several formats. Susan aims to tailor plans so people can apply skills between sessions. She emphasizes realistic, achievable steps toward a healthier, more authentic life.

How evidence-based approaches work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take small steps toward them, even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present. It is often used for stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is practical and skill oriented. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills that help when intense emotions or relationship patterns get in the way.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That can mean combining techniques and adjusting the plan as progress is made.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy easier to fit into a busy life. Video is useful when visual cues help the conversation. Phone can be simpler when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging allow for short check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care and to practice skills in everyday settings.